This is the story of a bird from

a land far-far away.

This bird is a bar-headed goose,

and it is not long since this bird

has come into this world.

“We will call him by

the name of Feng

which means “free wind”.

First few days Feng could only walk,

then, he started to run and quack.

“O mother when will

you take me to sky?”

“You will go in a few

days, once you learn to fly.”

When days passed by all the young geese

Started to fly,

Some were big and strong but Feng

Was small and shy.

All the geese made fun of Feng because

they were fast and he was slow.

Feng felt very sad and started to feel low.

His father told him,

“It does not matter who flies the fastest.

The real challenge is in flying the

longest and highest.”

“Mother nature makes

all geese the same.

One day you can fly

highest and earn the fame.”

One fine day after the school,

Feng and his classmates gathered.

All young geese stood near

the forest and wondered.

The leaves were orange,

Not one but all.

Many leaves had fallen,

Many were ready to fall.

The chief called for a grand assembly.

Each couple came with its family.

“Leaves will all fall and

You know the reason.

It is autumn,

The traveling season.”

“It is the time to embark on our journey.

For young it will be their first testimony.”

“One of you will become the captain.

He will be the best flier and most wisest goose.

When we reach our destination we will choose.”

Feng wanted to know more about the

journey that the chief was talking.

“How far will we fly,

Across the river

near by?”

“It’s a journey long

and beyond, dear Feng.

We begin from Mongolia

and halt in Quinghai

lake in China.”

Next day the entire flock was flying together,

singing the legendary goose song.

“When you go down you dive.

When you go up you cruise.

You can reach the highest.

You are the Bar-headed goose.”

On the way they crossed rivers,

Woods and meadows anew.

And there were riffs, cliffs and

Waterfalls too.

“I like the lovely breeze,

the autumn red trees and the blue sky.

I love to sing, I love to cruise, and I love to fly.”

“This is the great Quinghai lake, full of fresh air and food.

You can rest here, take a bath, the weather here is good.”

“But be careful if you separate

From the flock and stray.

Alone we are weak and

Become potential prey.”

There were foxes, crows

And eagles wanting to attack.

No young geese were allowed

To leave their pack.

Yet Feng used to be alone,

practicing flying for hours.

But he was often interrupted

by the rowdy Lee brothers.

Feng never liked Jet, Bruce and Jacky,

They were the three of the most naughty.

“My brother Bruce is the fastest goose.

He will be the captain soon, and you will lose.

Hahahaha... ”

Feng felt angry and went to the chief to know the truth,

“Was bruce the fastest goose

tell me O respected chief?”

“Bruce was fastest so far, but there is no need for any grief.

This is not our destination, we will go long and longer.

Tomorrow we leave this lake for the next stop over.”

“We will go to a beautiful land,

It is to the south of where we

stand.”

“This place is very cold

But very dry,

There is a lake and

A mountain nearby.”

Once again all of them were flying along,

Singing the old legendary goose song.

“When you go down you dive.

When you go up you cruise.

You can reach the highest.

You are the Bar headed goose.”

This time Feng was

The fourth young goose to arrive.

His practice improved

His cruise and dive.

He was still not sure who won the race,

He went to the chief and asked with grace.

“O little Feng, look at the hills at the horizon.

This is not an end, this is just a mid station.”

“Those are the great Himalayan mountains.

The first one to cross them becomes the future captain.”

On a beautiful starry night Feng asked his father,

“Why are Himalayan

mountains so great?”

“Himalayas are the highest in the world.

Ask 6000 men to stand one above the other,

compared to Himalayas they will still be shorter.”

Next day feng flew as high as possible.

He wanted to practice to beat Bruce the goose.

As he went higher and

higher air was thinner.

Breathing was difficult and

wings were colder.

When he came back, the chief

was speaking to everybody and all.

“For the final journey this is the final call.”

“We begin tomorrow early morning.

Some will make it to the other side, some will fall.”

“We scale above the Himalayas.

We cross mountain peaks,

Capped with snow and ice.”

“The other side is India.

Our winter paradise.”

They began with the dawn.

The wind was against them and was strong.

And along came the legendary goose song.

“When you go down you dive. When you go up you cruise.

You can reach the highest. You are the Bar-headed goose.”

As they reached higher things were colder and colder.

The ground, the lake, the houses looked smaller and smaller.

The air was thinner and the breath was leaner.

But they needed to flap their wings faster and faster.

Many started feeling the pain.

Many backed off in vain.

Among the young,

Bruce was leading.

Feng was second,

And still speeding.

When they reached even higher,

there was a violent blow of air.

Jackie went rolling down and below.

Feng was confused but decided to follow.

They landed on a high ice peak.

“Your life is more important.

Fast I can be later, now I have to be wise.”

They resumed their flight but they were all alone.

The wind was worse and the direction was wrong.

“O Jackie let us make our parents proud.

Hold my hand flap along and remember the

legendary song.”

Jackie was feeling tired and losing hope,

but then Feng saw a moving stream.

“Just a little more higher we need to go,

If we get in the stream it will be bingo.”

The speed of the stream

Was double than their own.

They were traveling so fast,

They had never earlier flown.

“Look dear Jackie we can see the green pastures,

lovely woods, huge lakes and the blue rivers.”

“It is time to find our parents and elders.

We have passed the test with flying colors.”

They received a grand welcome.

Jackie told about his condition,

and how Feng could help him.

Everybody praised Feng for his bravery.

While Bruce was eagerly waiting

for the award ceremony.

The chief climbed on the stage and said aloud,

“This is India, this is where we

spend our winters year around.”

“And now the winner of captain’s crown for the best of the best.

Feng it is for he was not the fastest but definitely the wisest.”

Bruce congratulated Feng,

And they decided to be friends again.

They entered the lake and

started the splashing game.

The chief knew this winter

Is good and jolly,

In around 3 months it will be

Time for the return journey...

A great leader is not the

one who is the best in the group

but the one who takes everybody

along with him, especially in

troubled times.

Moral of the story