A sparrow flew over the landscape searching for a safe place to lay her eggs. After several days, she saw a beautiful beach gleaming with soft white sand. It looked so inviting that the little brown bird descended to lay her eggs.

She settled and waited with joy in her heart. Her eggs would hatch soon and she would have a family. But one day a huge wave surged over the beach and whoosh – washed her eggs into the ocean!

The sparrow was beside herself. She darted about the shoreline in a panic. “My eggs, my eggs, the ocean has taken my eggs,” she cried. “Oh ocean, please please take pity and give me back my eggs.”

There was no reply as the ocean rolled and frothed without care. This incited the sparrow to make a new resolution. “Then I will search every drop of your waters until I find my eggs,” she said. “And I beg Lord Krishna to please help me.”

A puppy scratching about the sand cocked his ears, “Now that’s some plan, how silly!” he said. A sturgeon swam to the others in excitement, “Have you heard, a little sparrow thinks she can dry up the ocean, ha-ha!”

Undeterred by the ridicule, the sparrow filled her tiny mouth with salty ocean water and emptied it onto dry sand. Then she returned to the ocean for another beak full of water. She did this repeatedly.

News of the sparrow’s quest spread far and wide across the animal kingdom until Garuda, the king and protector of the birds, also heard. Garuda, a huge majestic eagle who flew Lord Vishnu everywhere, was intrigued and came to see what was happening. He could hardly believe his eyes when he saw the sparrow going to-and-fro spitting droplets of ocean water onto the sand. He became so impressed with the bird’s courage that he decided to help.

Garuda flew over the ocean and issued a stern warning. “Ocean, return the eggs to the mother sparrow right now or I will dry you up to find them.”

Instantly, the ocean became frightened. The puppy buried his head in the sand while the fish sliced hither and thither in alarm. Everyone knew Garuda could easily dry out the ocean in just two or three gulps.

The ocean quickly rolled a wave over the shore and returned the eggs. The sparrow was overjoyed. Everyone else joined in with cheers. The puppy barked, seagulls cooed and fish danced. The sparrow has succeeded!

She offered her gratitude to Garuda and Lord Krishna. Happy, she flew away with her eggs to build a nest far away from the waves.

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