Let the seas sing out in thunderous voice
While the sky and the earth together rejoice
Let the mountain peaks chant a joyous song
And the rivers clap hands, a happy throng.
When the great forest trees dance and sway,
Hear what the wild winds have to say.
There was an isle in the Sea of Green
Tsagone by name, a place unseen,
Where all the animals lived in peace,
The lion, the lamb, the tiger, the beast.
Until one day a ship was lost,
Humans on its shores were tossed.
They built up shops and farms and homes,
Enslaved the animals, made them groan.
The beasts complained to the Spirit King,
And to his Court a letter did bring.
“What is our crime? What is our guilt?
Will you allow our blood to be spilt?”
Bersaf the King, awesome to see,
Heard their tale of tragedy.
He summoned the humans to come and explain
Why they burdened the beasts and caused them such pain.
The humans replied: “It’s our God-given right,
To use the animals all day and all night.”
The animals addressed the Court one by one:
“Look, our King, how much harm they have done!
The beasts that they raise are not just for meat,
They work them so hard that death appears sweet!
Did not the one God create us all?
What makes them think they stand so tall?”
“No, no!” cried the people, “That just isn’t so.
We love our animals; we help them flourish and grow.”
The beasts were stunned. Their case grew dire.
Would the King be fooled by such quick-thinking liars?
They thus sent messengers to all of their kind:
“Send help right away, or no peace will we find!”
Horse galloped to Lion, king of the hunt,
And Pig trod to sea, with a huff and a grunt.
Ox lumbered to Phoenix, king of the birds,
While Sheep told Osprey all he had heard.
Mule trotted to Snake, king of the creepers
And Donkey to Bee, queen of bugs and all peepers.
To each, the beasts made a heart-felt request:
“Come with us at once, give us your best.
We need help right away or there’ll be no tomorrow!
These humans cause us much pain and such sorrow,
They say we’re slaves, they say they’re our masters
If you do not speak up, we’ll all suffer disaster!”
To the aid of the beasts, the creatures came calling,
Some flying, some swimming, some running, some crawling.
The parrot, the bee, the goggle-eyed frog,
The cricket, the dragon—the Court was agog
To see such an endless variety of creatures
A myriad of forms! Such fantabulous features!
Each presented its case and argued with pride,
But the humans were clever, not to mention most snide.
“You animals know nothing! We’re smarter than you!
We make things and bake things—what do you do?
We have thinkers who write and cleaners who sweep,
You’re just instinctive; you eat and you sleep.”
“Which means that our talents are ours from the start
While your skills take years to raise to an art.
Our young are wise from the moment of birth
But yours spend years learning value and worth.
We live simply, our lives are thus blessed—
But all your knowledge just leaves you distressed.”
“Consider our builders”—”Well what of the ant?
It builds without tools, that’s something you can’t!”
“You eat one another”—”And you kill and quarrel
Disputing allegedly God-given morals!”
“But we alone know good from bad…”
“That is precisely what makes us so mad!
To know but choose wrongly, that is your sin.
Pray see all the woe that your sin’s put us in!”
The King listened well; but how to decide
When both claimed God supported their side?
The humans, t’was clear, had the power to rule,
But they didn’t know how, they were much too cruel.
Said Bersaf: “O beasts, you’ve suffered great losses,
Can you ever forgive them for being harsh bosses?”
Said the King to the humans: “God created you last,
So your knowledge is lacking; you’d better learn fast:
Take care! Beware! Or this earth you’ll destroy!
God made you to rule, good sense to employ.
Treat living things kindly; all cruelty do cease;
Strive to live better. Now, please, go in peace!”
The humans heard well what the wise King had said
If they didn’t comply, they could all end up dead!
What is Creation, if not one living whole?
To live and let live—that is the goal!
To mark the occasion, a covenant was made
That none on earth should again be afraid.
Then hand took hoof and claw and wing,
And under the trees all the living did sing:
“The earth is the Lord’s and all that it holds…”
Thus ends our story; our tale’s now told.
Let the seas sing out in thunderous voice
While the sky and the earth together rejoice
Let the mountain peaks chant a joyous song
And the rivers clap hands, a happy throng.
When the great forest trees dance and sway,
Hear what the wild winds have to say.