Fox & the ants

(interdependency)

It was a lean season in the valley. Even an abandoned scarecrow had been stripped of its straw, ripped to rags moving in a dry breeze. Faceless.

A solitary, scrawny fox had slowly descended into the plain. Hunger gnawed at Jasper, but also the pain of separation from his skulk in another valley. He’d been banished, called a “veggie vore” for eating mostly fruit (especially grapes) and vegetables, and for spending hours every day listening to bird chatter rather than learning to hunt.

Nearby in the fields, industrious ants had pulled together (as always) to harvest what wild grain they could. Their colony would survive under their wise queen, yet not prosper. Contention between neighboring colonies limited expansion.

Above the landscape some crows hovered, seeking (as always) any opportunities to feed, any bits to peck that might be food. Their leader Loki perched on the hollowed out scarecrow, eyeing the fox. He remembered Jasper had been cawed about at the last congress.

Loki cried out to the fox, “Times are tough, perhaps we can help each other find provisions, for each of our palates. You as to grapes, I as to grain.”

Jasper replied, “Okay, let’s agree to terms.”

The fox and crow scratched out an arrangement. Jasper would make a deal with the ants for some of their stored grain.

Afterwards, Jasper approached an ant that appeared to be in charge. “Hello, neighbor, what do you know of food nearby? I am no threat to you.”

“Food you say!” said the ant. “I am squad leader Anthony, tasked by our illustrious queen to gather what unharvested grain remains and not yet taken by crows.”

Jasper pondered for a moment, then said, “I might be able to help.”

Anthony replied dubiously, “I’m listening. Make your pitch.”

Jasper indeed did so, in a polished way, a reasoned way: “You are losing more grain to the crows. For a portion much less than your loss, I will scare them away, better than those raggedy sticks standing in the field.”

Anthony asked, “Ha, how is such a portion of value to you?”

Jasper replied, “I will cook porridge.”

Anthony replied, “Okay, let’s agree to terms.”

So, the fox and the ants sketched out an arrangement. After conferring with his queen, Anthony agreed to provide a small bag of grain every other day for the fox’s service.

This went on for a couple of weeks. But, in fact, Jasper was not a cook. The ants never noticed him sneaking away at night to meet with Loki. The crows had no problem pecking grapes from vines twined around high branches in trees elsewhere in the valley. They exchanged bags, grain for the grapes.

However, Jasper found the quantity of grapes reduced, the quality poorer. When he complained to Loki, the crow said, “Sorry to hear that, we outsourced that job.”

But nothing changed. When Jasper complained again, Loki merely said, “Take it or give us more grain!”

Jasper replied, “That conflicts with my agreement with the ants. I need to think about this.”

No longer starving, Jasper felt clear-eyed about the situation. He declined Loki’s fickle terms – honoring his agreement with the ants. (But he never told the ants of the side deal.)

Jasper learned to make porridge. The ants shared some tips about grains. Other veggie critters taught him about shaping clay into pots, using hot springs & hot stones, even the sun’s heat. He learned to store surplus.

Jasper eventually opened a small eatery. At first, for those he bartered with for supplies. Veggie porridge was the speciality of the house. It often included fruit, honey, or spices. The menu also included vegetable soup. Sides of berries (in season).

Hunting became even harder in their valley. Late one day at the eatery, a starving crow walked in …