Number Three:
There was once a mighty elephant, who was born covered with fleas. The elephant was mute, and the fleas were not, and they continually reported to him their perceptions of what was going on in the pachyderm’s life. You would assume that some sort of symbiotic relationship was at work here, but would be hard pressed to specify same precisely.
And a reader writes:
“I have a major complaint. I really enjoy myself when I read a story that is obviously an allegory, and am able to kinda figure it out and seem to get something from it. Whenever I do this, I really feel good about myself – but, then to be immediately confronted with another story that seems to me a contradiction somehow of the first one – is way too much! Being faced with this makes me extremely uncomfortable – no, extremely irritated! I wish you wouldn’t do it. nIt gets my thinking confused even worse than before. Stop it
Sincerely, etc.”
The story of The Ants and The Grasshopper you hear is the Ants’ version, and they neglect to tell you that, even though through their industry they did manage to live a few days longer than the insouciant singer, they died pretty painfully from stress ulcers. Also mark regarding the stories: Every man is an island, and so on down the line.
J.