What a change. Just two months ago, he was a harried tortoise. He was losing one battle after another. He was sacked as the editor of Jungle Times. On the State-run television, he was not getting any coverage. His own comrades were calling him a fossil. No surprise, many whom he had seen growing up were long dead. The Hare, his competitor, was miles ahead of him.
What was his fault? He never understood. He stood for ideals and fought for them too. May be that was his fault. In any case ideals are only to be preached, not practised. But he could never do that. His ideals were also antiquated.
When a horde of animals, they called themselves the Choke, landed from the other forest to take water from Junglistan, the Tortoise stood up and said 'no'. The Choke offered many rewards, like free meat for all carnivores, free grass for all herbivores. They fell for it.
"After all we have all the water in the world. We can do without some gallons," they said. The Tortoise lost that battle.
Then a herd of camels from a faraway desert came that way. They came with a proposal. The Smart Jungle project. "Animals would get jobs," the camels said, "For the work they do, they will get food. Just give us some land."
The Tortoise again said 'no'. "Why should we give our land free? If the camels want it, let them pay for it." The matter was left undecided. Animals were angry. They wanted their little ones to lead a comfortable life, but the Tortoise was blocking the jungle's development. They cursed him.
Then came the elections. The Hare went for the kill. "Down with the Tortoise," he said, "Boycott him if you want a better future." He gave the call wherever he went. He was in a hurry to be become the king. Time looked ripe. The Tortoise was a hated figure. Strike when the iron is hot, the Hare had heard the old saying. So he struck hard, repeatedly.
The Tortoise was battered, his hopes shattered. He looked grim. The race looked like a lost cause. But he didn't lose hope. He crawled, from den to den, from one nest to another, seeking support. The places he went to, the Hare had already been to. The Hare was in a hurry to become the king.
But soon the tide turned. Animals of Junglistan started taking pity on the Tortoise. After all he had been with them all these years. In bad times and good. "We have always ditched him," they thought, "Last time the Tortoise wanted to become the king, we chose the Antelope. This time let it be him."
The Tortoise woke up from his thoughts. In front of him was the entire jungle, well almost. They were cheering for him. It's just a matter of time before he wins the elections. Who would have thought of that two months ago?
"Comrades...," the Tortoise launched into another of his speeches. And as he spoke, he looked for his rival, the Hare. He was nowhere to be seen. The Hare was at his home, a 3 by 3 hole in a tree, sleeping. He knew he had lost the race.
CPM veteran V S Achuthanandan is winning the election in Kerala on a sympathy wave. His party secretary Pinarayi Vijayan's hurry has cost him the throne, it seems.
When will the hares of the world learn that the slow and steady win the race?first published:April 25, 2006, 20:22 ISTlast updated:April 25, 2006, 20:22 IST
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They had come from far and wide, from every nook and corner of the jungle, to hear the Tortoise speak. Tigers, elephants, porcupines, wolves, goats, antelopes, alligators, crocodiles, cobras, vipers, pythons, sparrows, parrots, crows, kites, all of them were there. There was a smile on the Tortoise's face. He looked calm, at peace with the world.
What a change. Just two months ago, he was a harried tortoise. He was losing one battle after another. He was sacked as the editor of Jungle Times. On the State-run television, he was not getting any coverage. His own comrades were calling him a fossil. No surprise, many whom he had seen growing up were long dead. The Hare, his competitor, was miles ahead of him.
What was his fault? He never understood. He stood for ideals and fought for them too. May be that was his fault. In any case ideals are only to be preached, not practised. But he could never do that. His ideals were also antiquated.
When a horde of animals, they called themselves the Choke, landed from the other forest to take water from Junglistan, the Tortoise stood up and said 'no'. The Choke offered many rewards, like free meat for all carnivores, free grass for all herbivores. They fell for it.
"After all we have all the water in the world. We can do without some gallons," they said. The Tortoise lost that battle.
Then a herd of camels from a faraway desert came that way. They came with a proposal. The Smart Jungle project. "Animals would get jobs," the camels said, "For the work they do, they will get food. Just give us some land."
The Tortoise again said 'no'. "Why should we give our land free? If the camels want it, let them pay for it." The matter was left undecided. Animals were angry. They wanted their little ones to lead a comfortable life, but the Tortoise was blocking the jungle's development. They cursed him.
Then came the elections. The Hare went for the kill. "Down with the Tortoise," he said, "Boycott him if you want a better future." He gave the call wherever he went. He was in a hurry to be become the king. Time looked ripe. The Tortoise was a hated figure. Strike when the iron is hot, the Hare had heard the old saying. So he struck hard, repeatedly.
The Tortoise was battered, his hopes shattered. He looked grim. The race looked like a lost cause. But he didn't lose hope. He crawled, from den to den, from one nest to another, seeking support. The places he went to, the Hare had already been to. The Hare was in a hurry to become the king.
But soon the tide turned. Animals of Junglistan started taking pity on the Tortoise. After all he had been with them all these years. In bad times and good. "We have always ditched him," they thought, "Last time the Tortoise wanted to become the king, we chose the Antelope. This time let it be him."
The Tortoise woke up from his thoughts. In front of him was the entire jungle, well almost. They were cheering for him. It's just a matter of time before he wins the elections. Who would have thought of that two months ago?
"Comrades...," the Tortoise launched into another of his speeches. And as he spoke, he looked for his rival, the Hare. He was nowhere to be seen. The Hare was at his home, a 3 by 3 hole in a tree, sleeping. He knew he had lost the race.
CPM veteran V S Achuthanandan is winning the election in Kerala on a sympathy wave. His party secretary Pinarayi Vijayan's hurry has cost him the throne, it seems.
When will the hares of the world learn that the slow and steady win the race?
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