the human

by nick nelson

was born by the river in a little shack. we have been down this road before. and we are going down it again, if it all the same to you. outside the wind was howling. and the rain whistled through the trees and the canebrake. a tiger roared and an owl hooted. suddenly there was a knock on the door of the shack. who can that be, mama bear asked mama elephant open up, in the name of the great one, a voice cried, barely making itself heard above the wind. mama bear opened the door with alacrity. a sergeant and two soldiers, all carrying shotguns at the ready, pushed their way inside. this child has not been registered, old sarge cried, pointing to the new born human. of course it has not, mama elephant protested vigorously, it has only just been born. that is no excuse, old sarge retorted,, seize it, he ordered the two soldiers, whose names were dismas and barrabas, pointing to the newborn human. and you two, old sarge continued, report to the registry when it opens at seven o’clock in the morning, to pay your fines, and learn your fates. with that the unholy three left with the child. mana bear and mama elephant, needless to say, never the saw the child again, though, like the rest of the earthly race, they would hear much of its exploits. on their way back to the city with the child, old sarge and his two stooges encountered a trio of ragged wanderers and arrested them and threw them in the back of the wagon with the child, which had been bawling the whole time. can’t you shut that brat up,, the first ragged wanderer, whose name was moses asked. maybe i will shut it up for you. you had best not, dismas informed him, the great leader has big plans for it.. if you say so, the first wanderer answered, but it sure don’t look like much to me. what do you say, boys? best to just go along, the second wanderer, whose name was jesse replied. that’s all you guys ever want to do, moses grumbled. no wonder we never get anywhere. we are going to jail, the third ragged wanderer, whose name was frank, interpolated, and jesse laughed to beat the band. the wind picked up, almost blowing the wagon off the road.