David decided, “I’ve lived a good life, maybe it’s best that I share my bounty of nuts with those in need.” He visited the neighboring dens one by one, taking his whole stash along.
He stopped at the first den and sang “Hello friends! I have nuts to spare, take something nutty if you care!”
The other squirrels thought this was a bit degrading, but they were facing down the barrel of starvation so they accepted his offer and took some nuts with gratitude.
A nearby grazing deer saw David’s act of generosity and approached him, congratulating his selfless act. “I’ll remember this, David!” she said before returning to her grazing spot.
David continued to a second den and sang “Buddies! Pals! Take my Nuts! I have plenty so here’s your cut!”
The family of squirrels gladly took some tree nuts and acorns, as a cardinal looked on with admiration. The cardinal flew down from her perch and said “David, your kindness is unmatched. I won’t even need to fly south because you’ve warmed my avian heart.”
David nodded and continued to the next den, where he sang “Nuts are great, nuts are tasty, please take mine and please be hasty!” As he was handing nuts to the den’s inhabitants, a hare passed by and said “David, you’re a credit to squirrel-kind”. David smiled at the hare before moving along.
After several more such encounters, David came to a harrowing realization that he had forgotten to earmark any nuts for his own consumption. “Aw, nuts,” he said, realizing that he would likely starve this winter. David was far too prideful of a squirrel to ask for his gifts back. He headed back to his den, happy that he could help his neighbors but troubled by his own situation.
Days later, a very hungry David rested outside his den. The same deer which witnessed his earlier act of kindness passed by, taking immediate concern at David’s emaciated figure. “David, you look awful!” the deer cried. Remembering that David would have done the same for her, she offered, “I can bring you some of the tastiest grasses from the far neck of the woods”.
David wasn’t the grass-eating type but his stomach rumbled and he accepted the offer. The deer trotted off in search of the promised sustenance.
Before the deer returned, the cardinal flew by and noticed David looking worse for wear. She swooped down and offered to fetch david some bird seed she had been saving in her nest for a special occasion. After all, it was the least she could do for such a generous squirrel. David humbly accepted, happy to have such good friends, and the cardinal flew away to retrieve the seed.
Soon enough, David was visited by the hare. David rolled his eyes before the hare had a chance to speak and chided, “Buddha, we’ve been over this, I’m not going to eat your flesh, that’s super weird and it makes everyone uncomfortable.” The hare, rejected and dejected, hopped away.
With the help of his less-weird friends, David was able to make it through the winter, having instilled a culture of mutual generosity in the woodland community.
Author's Note: This story was based on the Buddhist fable of "The Hare that Was not Afraid to Die". The titular hare of this fable preaches that in order to be virtuous, the other woodland animals should give their food to the needy and fast. The hare in that story, and incarnation of Buddha, offers to sacrifice himself so that a hungry traveler may eat. The same hare makes his way into my story, but not as the main character. In a twist, the story of David the squirrel teaches that generosity is often reciprocated, and giving to others in their time of need can yield karmic returns when the tables turn.
Bibliography. "The Hare that Was not Afraid to Die" from Eastern Stories and Legends by Marie L. Shedlock. (Web Source)
Photo: Squirrel eating a nut. (Source: Max Pixel)
