The Eagle and the Ass

There was once a mouse who lost his way, and was alienated from his home high over the craggy mountains. But a faithful eagle always flew over head, watching him as he grew up in the city below- guiding him when ever he could.

The mouse grew up in the city, and befriended a donkey who gave him a ride to school each day. Also, the donkey was very useful, for he would carry his books which were so heavy.

One day, the mouse felt very lonely and nostalgic for his home far away. He could remember very little, but he knew he was loved and missed, and longed to be reunited with his parents. Seeing this, the eagle swooped down and spoke with the mouse. "If you think you are ready, we will make the journey over precipice and peak, and though valley and dale. You may ride the donkey as far as possible, as he may save you some strength for the Quest. But, I warn you, the time will be when you'll come to a place which he cannot pass, at the end of the path- a precipice so high and steep, only I can carry you safely across." This news made the mouse sad for he loved the donkey very much, and grew very fond of him, but the longing in his heart was compelling him forward to make the dangerous journey.

So, they set off on the Quest. Through the rocky passes, and mountainous peaks they would go. Eventually, the donkey became very tired, and the mouse had to lighten his load by throwing out some heavy text books that seemed useless now. They ventured on, but still the donkey was weary. He had to lighten his load even more, throwing out book after book, until he had to part with even the most important of books that he thought he could not to be without.

Then the time arrived, the path came to it's end. Looming before them was a valley so deep, and peaks so high, there was no way the donkey could make the perilous journey. The eagle came down and said, "It is time." So with great tears in his eyes, the mouse said his good-byes to the donkey. It wasn't easy though, as the mouse loved the donkey, and felt as if he were truly dying a death in parting from him. But it was done, and he jumped on the eagle's back, and into the sky they soared.

Down below, having the bird's eye-view, the mouse could see several bones below, glistening white in the sun. He could make out the bones of donkeys and mice and other rodents. He asked the eagle about this, and he replied, "Below are several who were like yourself, lost and estranged from their home far away. But when the time came to depart from their faithful donkeys, they could not- but argued with their eagle-guides, and were unwilling to heed the eagles' wisdom. And so they ventured on, thinking that their donkeys could make the perilous journey, but each ended fatally in the valley below. The mouse asked the eagle, "Why could not these other mice let go of their donkeys?" To which the eagle replied,

"When reason is thought to equal gnosis, it's like mistaking an ass for an eagle."

And they both soared to his original home, passing over crevice and cliff- and the mouse was reunited with his parents, and the mouse never forgot the eagle who alone could make the perilous flight.


~ Leon Bahrman.