Saving the zebra

 I learned from TV news that Covid is responsible for an increase in teenage pregnancies. That's at odds with what my biology teachers taught, but who am I to argue?

Political promises dominated the rest of the news, so my mind drifted inexplicably to fables and fairy tales. Here's one I heard in southern Africa.

In a green, pleasant land

lived various animals, ruled by the vultures. Why vultures? It's a fable.

The cruel, selfish vultures took most of the land for themselves and made absurd laws, restricting the movement of all other animals. This was particularly hard on the zebras, who loved to run free. They became weak, sickly and dispirited.

A band of noble hyenas overthrew the vultures, to the delight of all the other animals. Noble hyenas? Its a fable, for Pete's sake. Besides, if you're South African, that's not the most bizarre thing you've heard today. Hlophe and Mkhwebane have been nominated for the Chief Justice role.

The hyenas introduced regular leadership elections and promised many good things. The champagne taste of freedom was in the air.

However, as often happens in fables, a shaft of gloom penetrated the light. The hyenas secretly sold large tracts of land to humans, who slashed and burned. Some of them fed off the older zebra and the young. The animals were outraged.

At election time, the hyenas were contrite. They would deal with all rogue hyenas through several hyena committees. Had they not fulfilled some promises? Would they not fulfill many more? Some animals were placated. One of the hyenas could not resist nipping at the calf of a zebra. 

The party of the red-breasted squawkers loudly proclaimed that this was nonsense. They held the keys to the land of free things. To the zebras they said: "Your white stripes are the cause of all your troubles. We will rid you of them."

And, for emphasis, they marched around, hurling insults and curses at the white stripes.

Then all the animals chimed in, until the very hills reverberated with baying, howling, barking and hooting

But some of the animals quietly wondered:

"Who will save the zebras?"

Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted 

Capitec Bank, South Africa  

1378565477

O Tichmann 

+27 833970723