The Tortoise and the Badger

                                        The tortoise and the badger

I am beginning to feel old. At my age I suffer from the inevitable morning pains in certain muscles. I cannot tell you how old I am. I once heard somebody calculate my age by looking at the rings on my carapace. So without being able to see the top of my carapace I will never know my age. But I feel quite content with my life always carrying my home on my back. It's so convenient at the sign of any danger I just curl up in my protective house.

Shush, I hear something approaching.  Suddenly I find myself flying through the air. I landed in the grass about two meters from the danger. Cautiously I poked my head out. Well I this is a surprise! It was the badger. 

Mr Badger, I said. “That was an unfriendly thing to do.”

Oh! It you tortoise, I thought it was a small rock in front of my house,”

“Where is your house”. I said.

“You see that hole about three meters above us that is my front door”. 

“As I often come this way I am surprised I never noticed it. But why are you out in the middle of the afternoon?”

“Well I was feeling a bit lonely and now that it is spring time I had an urge to be outside in the fresh air”.

“I too sometimes feel a bit lonely but I think that has something to do with age. Talking of age, Mr. Badger if you looked at top of my carapace could you tell me my age”,

“It’s funny you ask me. Years ago my mother taught me how to tell a tortoise’s age. Let me see the top of your carapace. Yes, you are probably quite old, I would say over eighty.”

“Badger, may I ask your age.”

“By my calandre I think I have lived sixteen years which is an exception as we badgers generally live about fourteen years.

As he spoke I had a good look at him. He was a handsome specimen, with a long snout that displayed two white lines on each side. His head was relatively small compared to a strong hairy body.

“Tortoise, why do we sometimes feel lonely? We are basically solitary animals.

“I ask myself the same question?”

“Tortoise, this is very unusual for me but I would like to ask you to come with me for a cup of tea. We then could discuss the matter.”  

“This is indeed an honor as I know you like to live in your own private world.”

“Come along then. I will go first and put the kettle on. I will leave the door ajar. Just follow the passage way down to the kitchen.”

As I slowly moved down the corridor I was amazed at the size and comfort of the badger’s home. The kitchen was impressive with a high ceiling and the walls adorned with cooking utensils. 

“Mr Badger, you live in style.”   

“Come, come, flattery will get you nowhere. The tea is ready so let's sit here in the kitchen. Do you have a name?”

“ During my lifetime I have had two names. One my mother gave me when I was born and the other several years later. My first name I have forgotten, my second name results from a little story. Years ago there was a large old house on this land. It was destroyed and a new modern house was built in its place. The building took months. The garden was full of noise with rough workers everywhere. I hid in the back of the garden. Eventually a family of three moved in with a second child about to be born. One day their young daughter found me and immediately introduced me to the family. They christened me Henrietta. At that time they marked my carapace with a large red spot. For a period I certainly didn’t have any time to feel occasionally lonely. Their younger daughter took very good care of me introducing me to her collection of dolls. I was always present at her picnic parties. Then one day the family, with a new born baby, left for a post of duty in a foreign land. The daughter, bless her heart, wept buckets of tears when she was not allowed to take me with her. The house was boarded up and has been like that for ages. 

The badger looked pensive. “ Let me pour the tea. Humans are a strange lot. They have many of our traits, one major difference is their imagination, intelligence and thought process that allows them to band together in large numbers to achieve collective projects. Henrietta you may call me Arthur.  Now let’s  talk about being occasionally lonely. I have no brothers or sisters, only a distant cousin that lives a few miles away. My parents died a few years ago. I leave my home at night to hunt for food. By choice I lead a lonely life. But by chance the other day I met a fox. At first we just looked at each other, tensing our muscles for an attack if necessary. The fox told me I looked a bit too strong and powerful for a fight. We started a conversation which I must say I greatly enjoyed. It’s the first time in my life I have spoken to a stranger.. This whole experience got me thinking. Do you think it is possible to convert this garden into a haven of peace for all animals?”

Arthur I am not sure. You have to define your thoughts more clearly. We animals spend, when we are not sleeping, most of our lives protecting our space and hunting for food. We tend to be loners, sometimes we form groups around our families, occasionally larger groups are formed for protection from dangers.

“My thoughts are as follows.That we convert this garden in a space where there is no hunting or killing. Animals come to relax, feel safe and if inclined can enter conversation with other animals. This would solve any periods of loneliness.”

“Arthur, it is a noble idea. But I wonder if the animal kingdom is ready to create a space of this nature. Struggling to be a dominant specimen or hiding from danger, and hunting for food is what our lives are all about. Someone once told me that there are places such as zoos that are organized and managed by humans. There the wildlife is separated into various cages.“

“Well, let's put the idea to our local animal neighbors. We will convene a meeting in a week's time and put our idea to the vote. I will get the robin to distribute the message. 

The badger and the tortoise were amazed and delighted that a host of animals turned up for the meeting a week later. The crowd was represented by a true cross section of the local country life. Foxes, ducks, hens, cats, frogs, snails, mice, hedgehogs, moles, rabbits, toads, stoats and much to the surprise of everybody a family of sheep wandered onto the great lawn. The idea was enthusiastically accepted. Various questions were raised as to making sure no hunting and killing took place on the property. Also it was agreed that the place was a haven of peace and not to be considered as an area for permanent residence. Only short stays would be permitted. At the request of the tortoise the badger should be nominated to the position of guardian of the space with the foxes as his assistance. The vote was taken and all but the stoats agreed. 

Over the next few years the badger's ideas took shape in the property being freed of hunting and killing. The neighboring wildlife came for a short period to relax and enjoy each other's company. During this period Arthur died and was replaced by a cousin of his. There were a few problems but nothing of major consequence except for the stoats continually trying to invade the garden for easy hunting. But they were fended off by a whole group of animals. The foxes made a good job of making sure visitors behaved themselves.

One day this haven of tranquility was threatened to its roots. The humans were back, the house’s shutters opened.The tortoise soon found out the house was no longer inhabited by the family that was previously there, but by violent people that like hunting.

David Nutt                                         December 2024