"He who digs a pit will fall into it,
and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him."
Proverbs 26:27
Image generated with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot
Clan McRouge and Clan MacGris: A Fable
In a dense forest nestled between two hills, two fox clans lived on either side of a wide river. The Red Foxes occupied the eastern hill, while the Gray Foxes lived on the western one. Both clans were clever and resourceful, but their mutual distrust had grown over the years. Each feared the other would cross the river and claim their territory.
One day, the Red Foxes discovered how to spark fire using flint and dry grass. At first, they used it to keep warm and ward off predators, but soon their leader, Hector, had another idea.
"If the Gray Foxes ever threaten us," he announced, "we can use fired torches as weapons." He showed his clan how to make flaming bundles and hurl them across the river. "They won't dare come near us if they know what we can do."
When word of this reached the Gray Foxes, their leader, Toxo, decided they needed fire too. With much effort, they learned to ignite their own flames. Toxo declared, "If the Red Foxes think they can burn us, we’ll burn them first."
Now both clans possessed the power to destroy each other. They stockpiled dry wood and practiced throwing their fiery missiles across the river. Tension filled the air, and the once-vibrant forest became a place of unease.
One dry summer — a unique occurrence in Glen Geddon, a small ember from the Red Foxes’ practice ignited a patch of grass by the river. The flames leaped across the water to the Gray Foxes’ side, where their firewood piles caught alight. Panicking, the Gray Foxes retaliated, hurling their own flaming bundles back at the Red Foxes.
The blaze spread rapidly, consuming trees, burrows, and nests. Both clans fled to the barren outskirts of the forest, watching in horror as their homes were reduced to ashes.