Persistence: A Parable

[Birdman 285]

 

 

The Emperor and four of his men were traveling together in the wild country, and found their passage blocked by a thundering river. They could see a bridge that safely crossed over the frothing rapids, and moved to make their way across. However, when they came closer to the bridge, they found it blocked by the massive body of a slumbering bear. 

 

“If you would prove your worth to me, and to your Empire,” said the Emperor, “remove this obstacle from our path. The man who does so will be greatly honored.”

 

The Renatian was the first to step up. Drawing his longsword, his steely features radiated confidence as he advanced upon the bear. The bear, noticing a threat, rose to its hind legs, unsheathed its claws, and let out a chilling roar. The Renatian did not flinch (for fear had long since been banished from his heart,) but saw instantly that the bear could easily beat him in battle, and must therefore be his superior. The only thing that the Renatian understood was the language of winning and losing, of domination and submission, of masters and slaves. He could see clearly that he was doomed to lose any fight with this bear, and with it, his only source of honor and esteem. “It cannot be done.” said the Renatian, backing down.

 

“Allow me.” said the Savoyard, with a cunning smile. Seeing clearly that the bear could not be killed swiftly with a blade, he decided instead to attack it with temptation. Dangling a honeycomb just out of its reach, the Savoyard employed all of his deceptions and tricks, trying to tempt the bear away from its post. But the bear simply let out a snort, only seeming to find amusement in the Savoyard’s antics, and refused to budge. 

 

The Raevir was next. As is common amongst his people, the Raevir came from an enormous brood, and had a seemingly endless string of brothers, uncles, cousins, and family friends to call upon. Within an hour, he had assembled all of his kin and acquaintances who happened to live within a few miles of the bridge to come and fight beside him. The band of strelts advanced upon their enormous foe, teeth bared, locked shoulder to shoulder. But the bear was no more worried by the mob of Raevir than he had been by the single Renatian. Batting away their pitchforks with his paw, the bear held his ground, and the strelts scattered.

 

At last, all eyes turned to the Haeseni. Though he was not the strongest man in the party, nor the cleverest, nor best liked or well connected, the Haeseni had a look of grim determination that had been absent from the faces of his predecessors. Without a word, he advanced on the bear, and hurled himself upon the great foe. Locking arms, the two were soon engaged in a fearful wrestling match. For three days, and three nights, man and beast struggled without resting. Many times the Haeseni seemed close to defeat, but when the hour was darkest, he muttered something to himself, and fought on. 

 

On the morning of the fourth day, just as sunbeams began to creep across the sky, the bear, mouth foaming and half-mad with fatigue, collapsed, exhausted, at the feet of the Haeseni. The northman drew his blade to dispatch his foe, but stayed himself, allowing the bear to retreat back into its forest home. With the path now clear, the Haeseni stepped aside and bent his knee, allowing the Emperor to cross before him. As the Emperor passed beside the victorious soldier, he stopped- a royal smile lighting up his face, and spoke:

 

“Before we continue our travels, tell me, Haenseman,- what was the watchword that you kept repeating to yourself during the struggle?”

 

The man replied with the words written on the heart of every man, woman, and child of Haense- living, dead, and unborn: 

 

“I would have perished had I not persisted.”

 

 

-From the pen of John Walker 

Edited June 15, 2020 by Birdman

[Axelu 3691]

A stalwart Haeseni vies to persist 😎

[Sarven 1717]

*Remembers fondly of childhood, his father telling him of the tale, he would remember he himself telling the story to his own son who had now grown up and who he himself one day, will continue the tale.* ”Ahh, good times, ‘I would have perished had I not persisted.’ used the saying myself in my earlier days...” *Marcus would remark, fondly.*

[osumanduas 1436]

The Haeseni then find himself put upon by a Rhoswenii, who shot the man full of rounds with his 44. before taking off his aviators.

 

“The game was rigged from the start.”

 

Uttered the man, shaking his head before shuffling back off into the Canyon.

Edited June 15, 2020 by methuselahs

[yopplwasupxxx 5665]

4 hours ago, methuselahs said:

The Haeseni then find himself put upon by a Rhoswenii, who shot the man full of rounds with his 44. before taking off his aviators.

 

“The game was rigged from the start.”

 

Uttered the man, shaking his head before shuffling back off into the Canyon.

A Haeseni soldier comments while on patrol in the newly-occupied Ruber Valley, gazing across the river towards the lands of the Rhoswennii, “Patrolling the Rubern makes you almost wish for a thanic winter...”