This beautifully illustrated tale is simple and a little bit gruesome. It tells the story of two groups of birds, swans and peacocks, who, focusing on the differences between them start to fear one another. They also arm themselves, driven by fear, to prepare for an attack. When a battle is started by accident/misunderstanding, the birds wipe each other out.The story concludes with two eggs hatching, one peacock and one swan. The birds look at each other, notice their similarities and become friends.

There are parts of the story that are harsh, but the ending is so sweet and so clear, even to the youngest reader or listener. This book teaches its lesson very clearly: if we focus on fear and difference, we will be consumed by it. We are probably much better served focusing on similarity and friendship.