The Pakistani Spectator

A parable of relationships for people and countries

By

 

Charles Towne

 

Writing as ‘Mah’ Kwa’ Ahdizookay

 

 

Please check out my blog at:  www.chaz-writersheart.blogspot.com and leave a comment!

 

One time not so very long ago and not so very far away a panther and a bear met in the forest. 

 

It was during the season of plenty when the hardness of winter was but a memory and The berries hung heavy on the bushes.  The game was plentiful, and the fish in the streams were beyond numbering.

 

               The panther and the bear met on a trail.  That the trail was made by the bear and generations of his kind did not matter to the panther for he thought that because he walked there the trail belonged to him, therefore he would not yield.

 

               The bear stood on his hind legs and looked down upon the panther and talked to him in a powerful voice that caused the trees to shake and the ground to quiver.

 

               “Why do you not yield to me brother panther?  You know that I am mighty and that with one caress of my paw I can end your puny life and yet you stand in my way!”

 

               “Yes,” agreed the panther, “you can push me aside as the great wind moves the chickadee, but if I step aside you will think me afraid and you will have contempt for me!”

 

               “Ahhhh yes,” said the bear, “but if you do not move aside I will move you and in that moving your life will cease!  Perhaps I will respect you and consider you brave but I will also consider you very, very foolish.  What merit or honor is there in that?”

 

               The panther considered the bear’s words but he was young and looked upon yielding as weakness.

 

                “Oh Brother Bear,” he reasoned, “If I step aside and let you pass all I can boast is that I yielded the trail to you but if you step aside I can go to my clan and when I tell my tale they will consider my words and think me brave and worthy, so step aside and let me pass.”

 

               Not at all impressed with the panther’s logic, the bear did not move and Hours passed.

 

               The panther and the bear were hungry and thirsty.  The longer they stood there the hungrier and thirstier they became, but stubbornly neither would move.

 

               A beautiful berry patch, ripe and overflowing with luscious, sweet, juicy berries grew at the side of the trail.  Ohhh, those berries were absolutely wonderful!  There were so many sweet, moist berries, just waiting to be eaten. 

 

               The panther and the bear could see the berries from the trail. They could almost reach the berries. In fact they could almost taste the berries.  But neither would venture into the berry patch, each imagining and rightly so, that the other would presume ownership of the trail.  Thus it was that they stood glaring at each other, each of them casting frequent and hungry glances in the direction of the berry patch.

 

               While the bear and the panther stood in the trail glaring at each other, two mama bears with their half grown bear cubs wandered into that beautiful, delectable berry patch with its luscious, sweet berries and began eating ravenously. 

 

               The two mama bears and their cubs were not interested in the path, but they claimed the berry patch as their very own and they gobbled those sweet, scrumptious, scrumdiddlyumptious berries up by the pawfuls.  They slurped up great mouthfuls of the juicy berries until the juice stained their paws and dripped from the corners of their mouths.  

 

               Soon, too soon, the two mama Bears and their berry fat cubs waddled off, leaving behind them a trampled down and very sad berry patch. 

 

               As though adding insult to injury, one of the mama Bears burped a very big berry burp and then relieved herself, before following her cubs into the forest.

 

               The panther and the bear stood there in the trail looking at the ruined berry patch and a big pile of steaming bear droppings.

 

               The bear tore his eyes away from the, “used to be” berry patch, and in his most intimidating voice he roared at the panther, “Get out of my way you runt! You insignificant, puny little mouse! 

 

               The “puny mouse” part was thrown in as the greatest insult the bear could imagine.  And he roared another great, earth shattering, ear splitting, tooth chattering roar.

 

               (You might say that he was just a little upset.)

 

               Even though the bear’s sarcasm in calling him a mouse was not lost on the panther, pride,  bravery, stubbornness, as well as just a tad of foolhardiness caused him to stand his ground.

 

               Finally, the bear had enough.  Pulling back his lips he snarled a great big hideous, ugly, nasty and very vicious snarl.  He exposed his gleaming sharp fangs as he prepared to leap upon the proud, brave, courageous and very foolish panther.

 

               Understanding the danger he was in and realizing that if he continued his present behavior he could expect some serious trouble, the panther spoke.

 

               “Ho, oh mighty one, Wait!  I have an idea. Let us walk together down this fine trail, you and I.  It would take little for you to slay me, for compared to your terrible, sharp fangs mine are nothing, and surely my claws are not worthy of the name.  I could never match you in a fight, but if we walk together you can say that out of the goodness of your heart you allowed me to walk beside you.  The creatures of the forest will look upon this as an act of great generosity on your part and they will call you a good and wise chief.”

 

               (Perhaps the panther was not so foolish after all!)

 

               The bear, hearing the words of the panther, considered them worthy and thus the bear and the panther set off down the trail together.

 

               The panther and the bear grew to appreciate certain things about each other.

 

               The creatures of the forest, both great and small, saw the two of them and heard of the bear’s generosity and patience while Word also spread of the panther’s great wisdom and courage.

 

               And time passed…

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