The Boar and the Fox

The sound was unnerving. It was something that the fox had never heard before. Wondering if the sound meant harm to it, the fox slunk warily. The fox was new to the southern part of the forest. It had come from the north after being chased out. Left without a place to live, it managed to eke out a living with the small rodents that it caught as it kept moving southward.

Hiding beneath the tall grass, the fox crept on its belly, inching slowly towards the clearing ahead. It could smell water. Taking extra precautions lest a predator lay in wait, the fox was extremely cautious in approaching the waterbed. The strange sound kept increasing with each step of the fox.

Reaching the end of the grass cover, the fox peeped out. The sound continued. Not far away, with its back towards the fox stood a mighty boar, its body ripped with bulging muscles. It kept bending down now and then, sharpening its tusk on a boulder that lay nearby. Certain that a fight was imminent, the fox waited to see the opponent.

Minutes passed. The boar didn’t even turn its back. Wondering why the boar should sharpen its tusk when there was no enemy to fight, the fox mustered its courage and called out to the boar. The strapping boar turned around and laughed when the fox asked the lingering question on its mind. Then the boar said, “If you wait for the enemy to come, you will lose the battle. Be prepared. The enemy might come at any time.”

The fox realized that if it had been prepared in the north, it would not have been chased out.

Be updated in your field.

Do not be complacent.

An enemy / competitor / ill health / technology will come against you.

Sharpen your tusks now.