a fable
Python lay coiled on a warm flat rock admiring his beautiful scales, how they shimmered in the sun, and constantly shifted in colour. They made him look fluid, like he was a glittering stream threading his way through the jungle. Python was so pleased with himself that he rolled in great coils that flipped about as he stared at every inch of his gorgeous body.
Python was not the only one admiring Python’s scales. Sitting in a nearby tree Peacock couldn’t help but think how great his wife would look dressed in python skin. She was always complaining how dowdy she looked in comparison to him. If Peacock ever thought to reply, “But that’s just way I am, I didn’t ask to be beautiful,” his wife would squawk at him so dreadfully that Peacock would run away and hide. Often in a tree.
Peacock had a reason to want to make his wife look better. Not because it would make his wife happy. No, it was because if his wife didn’t squawk at him all the time that would make him happy.
Peacock watched Python rolling around on the rock, He didn’t realize it was because Python was admiring how beautiful he was. Peacock wasn’t really thinking about Python at all other than getting his skin. Which would involve killing Python to get it.
If Peacock had been a person he might have thought about how wrong it is to kill someone just to get something you want from them. But, Peacock was an animal and he didn’t think like that. He’d eaten lots of little snakes in his time. This wasn’t any different. This snake was just bigger.
Peacock thought to himself, “I’ll wait until old Python falls fast asleep. Then I’ll fly down ever so quietly and peck his eyes out before he knows I’m there. He’ll still smell me, so I’ll run in front of him and lead him over a cliff nearby. I’ll fly off and he’ll fall to his doom. I just hope the fall doesn’t ruin too much of the skin.” Peacock figured once Python fell down the cliff, he’d pop down, eat up as much of Python as he could, and then take the beautiful python skin back to his peahen. She would think she looked fabulous, and he’d be able to roost in peace again.
Meanwhile, Python had noticed Peacock in the tree. He had no idea what Peacock was thinking. What he did notice was Peacock’s beautiful feathers. Python thought to himself, “Man, would I look good in those! A nice feather boa to wear out while promenading! I’d look like a millions bucks!” Python set to thinking how he could get the feathers. Actually, Python knew exactly how he could get the feathers. He’d just kill old Peacock. The trick was how to lure Peacock close enough to get him.
“I know,” thought Python. “I’ll pretend to be asleep and maybe he’ll come close enough so I can give him the good old Python love tap.” Python knew birds aren’t very solid and a little smack from him was all it would take to break Peacock’s neck. “But I have to be careful. I don’t want to ruin the feathers,” thought Python.
Meanwhile, the Monkey King was hidden in the jungle, watching both Peacock and Python. Not only did he see them, they were thinking so hard about killing each other, the Monkey King could hear their thoughts. The Monkey King chuckled. “Man, these guys are cold blooded! Imagine if everyone behaved like that all the time. I can’t wait to see how this turns out.”
Python coiled himself into a circle, placed his head on top of his coils, and pretended to fall asleep. But he did not close his eyes completely. Python could see everything. Plus, his nose was exceptionally good at sniffing. Even if he didn’t see the Peacock, he’d smell him.
Peacock waited in the tree. “Let the big old worm get nice and warm on that rock,” thought Peacock. “He’ll fall deep asleep. He won’t even know what hit him, it’ll all happen so fast. I’ll be doing him a kindness really. Big old snake like him must have all kinds of enemies.”
Python lay on the rock and pretended to be asleep. “Snore, snore, snore,” he kept hissing, hoping that would trick the Peacock, who looked nice, plump and tasty, as well as having beautiful feathers.
Unfortunately, having worked so hard pretending to be asleep, Python fell fast asleep.
Peacock wasted no time. Silently he glided out of the tree down to Python. Landing beside Python, Peacock pecked one eye, blinding Python on that side instantly. As Python awoke howling in pain, Peacock leapt high above Python’s writhing and pecked out Python’s other eye.
The Monkey Kind watched in astonishment, “Who knew Peacock was such a nasty guy? I’m going to have to be a lot more careful around him from now on.”
Python began to thrash all around. He could smell Peacock. All he wanted now was to smash him. Peacock kept hopping up in the air as Python’s head shot out at him. “This is going great, “ thought Peacock as he hopped back toward the cliff’s edge. Just then his spur entangled in some small roots when he should have hopped.
Python’s love tap missed Peacock completely. Just like Peacock planned, Python pitched over the edge of the cliff and fell to his doom. But when he did, Python went right over top of Peacock and flattened him completely.
The Monkey King came out of the jungle, musing to himself. “That did not work out well for either of them. It appears not only do I have a very flat peacock and well pulverized python for my stewpot, but I’m going to get a snake skin suit out of this, plus a peacock feather fan. Monkey, you are a very smart monkey I think.” The Monkey King grinned, and began to collect Peacock’s feathers.
The moral is fashion is murder.