A Jungle Parable

Crazy people say that if you listen carefully, you can hear animals speak…

The fox, the snake and the crab sat before their teacher.
“Why have you been away for so long?”
The snake and the crab turned towards the fox. The fox sat silently, not answering.
“I don’t have to be a wise ape to see the dark clouds around you. What ails you, fox?”
Again, the fox stayed silent, it’s wet eyes betraying it’s heart.
“Did you come back voluntarily?”
This time, the answer came from the crab.
“You gotta be jokin’, Sir. ‘t took all o’ me strength and a little bit of snake’s ‘ere too just to tire ‘im down. Finally, he relented to our logic and agreed to come back ‘ere.”
“Ssss not good, I sssay.” The snake joined in. “No animal should be an island.. we all need to ssstick by each other during hard timessss. But he just doesssn’t lisssen to ussss. Perhapsss you can talk sssome ssssense into him.”
The ape turned to the fox.
“What ails you, fox?” he repeated.
There was no reply. The ape waited patiently. Seconds turned to minutes. The crab looked at the snake, shrugged and gazed at it’s reflection in it’s claw.
“Are two people destined for each other?”
The fox’s question got everyone’s attention.
“Why do you ask?”
“It’s… never mind.I wouldn’t know where to begin anyway.”
“Try from the beginning.” The ape replied.

The fox gazed at him, looking for hints of mockery. Reassured, he gazed at the others. The snake raised it’s hood, a gesture of warning for some, but of compassion to those who knew it.

“You all know Robin. She was just a little chick when I came across her. Her wings damaged after a fall, she had been left by her family to die in the jungle. I should have eaten her. After all, that’s my instinct, right ? Yet, I don’t know what happened to me that day. I felt pity on her. I carried her home and gave her shelter from the winter.”

The crab nodded. “Aye! I remember ‘ow the hyenas laffed at ya, callin ya a chicken fer shelterin’ a bird.”

“I know. I heard what everyone said. I couldn’t explain it myself. It was just something I had to do, y’know. I’d get her food, strengthen her up and wipe away her tears. I’d build her up with tales of how high she would soar one day, so high that even I’d wouldn’t be able to see her as more than a speck in the sun. And the flying lessons.”
“Yessss. I remember thossse. I kept thinking you’d fail and she’s die..”
“I’d carry her up to the top of the tree, then hurry down and tell her to jump. Every time, she failed, I’d be there to catch her before she hit the ground. Every day for a year and a half.. till the day she finally managed to fly.”

The ape spoke. “I recall the happiness that followed your steps in this jungle in that period.”
The fox nodded.
“What changed ?” the ape asked.
“She did. One fine day, she met this bluebird and fell in love. And just like that, a week later, she was gone from my life. I never even got to say goodbye to her. ”
“Did you love her, Fox ?”
“With all my heart, Sir. I devoted half my life to her. I would have done anything for her.”
“Except let her go?”
“But why would she want to leave? I gave her everything she needed.. I .. I..” Tears prevented the stream of words. The snake rustled up to him and wound it’s tail around his, an act of solidarity.

The ape waited for the fox to regain his composure.
“Fox?”
“Yes sir?”
“Are two people destined for each other?”
The irony was not lost on Fox, who grinned finally.
“I.. I used to think that our lives were intertwined.. Soulmates destined to be together forever. I felt that it was meant to be.. after all, I literally gave her wings to fly. I took her from a death bed and gave her.. a life.”
“And yet she left?” The ape asked.
“Exactly. One fine day, she just fell in love and everything I had ever done seemed to fade from her eyes..”
The ape looked at him for a long time.

“Do you know what your problem is, Fox?”
The fox stared back at him.
“You are too clever for your own good. No, don’t disagree. You see, I’ve known you since you were a cub. I’ve watched you grow up. I know you. You are smart. But your smartness is your own enemy. Having said that, you have fallen for the most sincerest of mistakes here, one which many in love fail to see.”
“What, master ?”
“You have erringly decided that all true loves are meant to be together.”
The fox’s whiskers twitched.
“Happily ever after? Who made that rule, fox ? No one did. You are doubting all that you felt today because of what has happened. Don’t you see? Your love saved a life – her life. She was destined to die, to never test her wings again in resignation. You gave her the dream. You made it a reality. She is what she is today, thanks to you. But your role ended there.. It was to give her wings, spiritually and physically. Don’t you see? You succeeded. Your love story was a winner.”

“But if it was a success, how is it that we’re not meant to be together?”

“Because that’s the beauty of life, Fox. It’s all about distance and time, opportunities and moments. You were not the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle of her life but you were the difficult blue skies without which the portrait would never have evolved. You see, in life, you will meet so many people who will add to who you are, who will ‘complete a part of what you are destined to be’. And when the penultimate piece has been placed, the last space is left for the one you are meant to be with.”

“You see, Fox. Your loneliness and self doubt is tearing your ideals. But they shouldn’t. They should goad you on. You have helped give someone a life. What you have not yet realised is that each life you complete also completes a piece of you. The question is – are you the type of animal who throws away the puzzle in frustration when it seems too hard or are you the type who’s willing to wait, knowing the beauty of the final product?”

The fox sat quietly for awhile, then got up. The snake and the crab too rose.

“Thank you, Sir.”

Nothing more needed to be said. They all knew it. The dark clouds surrounding the fox didn’t seem so dark anymore. They turned and left, leaving the ape to meditate.

Epilogue:
The two birds sat happily, cuddling against each other. The pregnant glow left her radiant and an envious sight, taking his breath away every time he saw her. He arched his brows at her, an obvious question in them.
“No way” she giggled. “Behave yourself.”
“Sigh, ok. That kid better know how much I’m sacrificing for him.”
“He does, I’m sure.. Now get me some food. I’m starving.”
“Sure thing, honey. By the way, have you given some thought to what we were talking about last night?”
“I have.”
“And?”
“I’ve decided to name him Fox” Robin chirped.
#
Author’s note:
Crazy people say that if you listen carefully, you can hear animals speak…
Wise people say that if you listen really carefully, you can learn a lot from them.

This post is dedicated to Mr X, a nameless faceless patient in the psychiatric ward where I work whose file states ‘he can hear wild animals talking.’
*****
Author: Roshan R
Blog: Godyears
Twitter: @pythoroshan