By Sandy Macintyre

There once was a pundit, who professed to know a great deal about everything. People came from far and wide to seek his advice on all types of matters, from marriage to business decisions.

One day a large crowd had gathered round the pundit's house. He had their undivided attention as he expounded unto the crowd the true meaning of life, until a farmer happened to pass that way leading the most enormous buffalo, with a ring through its nose. The crowd forgot all about the pundit, and crowded round the buffalo, marveling at the fact that an animal, that obviously possessed such great strength, could be so easily led by one man.

The buffalo, on seeing this, turned to the crowd and much to the crowds surprise, addressed himself to them, "Listen my good friends; I am truly glad that the sight of me being led by the nose gives you so much pleasure. However, I think it would be more appropriate, that we laugh at one another by turns, for in the same way I am being led by the nose, you, my goodly friends, are being led by the ears by that pundit.

The crowd mulled over the buffalo's profound words and many of the people present resolved not to be so easily influenced in the future. The buffalo did not even give them a second glance as the farmer calmly led him to his favourite grazing patch close to the river.

MORAL

A buffalo with a ring in his nose is no more than an emblem of every one of us, for, as we observed in the fable, we are led just as much as he is. Some are led by the ear or eye, others by their loves and affections.

REFLECTION

Nobody should make sport with, or condemn, another, without first considering whether they are not guilty of the very same thing themselves. The buffalo is led in one way, humankind in another; and in some form or other we are all led. Only the buffalo's leader in this fable leads but one, and the pundit leads hundreds or maybe even thousands.

In short, the very course of our lives is often riddled with contradictions and weaknesses that we very often fail to or are reluctant to confront.