Builders of Boats (Parable)

Reading Time: 2 minutes

By Michael Avery

On Sunday afternoons, the prophet often invited some of the animals to join him on his journeys up Little River. One day, to his surprise, two muskrats who had long been loyal passengers approached him with news of their discontent.

In a far off land on the edge of a jungle, or so they had heard, lived another prophet, one who had built a wondrous boat. The river he crossed was much greater than tiny Little River.

“Go then,” the prophet urged them, “and find your happiness. Seek out this great builder of boats.”

When at last the two muskrats arrived at their destination, they found the stories to be true. The prophet of the jungle stood at the helm of a massive boat heavily loaded with hippos and rhinoceros. As the muskrats approached him, they looked out  in awe across the swift and dangerous crocodile-filled river.

“We have heard of your fame,” they said timidly, “as a great builder of boats. We have left the prophet of the forest in order to ride with you on your great journeys.”

The jungle prophet studied the tiny muskrats with a frown. “It is true,” he finally said. “I am a great builder of boats. But so is the prophet of the forest. In fact, the boats we build are built equally well. You must understand, a master boat builder obeys the Law of Economy. He builds only to fit his needs. 

“It would be as foolish for the prophet of the forest to build a boat to carry tigers as it would be for me to build a muskrat-sized boat. But since you are here, come aboard and take a seat beside the elephants.”

A terrible fear swept through the hearts of the muskrats as they gazed up at the clumsy elephants. They trembled involuntarily as the feeding calls of lions drifted from the opposite shore. The prophet, seeing the fear riveting them to where they stood, laughed a booming laugh.

“Go back to your forest,” he advised. “Go back to your safe little river and your muskrat-sized boat. But go back knowing that your prophet’s fame as a great builder of boats is known even here in the jungle. When you have outgrown your forest and your belly is the size of a hippos, come back and ride with me.”

from Porcupines at the Dance, pp. 37-38, by Michael Harrington [Avery]