more light #298
The Leopard, Monkey & the Smart Dachshund
by Ed Halpaus
Grand Lodge Education Officer
Grand Lodge of A. F. & A. M. of Minnesota
The Leopard, Monkey & the Smart Dachshund
By Mike Hill, P.M and Grand Lodge District Representative
A wealthy old lady decided to go on a photo safari in Africa. She took her
faithful pet dachshund along for company.
One day, the dachshund starts chasing butterflies and before long the
dachshund discovers he is lost. So, wandering about, he notices a leopard
heading rapidly in his direction with the obvious intention of having lunch.
The dachshund thinks, “OK, I’m in deep trouble now! Then he noticed some
bones on the ground close by, and immediately settles down to chew on the bones
with his back to the approaching cat. Just as the leopard is about to leap, the
dachshund exclaims loudly, “Boy, that was one delicious leopard. I wonder if
there are any more around here.”
Hearing this, the leopard halts his attack in mid-stride, a look of terror
comes over him, and he slinks away into the trees. “Whew,” says the leopard.
“That was close. That dachshund nearly had me.”
Meanwhile, a monkey who had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree
figures he can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for protection from
the leopard. So, off he goes. But the dachshund saw him heading after the
leopard with great speed, and figured that something must be up.
The monkey soon catches up with the leopard, spills the beans and strikes a
deal for himself with the leopard. The leopard is furious at being made a fool
of and says, “Here monkey, hop on my back and see what’s going to happen to that
conniving canine.”
Now the dachshund sees the leopard coming with the monkey on his back, and
thinks, “What am I going to do now?” But instead of running, the dog sits down
with his back to his attackers, pretending he hasn’t seen them
yet…and just when they get close enough to hear the dachshund says….”Where’s
that damn monkey? I sent him off half an hour ago to bring me another leopard!”
As Masons we wander about our communities sharing the work of the Craft and
enjoying the world around us. There will always be others who will attack us
due to ignorance, self-doubt, and the desire to feel superior to all others not
like themselves. It is important to respond to the attacks with intelligence,
love, and the knowledge that Masonry is there to make a positive change in the
world today.
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