Acorn Parable [333W3C]

“Squirrel Finn is a liar and he doesn’t know what he speaks about,” Rabbit Dorsey said to the wood land animals.

“His proof is not really proof.” Said Rabbit Jack as the other animals listened.

“This doesn’t effect me, why should I be here for this meeting?” Goat Joesph asked.

“I agree,” Deer Bethany said. “Why do we have to get mixed up in your acorn quarrel with Squirrel Finn, Rabbit Dorsey?”

“Because Squirrel Finn spreads his proof around but we know his proof isn’t real proof.”

“Here, here.” Rabbit Jack shouted.

“So what do you want from us?” Raccoon Samuel asked.

“Tell Squirrel Finn that the acorns belong to everyone in the forest and if we want to use them for carrot fires and our rabbit games of brickledumper and kangerdorfen we can.” Rabbit Dorsey said.

“Well I don’t see why not, this has no effect on me,” Said Goat Joseph.

“Then it’s agreed. We can use the acorns as we like and don’t have to agree to any of Squirrel Finns acorn rules.”

The meeting ended on this note and the many animals went their separate ways. Squirrels Jacob and George went straight to Finn’s tree. “They’re saying you are a liar Finn!” George told him.

“Yeah the rabbits have convinced the rest of the animals that you are wrong.” Jacob added.

“But I’m not wrong,” Finn began, “we are running out of acorns. All squirrels know you have to manage your acorns every year or the tress don't grow back. The rabbits use so much and they are wasteful. They can use twigs for the fires that cook their carrots but they want to use acorns because they’re easier to gather. They’re collecting all the acorns before everyone else because they’re so fast and they have more brothers and sister in their litters to help them gather. I had to cross the creek and go close to the edge of the meadow to gather decent acorns.”

“I know, I know.” Jacob offered.

“They’ve been doing it for a long time too. The newer saplings don’t bear acorns yet. The old trees grow barren.” Squirrel Finn pleaded.

The next morning Finn went to the stump and called on the animals of the forests but they would not listen because the rabbits told everyone that Squirrel Finn’s proof wasn’t really proof. Other animals such as the Goats and Deer didn’t care because they didn’t eat acorns.

All summer long, Squirrel tried to save as many acorns as he could but rarely found any because all the rabbits were using them for their games and their cooking fires. Summer was long and dry. Winter soon came, even though it was really cold, it too was really long and dry. Is didn’t rain much only sprinkling here and there throughout the winter. Only one night did it rain really hard, causing the creek to overflow. The creek rose up and washed away Beaver Samson’s dams.

When spring came there was less green grass than there was last year. There were less new oak saplings growing up from the ground. Still, there was enough food and materials for all the woodland creatures. Squirrel went along telling the rabbits and anyone who would listen that we need to stop using all the acorns and use different materials for fires and games. The rabbits didn’t listen and started selling their acorns. They had left-over acorns while almost everyone else had none.

“These are everyone’s acorns, you can’t sell them to us!” Argued Squirrel Finn.

“Yes I can, they are mine. Right Joseph?” Rabbit Dorsey said.

“I don’t care, I don’t eat acorns.” Goat Joesph said.

“See? You’re the only one who has a problem with my using and selling acorns.” Dorsey said.

“You’re always so bossy Squirrel. Isn’t he bossy?” Dorsey asked the forest animals.

“Yeah stop being so bossy Finn.” Raccoon Samuel said.

“Besides, your proof isn't really proof.” Said Chipmunk Dennis.

Squirrel stopped talking. No one believed him or listened to him any more. He collected all his acorns for the season anyway. Other rabbits had to go to Dorsey to get their acorns to start their fires and play their rabbit games. Chipmunks had to get the acorns from Rabbit Dorsey too.

Again the winter came and like last year the creek flooded, washing away Beaver Samson’s dams. The spring came and it was green but less so than last year. In fact, there was only new grass this season. The were no new saplings. Samson beaver said he was going to move away because there were no new oak saplings for him to use in his damns. Th green saplings are the most flexible and he uses them to tie important pieces of his damn together. So the forest animals threw him a big party before he moved away.

The goats and deer fought over who got to eat the grass because there wasn’t enough green growing plants for them all to eat. Squirrel Finn would still say that we need to stop using up all the acorns but no one would listen to him.

When the winter came it again brought floods but this time there was no damn for it to wash away. It did however wash away a lot of the rich dark growing dirt where the grass once grew. The roots of the grass would hold all the good growing dirt in place like a net but because it was all eaten, there was not a net of roots to hold the dirt in place. The floods washed a lot of the good growing dirt away.

When Spring came, the forest was a lot different. The floods took away a lot of the smaller tress and washed away planes where grass one grew. The grass that grew was very little. The creek dried up because there were no dam to slow and control the water. It moved further away from the forest now. It was obvious to all the animals in the forest that something needed to be done.

“We need grass!” Said the deer.

“So do we.” Said the Goats,

“Why should I care if you need grass?” Said Finn to the Goats and deer, “you didn't care about my acorns.” The deer and goats were too embarrassed to answer.

After much discussion. Squirrel Jacon spoke, “I have the answer to your problems, we need Beaver Samson to bring water back to us.”

“But he can’t build the dams without the saplings to tie them off.” Said Raccoon Samuel.

“We’ll just plant some acorns to grow the saplings.” Jacob said. “Rabbit has the acorns to plant, Rabbit will you give them to us.”

“No, you have to buy them, you all have to buy them from me. I only have a few left so they will cost you a lot.” Rabbit Dorsey said defiantly.

“But rabbit we will surely die if we don’t bring water back to the forest.” Goat Joseph pleaded.

“How is that my problem?” Rabbit said. This caused the animals to get very angry at rabbit. They wanted to attack the Rabbit Dorsey and all his other rabbit friends.

“”Wait, wait!” cried Finn. “I have saplings. I’ve tended to my tree and no one else has. I’ve planted what little acorns I had last year so that the sapling would grow this year.”

“Why didn’t you say so? Why didn’t you tell Beaver Samson before he moved away.”

“I tired but he would never give me the time of day, he would just ignore me.”

“Well we must find him quickly to divert water back to the forest.” Deer Bethany said. “Climb on my back Squirrel Finn and we shall ride to the ends of the forest to find Beaver Samson.

Deer and squirrel brought Beaver back to the forest and all the animals except the rabbits helped Beaver build the new dams to help bring the creek back into the forest. The water soon brought in new grass and animals planted the acorns to grow new trees. Rabbit Dorsey and all his rabbit friends were kicked out of the forest into the meadow and not allowed to use the acorns any more.

All the animals agreed to no longer be wasteful but instead use less and work together to make sure that the forest kept growing new tress and grass. They made sure they managed the water with Beaver so that it didn’t disappear but also that it didn’t wash away the dark growing dirt that they needed to keep growing plants and tress.

The animals found that working together actually made everything easier for everyone. If the animals weren't greedy or wasteful, then all the animals could live together without ever starving again.