Skunk and badger

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

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Skunk and badger

The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. There was no needy person among them.

In North Twist most of its inhabitants, animals all including many chickens and at least one hedgehog, a badger and a skunk, live together congenially. Badger is a bit of a hermit, spending most of his time studying rocks while he lives alone in a brownstone owned by his aunt. Then Skunk unexpectedly becomes his roommate. Skunk is a very sociable roommate, which pleases Badger only at mealtimes. Badger has an uncommonly large and hard to satisfy appetite.

Skunk spends many evenings reading. Some evenings are “Long Story Nights.” He has just happened upon this speech in Shakespeare’s Henry V, of which he shares only two lines:

We give express charge, that in our marches

through the country, there be nothing compelled

from the villages, nothing taken but paid for, [and]

none of the French upbraided or abused in disdainful

language; for when lenity and cruelty play for a

kingdom, the gentler gamester is the soonest winner. (Henry V, Act 3, Scene 6, 115-20)

I thought this was a kids’ story. And it is. I never want to grow up, just be a kid all day and read good books on Long Story Night. Badger has unintentionally barged into Skunk’s Moon Room, where he reads.

Skunk scooted to the edge of the beanbag chair and sat upright. “You should read this Badger. Henry V is about two kings who are in a battle. It is an upsetting story, but a good one for Long Story Night, and King Henry says interesting things. For instance, King Henry says that the fastest way to win a kingdom is by being kind and gentle instead of using violence and cruelty. Do you think that is true? I do not know what I think at all.

I am not even sure I trust Henry V! He is a king. He got everybody into a battle. Battles are not gentle and kind! But I would like to know what you think. What do you think, Badger?” Skunk waited. “Ah. Hmm,” Badger muttered. He was not used to this kind of question—especially at night after eating an entire box of cereal.

Skunk ran his claw down the page, and tapped. “He actually says this: ‘. . . when lenity and cruelty play for a kingdom, the gentler gamester is the soonest winner.’ Does that help?” Skunk looked up and waited.

“Huh,” said Badger. He thought about it one way, and then another. His thoughts dead-ended, so he backed them out and tried another direction. “Maybe? I hope so?”

Skunk sighed and nodded. “Yes, ‘hope’ seems right to me. Gentle and kind is the way I would like the world to be. I hope it will be that way. But Badger, if it were true that kindness and gentleness were the best way to win a kingdom—or win anything at all—wouldn’t everyone do it? Not everyone is gentle and kind. Even I myself find it hard to be kind and gentle. Sometimes I get mad.

Also, I am a small animal, and being small is difficult. Sometimes I wish I had a grizzly bear arm to swat, or an alligator mouth to clack. But instead, I am a skunk.” He looked at his tail. “Even when no one is hurt, you get chased out of town. That does not feel like you are ‘the soonest winner.’”

There is more to tell of Skunk and Badger’s story, and I hope to share some with you tomorrow. For now I am struck by Skunk’s simple question: “But Badger, if it were true that kindness and gentleness were the best way to win a kingdom—or win anything at all—wouldn’t everyone do it?”

Jasper or Miles might ask that question. Skunk is older, and realizes he has the same problem as the rest of the world. Even he gets mad!

If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?

Religion creeps into the corners of this story, as it does most stories. With no mention of it, honesty, confession and grace transform our two friends and as they begin to relinquish their egos, God smiles on them.

Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

 (Acts 4, Psalm 93, John 3)

(posted at www.davesandel.net)

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