Week 3 Story: From the Mouths of Babes

(Maxpixel)

One fateful night, all of the village's children filed into the grass hut for story time with the wise man. They gathered weekly to listen to legends and tales that were meant to teach them about their history, the world and how to live in it. Last week’s story had been about Noah’s ark, the flood, and the saving of the giant Og. Tonight’s story promised to continue the saga of Noah and Og. “Children, tonight I will tell you about Noah’s journey to reintroduce growing things to the flood ravaged world,” the wise man began. “As you remember, Og had sworn himself into mankind’s service in exchange for food during the flood. Noah commanded that he follow him and help to plant fruits and vegetables throughout the world. At one point in the journey, Noah planted a vine. Noticing Noah’s particular care for this unremarkable plant, Og questioned its purpose. Noah explained to Og that this common looking vine would grow life-giving grapes that could be used to eat, or to drink in the form of wine. Og declared that he would make sacrifices for this vine, and proceeded to sacrifice a sheep, a lion, a pig, and a monkey. For this reason, a little wine might make a man gentle like a sheep. A bit more, and he will display a lion’s bravery. When he begins to drink too much, that same man will act with savagery, like an unmannered pig. If he unwisely continues his consumption, he act as idiotic as a silly monkey. And that, my children, is why wine is both a blessing and a curse.” The wise man asked the children if they understood the story, and if they had any questions. “I have a question,” one of the children announced. “These events occur very soon after the flood, right?” “Yes, that is correct,” the wise man answered. “And only two of each animal were saved from the flood, isn’t that what you told us?” “Yes, that is also true,” the wise man again answered. “Then why on earth is Noah allowing four different animals to be sacrificed for a vine, when there are so few animals, and what’s left is needed for breeding? That’s ridiculous. That is utterly shortsighted. If that had happened, there would be no sheep, or lions, or pigs, or monkeys left. This story is ridiculous.” Surprised by the child’s vehemence, the wise man attempted to explain that the story was a parable. It was not supposed to depict realistic truth, but to illustrate a deeper truth. The precocious child was undeterred by that argument, “Then why present it as fact, when it is really fiction? That negates the entire purpose of it, distracts from the moral point of the story, and transfers the focus from what needs to be learned to whether or not the event actually occurred!” Having no ready argument, the wise man was forced to concede the child’s point. That is why all the children in the village are now taught the lessons they need to learn with honesty, instead of fiction and superstition.


Authors Note: The story "The Giant of the Flood" is a Jewish fairy tale that is a retelling of the flood story that has Noah grudgingly saving a giant. After he built the ark, and loaded it with the regular animals, Noah wanted to save a unicorn. The giant Og, hoping to be saved as well, finds a unicorn and brings it to Noah. Noah ties a rope the unicorn's horn (the animal is far too large to fit on the ark), and intends to feed it while it swims beside the ark. The rains begin, and Og jumps onto the swimming unicorns back. Noah finally agrees to feed Og if he will agree to forever be a servant of mankind. Having no choice, Og agrees. After the waters recede, Noah enlists Og's help to help him plant fruits and flowers throughout the world. After Noah plants the grapevine, Og performs the sacrifice that I reference in my story. Ultimately, Og betrays mankind and is killed by Moses. The story was very long, so in my retelling I focused on the story of the grapevine and Og's sacrifice to it. The child's questions were a general summation of the (not entirely serious) questions that I had while reading the story. I also decided that I wanted the questioning of a etiological story/parable to essentially become a minor etiological story about a separate situation.


Bibliography: "The Giant of the Flood," Jewish Fairy Tales and Legends by Gertrude Landa. Web source.