fox and bear

There is an old Russian tale (or maybe it's one of Aesop's fables?) about Fox and Bear sharing a field. The first year, one day in early Spring, they meet by the edge of the field to discuss what to plant, and how to divide the harvest. Fox's eyes shine with mischievousness as he says to Bear, "Brother, I have such a good idea. I have a sack of grain here, let us plant it in our field and divide the harvest equally among ourselves." "How?" asks Bear. "Well, how about I take all the bits above the ground and you take everything that grows underground?" Bear thinks about it for a while. It sounds fair enough. Come harvest time, Bear slowly shuffles to the field to collect his part of the harvest. But Fox has already been there, and taken all the grain, leaving nothing but bits and pieces of flimsy root for Bear.

Winter comes and goes, comfortable for Fox, hungry for Bear. The next Spring, the two meet again by the side of the field. Fox is carrying a heavy sack of potatoes that he drops at Bear's feet. "Here, Brother," he says. "I have taken care to bring our next crop". Bear is in no mood to thank him. "You cheated me, Brother, but that won't happen again. No, this time you can have whatever grows under ground, and I will take what grows above it...". Fox pretends to look contrite. "Whatever you want, Brother, me, I just want it to be fair and square...".

When the time comes for the harvest, Bear makes his slow way to the field, just in time to see Fox take off towards the forest, laden with bags and bags of potatoes... leaving behind piles of useless toxic greens.

The third year... well, who knows what happened.... the tale doesn't tell. my personal hunch is that Bear found Fox and gave him the beating of his life. Or worse...

i remembered this tale this morning, thinking how often we look for nourishment in the wrong place, at the wrong time. how often we trust the cunning mind when it comes to feeding us. feeding our body, our heart, our soul. and how often the cunning mind cheats us, leaving the body and soul hungry.

where is your food growing today? what would it mean to harvest bountifully from this day? do you need to dig among the roots? search among the greens? do you need to plant something? water something? let your field lie fallow?

what will feed both Bear and Fox in you, today?