High atop the tallest mountain in the land, there lived an old eagle named Azu. For many seasons, Azu soared above valleys and rivers, guiding younger birds through storms and teaching them how to ride the winds.
He was the strongest flier, the sharpest eye, and the wisest among them all. Animals in the valley would stop and gaze whenever Azu passed, his wings spread like shadows over the sun.
But time, like wind, never stands still.
One morning, Azu perched on his favorite cliff, staring at the horizon. His wings ached. His eyes, once keen, now blinked more slowly. He sighed. "My time in the skies is ending," he said to himself.
Down below, a young eagle named Sefu practiced his flight. He had strength in his wings but often lost his way in strong winds. Azu watched him stumble and recover, again and again.
Later that day, Azu called Sefu to his perch.
"Why do you watch me?" Sefu asked. "I am not yet like you."
Azu smiled. "That's exactly why I watch you. I once flew like you — full of strength but unsure of direction. It's time I pass on what I know."
Each morning, Azu flew with Sefu. He taught him how to read the winds, how to wait before striking, and how to fly not just with strength, but with wisdom. Sefu listened and learned.
One evening, as the sun dipped low, Azu did not take off. Instead, he said, "Now you must fly alone. The sky is yours."
Sefu hesitated. "But what if I fail?"
"You will," Azu said. "And then you will learn. And one day, you too will pass on your sky."
From that day forward, Sefu became the guide of the skies. Younger birds followed his flight, just as he had once followed Azu. And though Azu no longer soared, his wisdom rode every current of wind, through Sefu and those who came after.
Moral:
True leadership is not just about soaring the highest — it's about preparing others to take the sky when you can no longer fly.