 Once upon a time, Leopard, who was very hungry, saw Tortoise, and chased after him, ready for a fine dinner, but no matter how hard Leopard tried, Tortoise managed to escape.Then, one day, Leopard came upon Tortoise walking slowly on a road. Leopard pounced on Tortoise ready to kill. “Tortoise, prepare to die.”
Tortoise, realizing there was no escape, asked Leopard to grant a favor. Surprised, Leopard asked what Tortoise wanted. “It is not just that you should kill me, but since this will happen, I would like a bit of time to prepare myself, to prepare my mind.” Leopard agreed, thinking that Tortoise would stay still and be quiet. Instead, much to Leopard’s astonishment, Tortoise did not stay still and quiet. Instead, Tortoise scratched the road, digging up stones and dirt and plants, throwing them every which way, creating a huge mess. “Why are you doing this?” asked Leopard. “So that after I am dead,” Tortoise replied, “people passing by will know that here is where a great struggle took place.”
2 Comments
8/2/2021 12:39:34 pm
Nancy, you pose a good question in asking what we do when we see injustice. Each of your stories on this topic are poignant and piercing. I think the leopard and the tortoise offers an answer: that we speak out, make an effort to right the wrong--whether or not we succeed.
Marlene Simon
8/2/2021 01:30:14 pm
Yes, the common theme to your stories is speaking out and speaking up. It is amazing how powerful one voice can be, and how important it is to not stay silent when something wrong is happening, There are many ways to be heard. Do what feels right to you, but do it. It actually feels very good to speak out. Good for the soul. Leave a Reply. |
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Nancy King is a widely published author and a professor emerita at the University of Delaware, where she has taught theater, drama, playwriting, creative writing, and multidisciplinary studies with an emphasis on world literature. She has published seven previous works of nonfiction and five novels. Her new memoir, Breaking the Silence, explores the power of stories in healing from trauma and abuse. Her career has emphasized the use of her own experience in being silenced to encourage students to find their voices and to express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences with authenticity, as a way to add meaning to their lives.
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