The Thorn Bird - by Colleen McCullough

THE THORN BIRD

“There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life, more beautifully than any other creature on the face of the earth. From the moment it leaves the nest it searches for a thorn tree, and does not rest until it has found one. Then, it impales it's breast on the longest, sharpest thorn. But as it is dying, it rises above it's own agony to outsing the Lark and the Nightingale. The Thornbird pays it's life for that one song, and the whole world stills to listen, and God in his heaven smiles. For the best is only bought at the cost of great pain… Driven to the thorn with no knowledge of the dying to come. But when we press the thorn to our breast, we know, we understand.... and still, we do it."


― Colleen McCullough (1937-2015), The Thorn Birds