Canary in a Coal Mine

"'Natural inclinations may be moulded and wrought upon by good councell and discipline; but there are certain specific properties and impressions, that are never to be altered or decaf’d,' said a Canary in a cage after a coal miner put her in a tunnel coal mine in a land called Boorni," the Moon told a story after saying Basmalah and Salaam. 'The Canary, with her beatiful voice, sang,

First to fall over when the atmosphere is less than perfect

Your sensibilities are shaken by the slightest defect

You live your life like a canary in a coal mine

You get so dizzy even walking in a straight line

You say you want to spend the winter in Firenza

You're so afraid to catch a dose of influenza

You live your life like a canary in a coal mine *)

Then she said,

'A black crow, black as coal, wanted to be like the Swan, as her feathers were as white as the purest snow. This black bird, got the idea that if he lived like the Swan, swimming and diving all day long and eating the weeds and plants that grow in the water, his feathers would turn white like the Swan’s.

So, he left his home in the woods and fields and flew down to live on the lakes and in the marshes. But, though he washed and washed all day long, almost drowning himself at it, his feathers remained as black as ever. And as the water weeds he ate did not agree with him, he got thinner and thinner, and at last he died.

The Swan, who saw this, said,

A Coal was hid beneath the grate, which often modest merit’s fate. It was small, and so perhaps forgotten. Whilst in the room, and near in size, in a fine casket lin’d with cotton, in pomp and state, a Diamond lies, ‘So, little gentleman in black,’ the brilliant spark in anger cried, ‘I hear, in philosophic clack, that our families are close allied, but, know, the splendour of my hue, excell’d by nothing in existence, should teach such little folks as you, to keep a more respectful distance.’

At these reflections on his name, the Coal soon redden’d to a flame, of his own real use aware, he only answer’d with a sneer, ‘I scorn your taunts, good Blaze creature. And envy not your charms divine, for, know, I boast a double praise, as I can warm as well as shine.’

The Canary, summarized her story,

Now if I tell you that you suffer from delusions

You pay your analyst to reach the same conclusions

You live your life like a canary in a coal mine *)

Suddenly, the Canary became weak, then died."

The Moon said, 'In a mining tradition dating back to 1911, the miners use canaries in coal mines to detect carbon monoxide and other toxic gases. If the animal became ill or died, the miners knew, that the air, was not healthy. And Allah knows best."

Citations & References:
- James Northcote, RA, One Hundred Fables, Originals and Selected, J. Johnson
- Rev. Geo. Fyler Townsend, M.A., Aesop Fables, George Routledge and Sons
*) "Canary in a Coal Mine" written by 'Sting' Gordon Summer

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