With malice to none
Big fight between 'ant' and 'elephant' is on! 

Today I wish to begin with a joke and end up with some serious matters that have been affecting the Nepali society and finally the nation as well.

It so happened that in a jungle (forest) lived happily a hosts of small and big creatures. Among the crowd of the many such creatures or better say animals, lived elephants and small ants. Since it was a society of these small and big creatures, they all lived supporting each other at times of crises.

It so happened that the daughter of a male ant fell in love with the son of another ant who lived nearby. The guardians of both the families met and decided that their kids be tied in nuptial bonds, sooner the better for obvious and understandable reasons.

The date for the marriage was fixed and the invitation cards distributed. All the creatures including the big ones cooperated the family of the ants, both sides, and exhibited their social character.

But then one problem gripped the side of the bride. Since it was monsoon season and hence this side needed a big Shamianah ( we call it Pal/ Tripal in Nepali) to house the guests, relatives and friends at time of the feast. This is a custom that those who come from the side of the bridegroom are treated with sweet meats and some enjoy vegetarian foods.

One Deer who was sitting nearby the father of the daughter-ant advised the father to seek support from the friendly elephant. In fact the elephant had an "underwear" which could be utilised as the much needed Samianah.

The father approached the elephant and the latter readily agreed to offer his underwear for one night.

The underwear of the elephant did marvelous job. It protected all the guests from rain on the marriage evening.

The marriage came to a happy end. The guests left for their respective homes blessing the newly wed couples.

However, one sad event happened. One naughty mouse out of fun made a scratch/hole in the Samianah which was in effect the underwear of the elephant.

At time of sending back the underwear the elephant could see the scratch which made him very angry to the extent that he created havoc. In the process he killed hundreds and hundreds of ants. Fortunately, the newly married couple were saved.

Both the bride and the bridegroom lost their near and dear ones. Later they vowed to penalise the elephant in their own way time permitting.

After a lapse of several years, one day when the couple were in their evening walk with their young kids they could see the elephant walking in the street. They decided to penalise the elephant instantly. However, the husband was more generous. He convinced his wife that it was not the right time to penalise the elephant because the elephant was alone. He exhibited mercy on the elephant because he was alone. This meant that the husband wished to show his strength when the elephant was with his friends.

Some years after, the kids grew. The entire family of the same ant was in its morning walk. They saw the elephant and wished to settle the dispute once and for all. The couple then instructed their kids in their teens to ride over the giant body of the elephant one by one.

Father ant: Ride over the elephant and reach over the head.

Elder ant: Yes daddy! I am already in the said place. Advise me what should I do next.

Father ant: Press the body of the elephant very hard so that it collapses of your "significant" weight.

Elder ant: Yes dady! I am doing that. Don't you see!

The father then sense that the load was not that enough and hence he orders his middle son to ride over the elephant. The middle son too joins his elder brother and begins pressing.

Father ant: Press! Press! With your entire load. I wish to see the elephant collapsing.

At last the father ant sends his youngest son to join the effort. All the three brothers begin pressing hard. They all put their entire efforts in one place and pressed the elephant hard.

As if nothing had happened, the elephant moved on and on and is even today is being seen moving freely.

Thus ran the story of the ant and the elephant.

Coming back to our own case, the elephant like Nepali politicians were playing politics caring little about their own voters-read the ants. The ants wish that some mechanism could tame the wild elephant. However, there is no such mechanism. The wild elephant(s) have been enunciating the rules of the games without consulting the ants-read the lay men.

The elephants have crushed hectares of fertile Nepali lands but no hunter as such has been till today been able to tame those wild and notorious elephants.

A big "net" has just been created. The net is Judicial Commission to probe into the illegal properties collected by the elephants while being in power. Question is there among the ants whether this net could be able to trap them all?

Is it that the ants will have to remain in constant fear of being crushed by the wild and notorious elephants?

Perhaps yes! Size wise and influence wise the elephants will continue to be elephants and the ants can't change their own size. But what if all the ants converge together and begin retaliating to the reckless behaviors of the elephants? Will that work? Yes perhaps!

Headline | National | 5 Question  | Editorial | International | Past