The Bird that Made Milk

Long ago, in the lush forests of West Africa, there lived a magnificent bird unlike any other in the world. This bird, called Nantwi by the local people, had brilliant golden feathers that shimmered like the sun, and eyes as blue as the clearest sky. But the most remarkable thing about Nantwi was not her beauty - it was her extraordinary ability to produce the sweetest, most nourishing milk anyone had ever tasted.

Nantwi lived high in the branches of an ancient baobab tree that stood at the center of the forest. The tree was so large that twenty people holding hands could not encircle its massive trunk, and its canopy provided shade for a area as large as a village square.

For many years, Nantwi lived peacefully in her tree, sharing her precious gift of milk with the forest animals who came to her in times of need. When baby animals lost their mothers, Nantwi would feed them with her milk until they were strong enough to care for themselves. When the elderly animals became too weak to hunt or forage, she would provide them with nourishment that restored their health and vitality.

The first human to discover Nantwi’s existence was a young girl named Akosua, who had become lost in the forest while gathering herbs for her sick grandmother. As night fell and dangerous sounds echoed through the trees, Akosua climbed the great baobab tree seeking safety and shelter.

High in the branches, she was amazed to discover the beautiful golden bird roosting peacefully on a nest made of the softest grasses and most fragrant flowers. When Nantwi saw the frightened child, she spoke in a voice as melodious as a flowing stream:

“Do not be afraid, little one. You are welcome to rest here safely until morning comes. But tell me, why do you venture so deep into the forest when night approaches?”

Akosua explained about her grandmother’s illness and her desperate search for the special healing herbs that grew only in the deepest part of the forest. “I found the herbs,” she said, showing her small bundle, “but now I am lost and cannot find my way home. My grandmother depends on me, and I fear she will grow worse if I cannot return with her medicine.”

Nantwi’s heart was touched by the girl’s devotion to her grandmother. “You have shown great love and courage,” the bird said. “Rest now, and in the morning I will help you find your way home. But first, you must be hungry and thirsty after your long search.”

To Akosua’s amazement, Nantwi began to produce fresh, sweet milk that flowed like a gentle spring. The milk tasted better than anything Akosua had ever experienced - it was cool and refreshing, with hints of honey and fresh fruit. After drinking, she felt her strength completely restored and her fears melted away.

True to her promise, Nantwi guided Akosua safely home the next morning, flying overhead and calling out directions until the girl could see her village in the distance. Before parting, Nantwi gave Akosua a small gourd filled with her special milk.

“Give this to your grandmother,” the bird instructed. “It will heal her illness completely. But remember, child - never tell anyone where you found this milk, for humans are not always wise about the gifts of nature.”

Akosua promised to keep the secret, and sure enough, her grandmother was completely cured after drinking Nantwi’s miraculous milk. When people asked how the old woman had recovered so quickly, Akosua simply said that the forest spirits had provided special medicine.

For many months, Akosua would occasionally return to visit Nantwi, always bringing small gifts of fresh fruit or beautiful flowers in appreciation for the bird’s kindness. Nantwi would share her milk freely, and the two became close friends, with the bird teaching the girl many secrets about the forest and its creatures.

However, their peaceful friendship was eventually discovered by a greedy merchant named Kofi, who had been following Akosua secretly, suspicious about the source of her grandmother’s miraculous cure. When he witnessed Nantwi producing milk, Kofi’s eyes lit up with visions of wealth and fame.

“Imagine the fortune I could make,” he thought to himself, “if I could control that magical bird! People would pay any price for such miraculous milk. I would become the richest man in all of West Africa!”

The next day, while Akosua was in her village, Kofi approached the great baobab tree with a large net and several strong ropes. He called up to Nantwi in his most persuasive voice:

“Beautiful bird, I have heard of your wonderful gift and have come to make you an offer. Come with me to my compound, where I will build you the finest cage and feed you the most delicious foods. In return, you need only provide milk for me to sell in the markets. We will both become rich and famous!”

Nantwi looked down at the man with sad, knowing eyes. “I give my milk freely to those in need,” she replied. “It is not meant to be sold for profit. My gifts are for healing and nourishment, not for making anyone wealthy.”

“Nonsense!” Kofi shouted, growing angry at her refusal. “You are just a bird! You don’t understand the value of what you possess. I will take you whether you agree or not!”

With these words, Kofi began climbing the tree, dragging his net and ropes behind him. But as soon as he touched the sacred baobab, the tree began to shake violently. The branches swayed as if in a great storm, though there was no wind, and the leaves rustled with sounds like angry voices.

Nantwi spread her golden wings and rose into the air, hovering just out of Kofi’s reach. “You have shown your true nature,” she said, her melodious voice now carrying notes of sorrow and disappointment. “Because you seek to profit from what should be freely given, and because you would capture and cage what should remain free, you have lost any chance of receiving my gifts.”

As Nantwi spoke, her feathers began to glow with an intense golden light. The milk that had been forming in her body suddenly turned bitter and unpalatable. From that moment forward, she would never again be able to produce the sweet, healing milk that had been her gift to the world.

“Moreover,” Nantwi continued, “your greed has consequences not just for yourself, but for all who might have benefited from this gift. Because of your actions, no human will ever again receive milk from the birds of the forest.”

With these final words, Nantwi flew away into the deep forest, her golden feathers gradually fading to ordinary brown as her magical abilities disappeared forever.

Kofi, still clinging to the branches of the baobab tree, found himself unable to climb down. Every time he tried to descend, the branches would shift and move, keeping him trapped high above the ground. He remained there for three days and nights, calling for help, until finally some village hunters heard his cries and rescued him.

When Akosua learned what had happened, she wept for her lost friend and for the wonderful gift that had been taken from the world through one man’s greed. She searched the forest many times, hoping to find Nantwi again, but the magnificent bird was never seen again.

From that day forward, the people of the region told the story of Nantwi as a warning about the consequences of greed and the importance of respecting nature’s gifts. Parents would tell their children: “Remember the bird that made milk, and how one man’s selfishness destroyed a blessing that was meant for all.”

The story also taught that true wealth comes not from what we can take or control, but from what we can share and protect. Akosua, though she had lost her magical friend, was remembered fondly by everyone who knew her grandmother’s story, and she grew up to become a wise healer who understood the importance of working with nature rather than trying to dominate it.

The great baobab tree remained in the forest, but it was forever changed by what had happened. Though it continued to provide shelter and shade, the tree would no longer allow anyone with greed in their heart to climb its branches. Only those who approached with pure intentions and respect for nature could safely rest beneath its canopy.

And sometimes, on very quiet evenings, forest travelers reported hearing a faint, melodious song echoing through the trees - a song of loss and longing that reminded all who heard it of the magnificent bird whose gifts had been lost forever due to human greed and selfishness.

The elders say that if humans had been wiser and more respectful, Nantwi might still be living in the great baobab tree, sharing her healing milk with all who needed it. But because one person chose greed over gratitude, a wonderful gift was lost to the world forever.

Thus the people learned that some gifts from nature are so precious and delicate that they can only exist in an atmosphere of respect, kindness, and generosity - and that greed is a force powerful enough to destroy even the most magical blessings.