Birds
A little bird worked night and day, hunting for themself and building a nest. They wanted to make the most fabulous nest in the land, one with the strongest branches and furnished with lush flora.
But, growing wary, they heard of a wise stoat who lived up the hill. Taking a break from their work, they travelled to find the stoat. He was curled up on a rock, snoozing away; though when the bird flapped their wings and landed beside him, he awoke.
"Oh wise stoat, please help me," the bird pled.
"What is it?" replied the groggy stoat.
"I have so much to do. I must feed myself, but I must also build a beautiful nest. I'm so tired."
"Then get someone to help you."
"Oh no, I couldn't do that. I have to hunt for myself. I have particular taste, you see, and it would be shameful to let someone else hunt for me. And, you know, the nest is an expression of my soul. I can't let anyone else touch that either."
The stoat thought for a moment, then nodded his head. "Alright. I will give you a way to get the help you need, without sacrifice to taste; and without burdening others."
"Really?" beamed the bird.
"Of course. Go to the woods at night, atop the old berry bush by the creek, and wait there."
The bird was hesitant, but had faith in the wise stoat. After all, many had good things to say about him. So, the bird did as the stoat said and fluttered down upon the berry bush when night fell.
They waited, and waited, and a feeling of unease washed over them. The leaves shifted, and the bird fidgeted. Their beak swung back and forth, beady eyes watching every direction. And then, out from behind the bush, a shadowy creature leapt out at them. The bird was so startled that they jumped out of themselves, splitting in two.
"That should do," spoke a familiar voice. It was the stoat.
"You scared me!" the two birds exclaimed in unison, feathers rustled as they glared at the stoat who had earlier hid himself in the dark.
"Well then, go back to what you were doing before," the stoat said. "One of you hunt for food, the other can build the nest."
The two birds glanced at each other, surprised, but realized that this would indeed be useful. "Well, alright," one of the birds said. "I'll gather the food." And then spoke the other, "I'll build the nest."
The two birds fluttered off. They were two, but they were one; they needn't gather double the food, the same amount suited them just fine. Now each were free to focus on one task, and this greatly simplified their life.
But, just as the two birds needed only the sustenance of one, it felt as if their strength had also been split in two. It was harder to hunt, and harder to find the right material for their nest. So they returned to the stoat, with some feeling of regret, and asked if it was possible to bring their bodies back together.
"Well, that isn't my expertise," the stoat said. "But there's a unicorn to the North that can help you."
So the birds went on a journey to find the unicorn. With a renewed sense of purpose, they left behind the nest and forgot about it entirely.