The Rabbits' Dilemma - A Small Story

Once upon a time, on the banks of a river, a herd of rabbits lived happily ‘forever’ until one fine day they were made to believe that there was something bigger in store for them. The rabbits have performed good deeds in the past and were blessed by the good Lord with abundant food and water. There was no scarcity whatsoever and their colony always looked green with several varieties of food to toast-on throughout the three seasons of the year. God has blessed them to the extent that nobody could snatch away their colony unless the rabbit herd themselves allowed an intruder.

As the rabbits were busy in leading their lives in a peaceful and happy state, there came unexpectedly a herd of elephants, a pride of lions and a streak of tigers along with a pack of wolves as they liked the colony and intended to create an artificial ‘heaven’ by destroying the natural one. The rabbits were rattled with the sudden entry of all the big sized and powerful groups. They only heard that there were such other creatures but never saw them in real life. Sensing the fear in the eyes of the rabbits, the elephants, knowing fully well that they would be cursed if they applied force to grab the colony, started speaking in a reassuring tone that they were there only to ‘help’ the rabbits lead a ‘better life’. All the others behind the elephants also waved their heads in unison reinforcing the belief in the rabbits that there are really some bigger carrots in life which they themselves were not able to see. Being weak and driven to some extent by greed, they meekly submitted to the giant and brutal forces in front of them. 

After having obtained the ‘consent’ of the rabbits, the ‘powerful group’ called for other elephants, lions, tigers and wolves from rest of the world. They all came together and based on their vast experience, cleared the colony of all that the Nature has originally vested for the benefit of rabbits. As work started, the rabbits started to have mixed feelings. Some felt sad that they can no longer see the same greenery around them. Some felt excited that their lives would really change for the better. Some felt they were sacrificing their present for the future of their kitten. Some others felt helpless as they had no say with majority of the rabbits who acceded to give their burrows.

The ‘big’ group created, as committed to the rabbits, a beautiful and splendid place which is comparable to the 'best' colonies in the whole world. It had all the facilities that any rabbit would long to have. They got the ‘best’ carrots, the ‘best’ play-ground, and the ‘best’ burrows.

That is when the real problem arose for the rabbits. The ‘new heaven’ has become an attractive place for all the biggies of the world. Several of them started flocking the place leaving little or no space for the rabbits to enjoy the place which originally belonged to them. Being small in size and docile in nature, they could not adjust to the new environment though it was supposed to be world class. The rabbits soon realized that they are not designed to live in such a ‘world class’ forest. They were used to the simple natural things in life that kept them healthy and happy.

The new surroundings speedily and steadily got occupied and inhabited by the intruders and their offspring. The rabbits and their kitten are now not able to walk freely on the roads as they are exposed to the risk of getting trampled under feet of the elephants and to the bites and scratches of the sharp teeth and claws of the lions, the tigers and the wolves. They suddenly started feeling out of place in their own land but now nothing is in their control. They have already succumbed to the bigger forces. 

Unable to neither grow in size nor adjust to the new ‘fashionable’ environs, the rabbits started diminishing in numbers. Slowly with the passage of time they experienced that the place no longer belonged to them but only to the High and Mighty. They are unsure whether God would excuse them for having parted with such a bountiful land which not only fed them for generations but took good care of them irrespective of the seasons.

Cursing themselves for having pushed their fate to such a state, the remaining rabbits are now in a dilemma for two reasons. One, they can’t leave the place and go in search of newer pastures. Two, they can’t live or stay there either because it is no longer the way it was or as they expected it to be for them. 

Who will clear their dilemma? The Gods? Or Nature?

(Disclaimer - All animal characters mentioned in this story are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental)