Forest Chronicle: An Ayodhian Dilemma

A Lion, a Cheetah, and a Hyena once had a fight claiming a kill. They had their own justifications.

They sought wise counsel. They were directed to divide and share the carcass equally.

A group of lions felt it was not proper. Claiming to represent all lions, they declared that lions could never share their kill with any other animal. Groups of cheetahs and hyenas expressed similar sentiments.

The carcass and the debate attracted other hungry predators. Crocodiles, wolves, vultures, jackals, all took sides, supporting the animals that they perceived favorable to them. “Which part of the carcass would the concerned animals keep?” they questioned. “This is not fair”, they opined.

“All or nothing”, they declared. About something, that was never anything to them prior to this debate.

Soon, the entire forest joined in the debate. It was no longer a question of one carcass; it was now a matter of appropriate interpretation of the jungle law. What is the hierarchy, who is above whom, who is below whom and who is beside whom. And that justified the involvement of the entire forest. Now even elephants, zebras, donkeys, crows, camels, pigs, had an opinion on this issue.

Amidst all this, the carcass was rotting. With the entire forest engaged in debate, the animals failed to notice that the forest itself was shrinking. Humans were poaching, cutting the trees, sucking the lakes dry. Forest was giving way to mines, industries, settlements, resorts and farms.

It appeared that these issues will have to wait. The forest must first deliver the carcass to its lawful claimant.