A bird in hand is worth two in the bush

1. Introduction
A person should be happy with the little and certain wealth that he has rather than
lusting after the prospects of something better because the birds in the bush are
uncertain advantages, whereas, a bird in hand is his certain possession.

2. Going back to the origin and debunking the proverb “a bird in hand is worth two in the
bush”

3. How a bird in hand is worth two in the bush?

 Argument: A famous story – the greedy dog – literally proving that one must be happy
with blessings a person has instead of chasing things that are uncertain to acquire

 Argument: An ordinary man spending all his money buying a lottery ticket, having no
guarantee of winning it, thus, showing that chasing after uncertain things is of no use

 Argument: A person quitting his current job and looking for a better one, ultimately,
getting unemployed, having no bird in his hand

 Argument: People opting for cosmetic surgeries despite knowing the risk involved,
hence, getting deprived of what they have

 Argument: A girl rejecting all the suitable marriage proposals in her youth, seeking for
the best one and becomes overage, rushing for two birds in the bush

 Argument: A person risking his relationship by cheating with others and running after
the uncertainty, ultimately, losing his spouse that is considered a bird in hand

4. Critical analysis
5. Conclusion

Human, by nature, is never satisfied with what he has in his hands. In fact, the trait lies
in his nature that makes him aspire for something better. Thus, the thought of acquiring
better advantage leads him to the deprivation of the little wealth or whatsoever he has.
Without any doubt, “a bird in hand is worth two in the bush”; the old maxim is tracing
back to the medieval falconry. Going back to its origin, the proverb was first written by
John Capgrave in his book, “The Life of St. Catherine”, in the 15th century. He
represented a bird in hand as falcon because it can provide food to the falconer while
the other birds in the bush can offer only a one-time meal. Undoubtedly, the proverb
can be not only comprehended in its literal meaning but also implemented in real life
situations. For example, referring to a famous story- The Greedy Dog- a story told and
heard very often, in which a dog gets deprived of a piece of meat in his mouth in order
to obtain another one which is only illusion, is an evident how one should be happy
with the little blessings one has in life. Moreover, if a person with an ordinary income
spends all his money buying a lottery ticket, which is uncertain whether he will win it or
not, puts all his wealth on stake and, ultimately, loses all his money lusting after the
prospects of something better. Likewise, a person, quitting his job to get a better one,
never knows if he will have it, ultimately, gets unemployed and deprived of a bird in his
hand. Furthermore, people who opt for cosmetic and facial surgeries go for it despite
knowing the risk involved, hence, lose their natural beauty. In the same manner, a girl
rejects suitable marriage proposals, seeking for perfection, eventually, becomes overage
and does not get them anymore after a certain time. So, the arguments discussed above
are enough to prove that the possession of little but certain advantages is far better
than the bigger but uncertain ones. Therefore, one should always be happy and grateful
for the blessings one has in his life instead of having greed for more and more. Though
one should work hard to achieve something better but should not be a foolish to burn
one’s own house.
-
“Be grateful for what you have”

Coming to the understanding of the proverb, “A bird in hand is worth two in the bush”
was first written in book “The Life of St. Catherine”, in the 15 th century, by John
Capgrave. He traced it back to the medieval falconry, representing a bird in hand as a
falcon can provide food for the falconer and is, obviously, more advantageous than two
birds in the bush. Besides its literal meaning, it is mandatory to understand its
contextual meaning as well. The maxim means that a person should be happy and
contented with whatsoever little wealth one has instead of aspiring and chasing
fabulous wealth, which is uncertain to acquire. Hence, one should not run after the
unseen things, for this is not a practical and rational approach.

To begin with the arguments, proving how a bird in hand is worth two in the bush, a
famous story- The Greedy Dog- told and heard very often is worth mentioning here, in
which a dog, with a piece of meat in his mouth, sees his shadow in water while passing
by a river and perceives it to be another dog with a piece of meat. So, he opens his
mouth, lusting after getting more and, eventually, gets deprived of his own possession,
left with nothing but regret. Therefore, the story itself gives a lesson of how something
little yet certain is better than something fabulous but uncertain.

Furthermore, the wise saying can also be applied to real life situations and
circumstances. For example, a person, with an average income, barely feeds and fulfills
the needs of his family; no doubt, he would want to become a millionaire, and facilitate
his family with the best. For that purpose, if he chooses a shortcut and buys a lottery
ticket with all the wealth he has, ultimately, loses it and becomes destitute. Therefore, it
is not a practical approach to chase for uncertain advantages, put everything on stake
and getting deprived of the little wealth that is certain.

Likewise, if a person, already having a job, is fascinated by a better post in some other
firm, and resigns from his current job. Certainly, there is no guarantee of acquiring his
desired designation and, ultimately, would get unemployed. Thus, it is an unwise
approach to give up on the blessings a person has instead of being grateful for them. So,
it is evident that a bird in hand is worth two in the bush.

Moreover, cosmetic and facial surgeries have become the standard of beauty and a
trend nowadays. People spend millions for a very minor facial and cosmetic procedure
despite knowing the risk of failure involved. Thus, there is no guarantee if a person,
going through the procedures, would get his desired facial looks or spoil it even more,
losing his natural beauty. So, if the said procedure fails, the person not only can undo it
but also spends more and more money on making him look better. Therefore, it is
evident that a little wealth that is certain is better than the bigger wealth that is
uncertain.

In the same manner, an unmarried aging girl, being reluctant and rejecting all the
suitable marriage proposals, seeking for perfection would become overage, and after a
certain time, she would not be getting the proposals anymore because marrying an
overage girl is sometimes considered a taboo in society. Hence, the abovementioned
example clearly tells how one bird in hand is netter than the two birds in the bushes and
why a person should be contented with whatever he has rather rushing after the
uncertainty.

In addition, if a married person be with other partners, lusting after the prospects of
something better, and cheats on his spouse would, definitely, risk his married life with
no surety of obtaining better. Thus, the spouse is referred to as a bird in hand and a
blessing, which he should be grateful for, whereas the other partners are birds in bush
with no guarantee of being acquired. So, the little blessings in one’s life are worth
something bigger that is not certain or one’s possession.

From the above discussion, it is inferred that a person should be happy and contented
with a bird in his hand rather than chasing for two birds in the bush, meaning that one
should always be grateful for the little blessings and wealth one is provided with, and
which is certain instead of rushing for unseen and uncertain anticipation because it can
lead to nothing else but deprivation of the things in hand and regret.

“The grass isn’t always greener”

To summarize, the nature of chasing and greed for more and better can lead one to the
deprivation of the certain things and wealth one currently has; therefore, it is correct to
say “a bird in hand is worth two in a bush”. In fact, the old but wise saying can be
applied to the real life incidents. To illustrate, the story of the greedy dog proves how
little but certain blessings in life is better than chasing uncertainty. It also tells how a
greed for getting more and more can result in the deprivation of certain things that one
has in hand. Furthermore, quitting a job and searching for a better one and, ultimately,
getting unemployed can lead to nothing else but regret. Likewise, spending all the
money of the breadwinner of a family, with an average income, on buying a lottery
ticket is not a wise approach because there is no guarantee or certainty of acquiring
what that person is aspiring for. Without any doubt, the arguments discussed above tell
that one should always be contented and grateful for the little blessings and wealth in
his pocket instead of lusting after the prospects of something better because a bird in
hand is certainly worth two in bush.