Mint 2.0
“Mint can’t you solve this issue” pleaded a mother with two young ones hugging to her tightly, as the troupe climbed atop a small cliff, to get to the other side of the forest. “Yes, do something about it please” pleaded another, “it’s very difficult for young mothers to take this long route every day.” The monkey troupe had to go over this ordeal every day, as a gorge prevented them from going straight ahead. A giant tree stood on the other side and they thought of bringing it down, so that it could act as a bridge and they could get over to the other side easily. But previous attempts failed miserably, as it was no easy feat to bring down a giant tree, even for a bunch of clever monkeys.
No one bothered to check or re-check their assumptions, so, the status-quo remained. But not Mint, who was wiser from experience. He thought about it and first went to check the tree in question and found that the tree had become old and weak and hollow, not the mighty tree it once was. But his attempt to sway his group to try once again, met with resistance and everyone ridiculed him for suggesting that they should even try.
one.
"Old and hollow, yeah, then why not we wait for a storm to knock it over?" said Another one shook his head sideways, indicating his intentions, even before Mint could explain the facts. And no one in the whole group were receptive to Mint’s idea, to try again. Mint found that the tree was not his main problem, but the belief in the minds of his clan was the biggest obstacle that he need to tackle first.
So, he took the members of the elite governing council to an elephant training camp on the edge of the forest and showed them mighty elephants tied to trees with thin rope. “Now why do you think they don’t get snapped?” asked Mint. “The rope must be stronger, though it looks thin” said one member. “Let us check it out” said Mint, and asked the weakest one to sneak into camp and tug at a rope where an elephant was previously tied. Thinking this would require a great effort the weakling pulled with all his might,
but the rope easily snapped sending him rolling and tumbling to the ground. “Now don’t tell me he is stronger than an elephant”. Everyone laughed.
“If one of us can do it, why not the mighty elephants snap and break free?” wondered one aloud.
“Let’s go and find out” replied Mint. Mint took them to the other side of camp where a young elephant was tied to a
tree with a heavy, thick, strong rope. They saw the young one trying hard to break free, but no matter how hard he tried, it did not snap.
“Now this belief stays with him all his life, even when it grows into a mighty ten ton elephant.” “So, they are not tied with a rope, but with their belief” commented one member of the council.
“I thought elephants were smart” chuckled one to a chorus of laughter. “And we are no better” said Mint. This comment made them uneasy as they now started to think about their own beliefs, which have long been left without re-examination.
“PULL”, when they heard this each group began to pull at the ropes tied to the
tree. After some heavy pulling they heard a loud snap, and the tree landed with a bang.
“Hurrah” a deafening sound made all the animals in the forest to take notice and stand still, and then continue with their activity as the noise died down. “Hurrah”, Sir Mint was paraded on their shoulders and the excitement and rejoicing continued on for the next several days.
The End