The Porcupine

I was walking in the evening near the playground where all the kids from the neighborhood gather in the evening and play. I have always seen the tall kid who seems to be much better player than others on almost anything they play. However other thing I had noted is that he usually screams at the kids not playing well and also mocks them for their lack of skill. That day I saw this superstar kid sitting in a corner away from the others and softly sobbing. When asked he told me that they all stop playing when he goes there. He complained that it was unfair on their part. So I thought I will tell him one of my stories. Below is a summary of that story; you may like the story irrespective of the ‘age’ and ‘game’ you are in.

Once there was a farmer who had a lot of compassion for the animals. He raised cows, Sheep, roosters and ducks. He would always feed them good food and take good care of them. He even knew a good deal of medicines to cure if God forbid one of them ever went sick. 

One day he thought that why only these animals, he should rather help all animals. So if he sees a sick rabbit in the fields he will bring it home and take care of it, some of these animals would never leave his house. So over a course of a few months his house became a small zoo with rabbits, Geese, Mice, doves and even a small antelope living in his house. The kids from village would come and play with the animals.

One night it rained heavily and in the morning while going to his field he saw a small baby porcupine lying half-conscious in a puddle. His compassionate heart went out for the poor animal. He tried to look around for the Porcupines parents but they were washed away in the recent rains. So he brought the porcupine home and nurtured it till it was healthy and started growing.

With the time and care it grew in to an adult with shiny and strong Quills. The quills were intimidating by themselves but the fear they caused was compounded by the anger that mister Porcupine could not control. Very often it will be angry on trivial things resulting in his quills rising on his back like a million pointed spears.

Soon the animals and the little kids who used to come to farmers house to play with the animals go so afraid of the Porcupine that no one would come near it. They all will wave from a distance. Even farmer’s daughter will leave its food a little far always afraid that it may harm her.

All this added to Porcupines unrest and anger and one day having had enough of un-love; the Porcupine stormed to the farmer and screamed “Bunny gets all the cuddling and the hugs and I get the neglect. I need to be treated equally.”

The farmer looked at the Porcupine with surprise and sorrow in his eyes; I wish I could help, he sighed. They can’t cuddle you because you don’t have furry back to pat or cuddle; and that is how you have been made by nature. So nothing can be done on that. However if you could just control your anger and don’t shoot up those quills as spears on everyone, that may help. You are different from those furry animals; if only you could use those differences as your strength instead of comparing and trying to be like the rabbits. The farmer concluded.

The porcupine understood and immediately decided to drop its anger. Slowly and with effort, it was able to control the anger and become very gentle. The kids started coming near it and the rabbits started playing with it (from a safe distance). But the biggest change came when the Porcupine understood the strength its quills bring. Now the porcupine is officially the protector of all the animals and the little kids who come to play in farmer’s house. They all tell how the Porcupine has scared the fox away with a display of his sharp speared quills and his mock anger (it doesn’t get angry anymore for real)

Farmer fondly tells the story to everyone about the Porcupine who complained that the Bunny gets all the cuddling and hugs while the porcupine gets none. And everyone laughs, even the Porcupine.

Moral of the Story: If we could learn to use our strengths instead of comparing our weaknesses against other’s strengths, or mocking at other's weaknesses; we can do a lot good to our surroundings but above all we can do a lot good to ourselves!