The other day I could hear a commotion in the park next door. When I walked outside, down the garden path and through the gate to investigate, I discovered two currawongs attacking two other birds which at the time, I couldn’t identify. It appeared as if the currawongs were attacking for no reason until a little time passed and I learnt much more.
The actual attackers were the other birds, which I now know were from the cuckoo family and the currawongs had a nest in the tree . While I watched, I was shocked and horrified to see the cuckoos snatch the three young currawongs (still without feathers ) from the nest and drop them to the ground, sadly to an instant death.
Apparently this is what all cuckoos do, it is in their instincts. Following the ‘removal’ of the currawong babies the female cuckoo then lays her own eggs in the nest and then even more astonishingly the currawong mother resumes the caring role, of the cuckoo’s babies!
How is that for good and evil! Is that what we mean by good and evil in the bird world? The currawongs were good and the cuckoos were evil. I certainly thought so, but I am projecting from my conscious human condition afflicted state. Birds are ruled by their instincts so the cuckoos are not consciously making the decision to kill the babies, and therefore they’re not living with a guilty conscience.
What about the neighbourhood cat which, despite the fact that he is already well fed, will stalk and catch the lovely blue wrens in the park and leave them as a pile of feathers and a mess of flesh. Seems to me another example of good and evil .
What’s confusing though is if a red belly black snake then killed the neighbourhood cat, is the snake evil and the cat good?
And that’s just animals.
Don’t start me on the human world. Are we really all capable of being good and evil or is it just the people who didn’t eat their crusts or didn’t stand up for old ladies on the bus who turn out to be evil?
On our bus every morning there is a man who I swear is evil. He mumbles to himself, he looks kinda weird and I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a weapon of some sort in his back pack. He looks like he would probably bash you if you stared at him but does that mean he is evil or is there some good in him somewhere? How can you tell? Did his Mum love him once upon a time or was he always a problem?
If I ever have kids, how can I make sure they turn out good and not evil? Are there any books you can read so you get it right?