It was the biggest waterhole in this corner of the Savannah. Animals of

many different species clustered in mutually respectful groups around the

circumference. Even when the lions visited the normal rules of predation

and flight were temporarily suspended. It was an exemplar of

tolerance and sharing.

Of course, there was an exception. Rikki the rhino commandeered his own

patch and defied any other creature to encroach. He was one big bad boy.

Daisy the elephant knew nothing of this. She had become detached from

her troupe and had been wandering for days. Her skin was cracking, her

eyes were crusted, her strong legs were beginning to buckle. The

waterhole was a miracle! She lumbered towards the water's edge and

trumpeted joyfully. She flapped her ears in welcome as she drew

alongside, and just behind, the proprietorial rhino.

"Wow. I can't wait to guzzle gallons of that fresh water" she said.

"I might even take a bath and properly cool down."

Rikki didn't like the sound of that. He turned his head and looked up at the

newcomer.

"This is my preserve" he said truculently.

"You're an interloper. You don't belong here. Go away!"

Daisy had never encountered such bad manners at a waterhole. She

decided to ignore the rancorous rhino and moved further down the slope.

Rikki violently jerked his head upwards. His sharp horn ripped into

Daisy's soft underbelly.

She moaned and sank down on top of the aggressor. Her blood stained

the surface of the water.

Being four times the rhino's size Daisy's weight crushed and smothered

the rhino, breaking every bone in his body and suffocating him slowly.

Death for both was painful and prolonged.


And the moral of the story is: if we don't share life's essential resources

we will all perish slowly and agonisingly.