The Book of Otter: The Gift of Death

The Old Otter told how when he was young he went with a troubled mind to the Walrus.

"How shall I find peace?" said the Otter.  "The world is troubled."

The Walrus stared at him hungrily for a long time, and said in a deep rumbling voice, "What sort of world would you have made, had you made the world?"

Being very young, the Old Otter said, "All creatures would be wise but full of wonder.  And well-fed on fruits that made them strong."

The Walrus nodded and looked away for several days.  At last, he shifted himself and said, "Idiot."

The Otter, taken aback, said, "But isn't our purpose to grow wise and wonder and not be in need?"

The Walrus said, with a glint in his eye, "Noooo, little cousin.  Your purpose is to die."

The Otter said, "The humans have a story that death came by a choice."

"The humans," said the Walrus, "had it backwards.  They chose because they must die.  Well, perhaps they meant to say something quite different."

The Otter thought for ten days and said, "I think I see.  If they had not death, even wonder becomes a prison like the jaws of a predator you cannot escape." 

The Walrus nodded.  "Donner la mort," he said.  "Invent your perfect world.  It is for shit," he added heavily.  "You want to be full of wonder, but you want it to go on and on, a robotic wonder.  You want to be wise, but you wish to gain it without fear.  You want to be beautiful and good but without facing death.  Perhaps I will help you grow out of it."

They sat by the water for some time.  At last the Walrus said with a slow voice, "I would like to give you a great gift."  He turned his bright hungry eyes on the Otter.

The Otter slipped quickly into the water and did not look over his shoulder.

Comments

[Sandra]

I have no words for the profound sigh the welled from my deepest places when I read this post. Savage beauty, deadly grace, fearful wonder. I'm babbling because I can't post the feeling in my soul. Thank you. /^\