Long ago Truth, Falsehood, Fire, and Water were journeying together and came upon a herd of cattle. They talked it over and decided it would be fairest to divide the herd into four parts, so each could take home an equal share.
But falsehood was greedy and schemed to get more for himself.
“Listen to my warning,” he whispered, pulling Water to one side. “Fire plans to burn all the grass and trees along your banks and drive your cattle away across the plains so he can have them for himself. If I were you, I’d extinguish him now, and then we can have his share of the cattle for ourselves.”
Water was foolish enough to listen to Falsehood, and he dashed himself upon Fire and put him out.
Next Falsehood crept toward Truth.
“Look what Water has done,” he whispered. “He has murdered Fire and taken his cattle. We should not consort with the likes of him. We should take all of the cattle and go to the mountains.”
Truth believed Falsehood and agreed to his plan. Together they drove the cattle into the mountains.
“Wait for me!” Water called, and he hurried after them, but of course he could not run uphill. So, he was left all alone in the valley below.
When they reached the top of the highest mountain, Falsehood turned to Truth and laughed.
“I’ve tricked you, stupid fool,” he shrieked. “Now you must give me all the cattle and be my servant, or I’ll destroy you.”
And so they fought, and when they clashed the thunder rolled back and forth across the mountaintops. Again and again they themselves together, but neither could destroy the other.
Finally, they decided to call upon the Wind to declare a winner of the contest. So Wind came rushing up the mountain slopes, and he listened to what they had to say.
“It is not for me to declare a winner in this fight,” he told them. “Truth and Falsehood are destined to struggle. Sometimes Truth will win, but other times Falsehood will prevail, and then Truth must rise up and fight again. Until the end of the world, Truth must battle Falsehood, and must never rest or let down his guard, or he will be finished once and for all.”
And so Truth and Falsehood are fighting to this day.
In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. – George Orwell
Have an AWE-full Weekend!
William “Bill” Bacque