My father, Papa Chris, was an amazing storyteller. I will never forget the story of Gava the Fox, which he shared with me so many decades ago.
Once upon a time, deep in the heart of Mabweadziva Forest, where the rocks whispered secrets and the trees gossiped with the wind, there lived a fox named Gava. Gava wasn’t just any fox; he was the forest’s unofficial consultant on tricky situations—the go-to for creatures in emotional entanglements and ethical dilemmas. His resume boasted skills in conflict resolution, strategic manipulation (purely for good, of course), and an uncanny knack for reading the room…or, in this case, the jungle.
One sunny morning, Gava trotted along his usual path, humming a tune only foxes could appreciate, when he stumbled upon an unusual scene. There was Munhu, a rather anxious-looking man, pleading with Shumba the lion, whose roar could normally make the mountains shudder. But today, Shumba wasn’t roaring. No, he was grumbling, his majestic paw caught in a booby trap designed for less regal creatures.
“Please, Shumba,” Munhu begged, sweat pouring down his face like he was auditioning for a waterfall, “I saved you because I thought you were an ally! You promised not to eat me!”
Shumba growled, “Promises are like leaves in the wind, Munhu. They sound good until hunger blows them away.”
Enter Gava, tail high, ears perked, with the swagger of someone who had just outwitted their own shadow the day before. He observed the tension, the fear in Munhu’s eyes, and the hunger lurking in Shumba’s belly.
“Ah, what do we have here?” Gava chuckled, tilting his head like an art critic examining a peculiar painting. “A lion in a trap and a man trapped by a lion. Life has a sense of humor, doesn’t it?”
Munhu rushed to Gava. “Please, wise fox, help me! I freed him, and now he wants to make me lunch!”
Gava scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Hmm, Shumba, is it true you promised not to eat this man?”
Shumba nodded, trying to look dignified while awkwardly stuck. “A lion’s word is his bond… unless he’s very, very hungry.”
“Understandable,” Gava replied with a sly grin. “But just to be sure, perhaps you should demonstrate exactly how you were trapped. I mean, was it really that tight? Maybe Munhu exaggerated his heroic efforts.”
Pride piqued, Shumba roared, “Exaggerated? I’ll show you!”
With a bit of maneuvering (and not the sharpest thinking), Shumba wriggled back into the trap to prove his point. Snap! The trap clenched tighter than before.
Gava dusted off his paws, nodded sagely, and turned to Munhu. “Lesson one in emotional intelligence, my friend: Hunger clouds judgment, but pride blinds completely. Now, move along and be smart next time. Not every roar needs rescuing.
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Munhu didn’t need to be told twice. He scurried off, probably rethinking his life choices. Shumba, on the other hand, stayed caught, left to contemplate his pride and the sharp sting of irony.
And Gava? He sauntered away, humming his fox tune, already pondering his next masterpiece in emotional acrobatics.
Moral of the Story: Emotional intelligence isn’t just about managing your feelings; it’s about understanding others’ emotions, motives, and vulnerabilities. Sometimes, the smartest move is knowing when to poke the pride of a lion…without getting bitten.
No matter what you do, Jesus Christ remains the Ultimate leader. Follow him and many will follow you. Just remember there is a difference between kindness and stupidity.
Dr Ted Msipa is Pastor, Author, Visionary, Entrepreneur and Public Speaker based in Maseru, Lesotho. He is a leading voice in leadership, personnel development, organisational thinking, transformational leader and people builder in sub-Sahara Africa and Beyond. He writes here in his personal capacity and views shared here do not necessarily reflect those of Africa News 24. Dr Ted can be reached on Coachted117@gmail.com or on +266 63177309.
