A young man once thought to confound the elder of his village. The old man was exceedingly wise. But the young man was certain his own wisdom exceeded that of the frail old man. He caught a little bird and carried it, hidden in his cupped hands, to the old man. “Here is a riddle for you, old man. I have in my hands a bird. Is it alive or is it dead?” There was no way the old man could win. If he guessed “dead,” the boy would open his hands and release the living bird. But if he guessed ”alive,” the young man would crush the bird in his hands. When he opened them, there would be a dead bird. But the old man looked into the young man’s eyes and said, “The answer, my son, is in your hands.” 
This is a folktale From India, retold by Dr. Margaret Read MacDonald in her excellent book Earth Care, published by August House, 2005. “Earth Care is a collection of traditional folktales and proverbs from over twenty countries or ethnic groups, touching upon both human and ecological themes such as environmental protection, the care of other creatures, and the connection of all things in nature.”
The BeZine 