https://magazinetostory.blogspot.com/2023/12/fragile-balance-story-of-snack.html
In
the quaint village of Eldor, nestled between rolling hills and dense
forests, a group of children found joy in playing outside their homes
every day. One sunny afternoon, as laughter echoed through the air,
their innocent revelry took an unexpected turn. Among the bushes at the
edge of their play area, a sinuous figure moved silently — an elegant
serpent with scales shimmering like emeralds.
In
awe, the children watched the snake’s graceful movements, and their
excitement overflowed as they ran to share the discovery with their
parents. The news spread like wildfire, reaching the elders of Eldor.
Concerned for the safety of their community, a group of men ventured to
the site where the children had spotted the serpent.
For
hours, the villagers combed through the underbrush, their determination
unwavering. Finally, they located the majestic snake, its vibrant
colors blending with the earthy hues of the forest floor. Instead of
reacting with fear or hostility, the villagers took a moment to observe
the creature in its natural habitat.
However, the harmony was short-lived. Fear overcame reason, and with a sense of misplaced urgency, the men resorted to violence.
Their sticks descended upon the serpent, ending its life prematurely.
Yet, the serpent’s eyes held a glimmer of life, a testament to the
resilience of nature.
Undeterred,
the villagers pressed on, searching for the serpent’s lair. Deep within
the thicket, they uncovered a mound of soil, pockmarked with holes — a
sanctuary that housed not just the serpent, but a nest of eggs and
smaller snakes. The men, driven by ignorance and fear, mercilessly
crushed the unhatched life within.
As
the village echoed with the cruel sounds of destruction, the surviving
serpent, the matriarch of the now-decimated family, lay dying. With her
last breath, she reflected on her existence. Her
eyes, filled with sorrow and darkness, questioned the very essence of
humanity. She pondered the purpose of creating a home on this earth and
bringing forth life, only to witness it extinguished by the very beings
who claimed dominion over all.
“Is
our life not life?” she whispered, venomous words dripping from her
fangs. “Are we mere toys for these humans? Must we seek other means to
protest?”
she whispered words that lingered in the air, haunting the conscience of the villagers. “You
crush us, not just with sticks, but with the weight of your
indifference. Is your existence only validated by our destruction?”
She
gazed at the lifeless bodies of her kin, now scattered like forgotten
memories. “In our slithering existence, we harm none, yet your kind,
blessed with reason, chooses a path of relentless harm. Do you measure
your worth by the trophies of a conquered world?”
The dying serpent’s eyes, once vibrant with the secrets of the forest, now held a fading spark of defiance. “Poison
courses through my veins, but what of the venom that festers within
your hearts? Your poisons are not concocted in nature’s laboratory; they
brew in the cauldron of your own desires.”
As she drew her last breath, the serpent’s final words hung heavy in the air, a mournful plea for understanding. “Reflect
on the legacy you leave behind. The echo of our demise reverberates not
just through the forest but through the corridors of your humanity. Are
you the guardians or the harbingers of the world you claim as your own?”
And
in that moment, as her life seeped away, she left behind a poignant
silence that hung in the air — a silence that begged the villagers to
contemplate the consequences of their actions and the delicate balance
between humanity and the natural world.