Fables to digest

The Wildebeest and the Tiger

A curious young wildebeest was roaming the Savannah amongst a slew of Zebras.

"How nice are the zebras," he thought, "so gentle and loving."

The wildebeest watched them band together and rear their young.

Later that day, the wildebeest met a tiger. He was puzzled by this new creature but then noticed the tiger's stripes.

"You have stripes! You must be nice like the zebras," said the wildebeest.

"Yes I am," said the tiger.

Suddenly the tiger pounced on the vulnerable wildebeest. That night the tiger had wildebeest stew for supper.

Don't stereotype.

The Elephant goes to the Waterhole

Once upon an African year there was a great big elephant. Many of the other animals spoke to him because he was so great.

One day as he was making his way to a new water hole, a little mouse ran up beside him. The elephant walked while the mouse ran.

"Make sure you walk on the right side of the great canopy tree," the mouse cautioned.

"I will have the biggest gulp of water from the water hole," thought the elephant, not listening to the mouse.

The mouse ran off. As the elephant neared the canopy tree, he stopped for a moment. He thought he had heard someone tell him about the canopy tree. He dismissed the thought and continued on the easier path to the left.


On the left side was a hidden mud pit and the elephant plunged deep into the mud until only his head and trunk was visible. He was stuck.

Listen.


The Poor Chameleon

"Why can't I be colorful and beautiful like the parakeet?" thought the chameleon.

"Why can't I have a great home like the ant hill? The ants have such a palace."

"Why don't I have the thick brown fur like the chimpanzee?" He continued to question.

Just then, black clouds rolled in and began dumping water on the forest. The chimpanzee's thick fur was soaked and he was miserable. Then a bear, wandering through the forest stepped all over the ant hill, crushing the ants' life work.
Finally a sneaky panther leaped from a low branch, caught the parakeet, and gobbled him up.

The chameleon was oblivious. While camouflaged from panther and with rain drops rolling off his lizard skin, he sulked his way up a tree twig. Sigh.

Accept who you are.


The Rope Bridge

Once there was a great rope bridge over a large crevice in the jungle. Day by day, the animals used the bridge to cross from one side of the crevice to the other.

One day the rhino began to cross the bridge.

"Stop, stop!" yelled a little finch. "A thread broke in the rope!"

"No matter," thought the Rhino, "it's just a thread."

The rhino crossed the bridge safely, but in so doing, another tiny thread in the rope broke.
Finch was the only one who noticed.

Later on, Giraffe came up to the bridge.

"Stop, stop!" yelled Finch. "Now two threads have torn in the rope!" yelled little Finch.

"What can two little threads do?" said Giraffe.

Giraffe crossed the bridge safely, but his weight snapped another thread.

Then Lion came roaring up to the bridge.

"Stop, stop!" yelled Finch. "Three threads in the rope have broken. It's too dangerous!"

"What can three threads do to such a strong bridge?" said Lion.

He walked speedily across the bridge but tripped. The momentum from his fall caused the left-side rope to snap--then the right-side rope snapped. Suddenly Lion was plunging down into the great river below the crevice. As he came bobbing to the top of the rapids, Finch came flying down. "Small broken threads mean a broken bridge," he said.

Small decisions can make a big difference


A Loafing Beetle

Once there was a beetle that was loafing along the bank of a stream.

He kindly asked a passing ant, "Will you fetch me some water?"

The ant, being overly generous, took a few steps to the stream, and scooped up some water for the beetle to drink. The beetle drank and the ant went on his way.

Then a gazelle strode up to the bank.

“Little beetle, will you bring me some water?” she asked.

“I am not your servant--get it yourself,” said the beetle.

The angered gazelle took one foot and squished the beetle.

Don't ask others to do something you will not do yourself.