Fire of Prometheus
This story foretells the situation where the fire of Prometheus changes the platter of society
Prometheus stole the fire from the Titans and gave it to us. By us, I don’t mean the supreme species or the animals with the power of reasoning — we are a group of an odd society that once decorated the platter of these intelligent beings. Steak is the queen of the farm and the entire household depends upon her.
Steak the cow was interrupted in the middle of the storytelling session by Roast because with the advent of the new regime, hens were not restricted to their pen anymore. They could now go out, work, and earn their living. They evolved to such an extent that now these hens could choose a cock of their choice for necking and pecking.
The class got dismissed and all the young animals retired to the library or laboratory of their choice.
The Hen and Cow were now living in a society where matriarchy was no more a favor endowed to the females by the males but living independently and equally, was more a way of life — Roast did not agree with Steak’s statement that the entire household depended upon her.
“Hold your horses, Madam, you are living in a new world; in this new world, nobody revers you or murders innocents in your name,” Roast’s words stung Steak, and her alabaster skin turned orange/saffron or some similar shade of impunity.
“Did someone call me?” Don came panting. His hoofs cried of his labor and strength. It is he who forms the vast section of society. Well, not just Don, Chops too comprised this section — both Chops and Don collectively formed the section called proletariats or working class/ labor class. This segment of society consisted of the most industrious, productive, and hardworking individuals. And it is this section that established the new world and toppled the old oppressive rule.
Now that you see the Hen, Horse, Cow and Sheep live so peacefully and industriously on their own, without being herded, slaughtered, or flogged — a few epochs ago, this FREEDOM or Reign of Equality was an unheard-of situation. There was a time when the King reigned supreme, he could do whatever he wished. Being the King, the lion had all the powers and ownership of rights, he could eat whomever he wanted and kill whoever he refused to address him as the King. His sidekicks the Jackals, Hyenas, Foxes, and other carnivore bootlickers thrived on his fascist reign of terror.
“Is the meat sent to the security force?” the Hen asked the Sheep.
‘Yeah!” he replied nonchalantly to which Hen added, “I don’t know why we still need the King and his Sly troop? We hardly fight other species. There is no animosity or borders now. Why the heck do we need them?”
“To maintain law and order in the society,” stated Don.
“I heard, beyond the grove, there lives a wise Owl who is full of knowledge and information about the civilizations that existed so far. I have done my share of work for the year with my group, I need something more than food and shelter now,” Hen voiced her wish.
The Cow asked, “What is it the Hen community wants?”
“We need intellectual upgradation and for that, we must learn and study,” Hen elaborated.
Everyone nodded.
“Oink oink,” Salami grunted from the other side. The Sheep smiled and remembered the time when Salami with the support of the King and his allies subjugated and oppressed them.
Salami is someone the earlier society would term a capitalist or industrialist. This class did nothing yet enjoyed the fattest share of society’s wealth.
“I know why you are laughing,” the Hen sat beside the Sheep and looked nowhere, just stared at the blank space. Everyone in the farm became quiet all of a sudden. They were reminded of the friends they lost during the great revolution. Nightingale was gunned down outside her nest for singing against the reign of terror; she was not the only one, many like her were killed because of their mellifluous songs of dissent. Raven had his wings chopped off and was confined in the prison for years because he wrote to resist — in the prison, there were many like him. And then there were the Doves — the innocents from various troves who were butchered without any faults — they were killed so that the King could be feared and followed unquestionably.
There came a time when society became pregnant with revolution: a time when all the animals reached their limits. What followed was an armed uprising — all these animals who had never seen blood in their entire history of civilization were ready to kill or die.
First, it was the Sly troop that they attacked. This troop of bootlickers empowered the King and the (king)Pig alike. This section did not have any power of its own. The animals captured, killed, and fixed the Sly army in their own manner. Without the Sly army, Salami did not know how to oppress the animals and the King had no idea how to hunt because, over the years, the falsities of the Sly made him believe that he possessed superpowers, and this misconception made him forget his real powers. Soon, both the Lion and his fat Pig were rendered powerless.
The new reign made the Lion stand at the borders with his Sly force and the Pig was entrusted the sewage work.
“I seriously wish we get rid of the Sly army and his King,” the Hen sighed.
The Cow stood next to her and said, “Sheep has taken care of them. After today’s dinner, there will be no army. As it is, we don’t need any borders or such security.”
Don trotted next to them and completed the team, “Go to that wise owl and upgrade yourself. Maybe, we will learn new techniques in the sewage system,” he was interrupted by the hen as she chirruped happily and completed his sentence, “Who knows we may not need Salami in the near future.”
“Oink oink,” the Pig tried to get out of the pipe.
The four of them looked at each and laughed heartily. Their hearts burned with the fire of Prometheus — the fire that brought the great revolution — the fire that brought the great change or the inevitable EVOLUTION. Earlier, this fire made them revolt, now, the same fire made them progress, evolve, and work towards a better society.
There is a kind of completion in the air as the four of them look out in the distance. Their eyes are fixed on the sun which is gliding towards its destiny as the sky slowly turns red.
