Dark Fables for Modernity: The Ant Queen and the Blue Birds

There once was an Ant Queen whose empire encompassed many miles. Her armies were massive, and her workers numbered in the millions. She built for herself a great ant hill that reached far into the air; the greatest achievement of any kind in all the forest's history.

            Looking down upon it, the Blue Birds became jealous of its height. They saw it as a threat. They said, “Only we are to dominate the heights. What right do ants have to be this high in the air?” And thus they took to spreading hatred among the animals for the Ant Queen. “Look, this Ant Queen seeks to control all the forest. She would have her armies do away with us all if it suited her. A fortress of that height is unnatural, and must be torn down.”

            And so many of the Animals went to war with the Ants, and a battle was fought to save the forest from the supposed threat. In the end, the animals succeeded in dethroning the queen, and the great ant hill was demolished.

            Before its demise, the ant hill had an unexpected effect upon one of the more curious creatures in the forest. The Humans, who hunted and gathered in the land, looked down upon it, and one of them had an idea. “What if we were to make such a fortresses for ourselves? Then we would not have to sleep in the cold rain all night.” The Humans took to the trees; cutting them down, and constructing crude homes out of them. The Blue Birds, having had their homes cut down by the Humans, squawked in dismay “What have you done? You were not supposed to take the Ants as examples!” To which the Humans responded “Perhaps it is better to ignore your foe, than lead others to him who might join in his cause.”