The Parable of the log

What we need

Annibale Caracci

Once upon a time there was a woman who set out to seek her fortune. She filled her backpack with the things she would need, but it was too heavy.

—-I’ll never be able to carry all of this, she said to herself, and took out everything except the bare minimum for survival. With some satisfaction, she hefted the bag, only about twenty pounds now, and set off.

She came to a river. Not one of those placid rivers, but not a torrent, either. There were just cheerful bits of foam here and there, and a convenient log for crossing. But as she crossed, she slipped, and fell in.

The log was also dislodged, and down the stream they both went. The woman’s bag was soaked, and dragged her down. She grabbed the log, but the weight was too much, and she kept losing her grip.

—-I’m going to drown, she cried, as the log rolled under her hands.

—-Drop your bag, and you will be okay, said the log.

—-I can’t! I need it to survive!

—-What am I, chopped liver? said the log. Drop your bag. Or you will drown.

As this was clearly correct, she slipped out of the straps, and let it go. Now she could hang on to the log. The blanket she had planned to sleep in was gone; the bowl and silverware she had planned to eat from were gone. Her plans would have to be jettisoned along with them.

—-I wonder what is going to happen next, she thought, as she and the log sped down the stream.