The Bridge

Prophet Fajan had descended from the Zagros Mountain range into the wilderness, he carried some depressing news for the many species thriving on earth. “God is dead!”, he professed. “I am here to choose his successor from you fellow beings. I present you a test, a bridge to overcome and the one that lasts at the end shall be proclaimed as the ‘overman’ to preserve the sanctity of earth!” Prophet Fajan announced to the creatures.

The bridge had certain hurdles and only the animals with respective qualities could overcome the segment and carry on with the journey. After accepting the devastating news of losing their god, the animals mustered up their courage and decided to find the true successor by taking up the challenge and crossing the bridge. Vibrant peacocks, gibbering parakeets, giant elephants, scampering cattle of sheep and goat, the valiant lion and the witty apes were few of the animals that gathered near the bridge.

For the first test, the animals were expected to trudge barefoot, for a complete fortnight on the bridge which passed through the arid moorland. The lion rebelled, “I am the king and I shall never traverse the moors without my entourage and facilities of my hackney.” The nonchalant peacocks followed the same notion and suggested, “We are the most precious and appealing courtesans of the lion’s court. We shall never travel barefoot or without a carriage!”

Prophet Fajan smirked and said, “A true heir of God would never discriminate among his fellow citizens; one shall always see everyone equally. Now, as the lion and peacock might notice, the bridge has disappeared for them, thus the remaining animals shall cross the moors and wait for their second assessment.”

Across the moors, laid a placid lake wherein a black swan swam calmly. The parakeet whispered to the crow, “What a peculiar swan, the most displeasing one I have ever seen. I have heard from the other birds that it was cursed by a saint. Ugly is now what it has.”, the crow gossiped back. Fajan appeared from dust and enunciated, “One shall embrace imperfections and most importantly, shall never pass judgements about anyone else. Canards and surmises shall only infect a pure soul.”

Furthermore, for the next task, the animals had to build their houses on the bridge. Some used twigs and rocks, some sawed wood, others fetched bricks and timber and finally when each creature had designed their home, the Prophet came to light and preached an aphorism, “Individuality is the essence of an honest creator. I am here to choose the one that can lead not the one that can follow. The herds of elephant and cattle have constructed the exact same houses as their neighbours. We shall leave you be.”

As the animals continued their marathon on the bridge, each of them had now become more cautious and alert. So, for their final assessment, Prophet Fajan set up an arduous task: To live in a cave. Although the quest seemed lucid, it had a deeper meaning. The one who can master solitude could achieve great heights. To be self-absorbed, driven, undistracted by worldly desires is what makes a deserving heir.

The horses and giraffes begged beseechingly, “Please let us out of this doom. We cannot survive here!” Serpents and scorpions ended up poisoning each other and the remaining creatures could not contain their sanity! However, the Prophet was surprised that the apes had made no such request. Out of curiosity he peeped through a narrow crevice in the cave and was flummoxed by the sight.

The apes had discovered fire, made carvings on the walls of the cave, grown shrubs from the seeds they had collected while travelling across the bridge and made their lives self-sufficient. Accepting and optimizing their situation, the apes had found the key to survival and proved that each one of us exists for a reason and it is only time before we unfold it!

Prophet Fajan declared the apes as the creators of the new earth with improvised values and cultures. As a gift of his utmost admiration for them, he converted them into the first earthlings that would evolve to become smarter, wittier, and an advanced species known as the humans! The bridge that the apes overcame was a bridge to transform themselves into a higher self and establish a realm of species that believed in their own intellect rather than a conjured-up faith that was termed as God!