Short Stories: Fox It, Snake!
Mr Fox walked the barren path of the jungle in search of his next meal. Being a young fox at the peak of his health, he was overconfident about his next kill. Of course, his hunting skills and quick wit makes obtaining the preferred food much easier. With a smirk on his face, he kept looking around with the intention to find what he has been craving for. Why waste your energy and skills on a kill which half satisfies the appetite and leaves the hunter with a craving for a particular taste? Yeah, Mr Fox thought he was much above that foolishness and smart enough to do the right by him. Many preys passed by in a rush to run away from the fox that didn’t show any signs of attacking them. Aren’t they stupid and blind, thought Mr Fox. They always scurry away with fear even when there was no real threat. Mr Fox never understood the reason behind it.
A couple of more meters and Mr Fox came to a halt. What’s that thing hanging from the branch, 5 feet above the ground level? Is it one of the tree veins? Mr Fox kept his attention right at its focal point and soon, he realized he had his target right there dangling from the branch. A snake — Proximus blind snake. Now that’s more delectable, thought Mr Fox.
Walking closer to the tree, he said, “Hello, dear prey.”
Mr Snake looked at him and hissed before replying, “Hello to you too, dear will-be-disappointed Red Fox.”
“Why would I be disappointed?”
“Because you will return empty-handed, oh rather I must say, empty stomach.”
“You are too sure of that, huh. Why aren’t you scared of me?”
Mr Snake continued dangling on the branch with no evident fear in his voice.
“I am not scared of you because you cannot jump to this height.”
“What if the branch breaks?”
“I am alert and when the branch breaks, I will hop on to the nearest branch.”
“What if another predator, likely an anaconda, attacks and catches you unawares?”
“Your eyes will tell me if there’s another predator nearby, and why exactly would you keep standing here if you see an anaconda approaching? I’ll see you running as if you are on fire.” Mr Snake hissed as if laughing at the expense of Mr Fox.
“What if your grip loosens and you slip down?”
“I trust on my grip and my reflex to hold the slipping branch if necessary.”
Mr Fox was getting frustrated with the imminent failure.
“What if you get tired of staying in one position and decide to stroll on the ground?”
“I will stroll on the ground but when you are gone.”
Frustrated, Mr Fox said, “I will wait for you in the bushes and attack when you come down.”
“Thank you, Mr Fox, for telling me your plan. Now, I will move through trees, get camouflaged, and land on safer ground. I believe you just lost your chance.”
Moral: There cannot be success from actions which are spoken beforehand. If the fox had stayed low, hidden from the snake, the fox would have had a chance to pounce when the snake came down looking for its kill or a walk-in-the-park moment. Remember, overconfidence turns your mind into a machine gun, no outlet or aim for the target, the likelihood of success drops here.
Never take any situation for granted & if you are in a tricky situation, act wisely!
