THE TAPESTRY OF FABLES

THE FIRE THAT SPREADS

Where do I  begin?  Well never mind that, I believe that yet again, I do have a story for you. Here it is.

In a certain valley, that once was, in the distance and vague past that's hardly remembered anymore. There lived a herd of goats and a herd of antelopes.

The two groups of herbivores lived considerably well with each other, for there was enough pasture to go around, as well as water, and how lucky they were to have no predators to attack them.

That was at least until the lions came. Two lions they were, a lion and a lioness, they had come into the valley from the north, from lands unknown.

Now, it was obvious that the lions weren't going to  settle for grass like the other dwellers in the valley, No! Lions don't eat grass, not even in stories and fairy tales.

The two lions descended on the goats, attacking them, for goats made easier prey than the antelopes, and gave the lions hardly any difficulty in catching.

So, the goats lived in dread, as the lions struck day after day, whisking away the young, old, the weak, the strays and even the healthy and strong.

The goats therefore in seeking a solution, sought the aid of their neighbors the antelopes. They sent a delegation to them.

The delegates of goats narrated their dilemma to the antelopes and urged them to assist them, they said,
"The lions are a threat to you, as they are to us. Join forces with us, together we may stand a chance against the lions, before it's too late."

The Antelopes received their plea without much interest, their thoughts were:
"The lions, so far haven't attacked us, how does that make them our enemies? Won't joining forces with the goats against them, draw us to their attention and cause them to attack us? Besides, this works in our interest, the more goats that are devoured by lions, the more pasture for us."

Such were their selfish thoughts. The leader of their herd replied to the goats, "This is your problem, and as such, is no problem of ours. It's not our business; we can't help you."

Thus, the goats returned disappointed and abandoned by their neighbors.

Sure enough the lions continued preying on the goats.

However, there came a day, as always ; the goats could take it no more. They fled the valley, reached the nearby village and sought the protection of men. And as such dwelled among men, as we see them doing till this day, safe from lions.

Now,what about the antelopes? With the goats gone, the lions obviously turned to them, hunting them down, and devouring them, as they did the goats before them.

In time, the lion's cubs grew to become hunters of antelopes, and so from two lions, the antelopes had to live in dread of countless more.
The peace that they had once, in the valley was no more to be.

"I don't care about it!" is often an indication, that it hasn't happened to you, yet and very often when it does, there may be no help for you.

Helping your neighbor, at times is helping yourself. The fire in the forest spreads from tree to tree.

The story is ended.

Thanks for your time and effort