Stories about animals repaying kindness they’ve received from humans are called “tales of gratitude.” While such tales may sound like something out of a fairy tale, they do happen in real life.
One day, a man in South Africa was leaving his house when he found an injured owl collapsed on the ground. He brought the owl home, treated its wounds, and provided it with a warm place to sleep and plenty of food. Thanks to his tender care, the owl recovered and, after about two months, was able to fly again. The man then released the owl back into the wild.
But that wasn’t the end of the story. From that day on, the owl would occasionally return to visit the man. And never empty-handed—it always brought gifts like mice, snakes, or insects. Though these gifts weren’t exactly welcome in the man’s eyes, for the owl, sharing its hunted prey was the best form of gratitude it could offer. The food usually ended up with the man’s pet cat, but he said the owl’s heart—full of thankfulness—was beautiful.
Gratitude and returning kindness are a natural duty, yet even people often forget the favors they receive. Perhaps that’s why these heartfelt stories of grateful animals touch our hearts so deeply.