February 4
Mankind was my business. The common welfare, mercy, forbearance — all of that was my business.
A Christmas Carol (freely rendered)
No One from Our Family
Mankind was my business. The common welfare, mercy, forbearance — all of that was my business.
The fruit bat lay sick in his house. No one looked after him. When he had died, the neighbours called the birds. Their relative, they said, had to be buried.
The birds looked at him. No, they said, he did not belong to their family. Every one of them had feathers. Then they left.
The neighbours fetched the rats. They, too, took a look. In their family, everyone had a tail. This dead one did not.
The rats left as well. The fruit bat remained unburied.
