Why the cuckoo doesn’t build a nest

Update: 

This story is one of my most favourite ones! It was the first story we ever published as a picture book and gave us a sense of how Amma’s Tales would look! Illustrated by the supremely talented Archana Sreenivasan, this story has featured in workshops, discussions, in fan conversations and so much more! You can see snippets of the published books right here (a new print is in the works now or you can order your very own copy) and you’ll know why it was such a hit with the kids! (Pls note all images are the copyright of Amma’s Tales and any plagiarism or utilization of this content without written permission from Amma’s Tales will be contested.)

Here’s the original blog post from 2009!

My daughter D came home one day from school with a strange question: Why doesn’t a cuckoo build a nest? Turns out, they had been on a nature walk with a birdwatcher who had picked the cuckoo as an easy bird to talk about to 5-year-olds. He’d also individually hand carved bird whistles for the children and they all got a cuckoo whistle (see picture). At some point in his talk he had mentioned the cuckoo lays its eggs in other birds’ nests and doesn’t make its own. I was reminded of a story amma had told me years ago. The story goes:
Once upon a time, Brahma, The Creator, assembled all the birds in front of him. “I have made all of you and soon you will begin to lay eggs. You must build nests to keep the eggs warm so that they can hatch. Tomorrow, you must assemble at dawn here and I will teach each of you how to build a nest. But don’t be late,” he warned. “I may not be able to teach you anything then.”
So there was much excitement among the birds and they went home to sleep early so they could meet the next day at Brahma’s house. The weaver (baya) bird couldn’t sleep for excitement. “Oh, I should get there first,” thought the little bird. “I want to build a beautiful nest to keep my babies safe and warm.” And so she kept everything ready and even before dawn could arrive, she was the first one standing at Brahma’s door. All the other birds started filing in behind her.
Everyone chattered excitedly and as Brahma opened his door everyone suddenly turned quiet. Brahma saw the long line of birds and got started on his task. For the punctual and sweet weaver bird he reserved his best nest as reward. She learnt how to make the most beautiful nest and line it well so her chicks would never be wanting for warmth. And so he progressed down the line, to the peahens, the quail, the hens, giving each one a special nest they could build for their children. The last bird in line was the crow. “Aha!” said Brahma, “overslept as usual, have you? I’ve told you not to be so lazy! Now I can only teach you how to make a rather crude nest of sticks.” The crow was sad but thought, “I have only myself to blame. At least my children will have a nest.” After Brahma had finished teaching the crow how to make its nest, he looked up and saw the sun was climbing higher in the sky. “Ah! My work is done,” he thought. But something niggled at him and he felt his work remained unfinished. He was just about to shut his door when he heard flapping of wings above his head. He looked up startled to find the cuckoo landing at his feet. “Oh Brahma,” sang the cuckoo (for she had a really lovely voice that she was very proud of!), “Forgive me for I am late! I was up last night singing to please my friends and I just couldn’t get up in time. Could you please teach me to build a nest now?”
Brahma was very angry. He said “You are a vain bird, cuckoo. You couldn’t even be bothered to come here though I had warned you against coming late. As punishment,your eggs will never have a nest of their own.”
Brahma was about to slam the door when the poor cuckoo fell at his feet. “Oh Brahma, you are the Creator!! If my eggs have no nest how will my chicks survive the winter and snakes and other animals that want to eat them? The world will never have cuckoos and children will never hear us sing again. Oh, please don’t punish me like that!” she wailed.
Brahma’s heart softened. The cuckoo was right. Children would never be able to hear the beautiful voice of the cuckoo if she didn’t have a nest to bring her chicks up in. So he said, “All right. You will forever be a thief trying to hide your eggs in other birds’ nests. If they are kind they will bring your children up as their own but beware, some are not. But that will be your punishment. You can never bring up your own children and will have to depend on others to do it for you.”
So to this day, the cuckoo lays her eggs in the nests of the crow or other birds that look like her and hopes for the best and flies away. Sometimes she is mean and pushes out the other birds’ eggs to make place for her own. At others, she just leaves the egg and goes away. So, children today can hear the cuckoo’s song only because of the kindness of birds who bring up her children as their own.