The Horse Whippers

STARRING: Bob and Ted and Ed and Gordon as The Four Horsemen Special Guest star: The Meek The horses were known as the Immortals. Beings that would live forever - if taken care of. Most were not. The fallen steeds littered the land. The living scoffed at these tragic endings. "How could they be so stupid? How could they be so blind?" it was said. "What drove them to do such a thing? Did they feel no responsibility?" Of everyone in the land, the Four Horsemen had picked the best horse. It was faster, stronger and nobler than any horse alive. Some said than any horse ever. The Four Horseman were the envy of all, but they had earned their ride. "Freedom," they said. "Freedom makes a horse powerful, strong and brave." Others around them had preached control, forever reeling in the reins, choking the spirit of their rides. "One must be conservative," they claimed. "One must keep a tight rein on that what you wish to keep." They simply ignored the evidence of the fruits of freedom - and thus were forever denied them. Life for the Four Horseman was luxurious. The freedom horse did more than any ten choked horses combined. But signs of wear were beginning to show. It was the whip. With the whip they had spurred it on and now it was even said it was the whipping that had made the horse great, not freedom. Bob was the biggest whipper of all. Bob returned from a trip, the horse lathered and streaming with sweat. A Meek Man approached Bob as he dismounted. "Please, sir. Too much of the whip will kill him!" "Fool!" bellowed Bob. "I picked this horse. He's mine for the taking. And anything that CAN be taken, DESERVES to be taken." "But, sir, only so much can be taken." "Are you blind? Do you not know the law of nature? Anything you abuse, you lose. Is my horse dead?" Ted took the horse next, loading the horse so high with goods he sat five feet high in the saddle. The horse wobbled in on his return. A Meek Man approached Ted as he dismounted. "Please, sir. Too much load will kill him!" "Who are you?" taunted Ted. "These are the things we deserve. We picked the best, we get the most. One can never have too much." "But, sir, only so much can be loaded." "Are you stupid? Do you not know the law of nature? Anything you abuse, you lose. Is my horse dead?" Next was Ed, who neither whipped too much nor loaded too much, he was a man who had found The Way. A Meek Man approached Ed as he dismounted. "Please, sir. The time to change has come!" "No need for change, my friend," evangelized Ed. "Yes, I know there are signs of wear, but bear this is mind: I do what has always been done. These signs have always been there." "But, sir, signs of wear cannot be ignored forever." "Are you self-serving? Do you not know the law of nature? Anything you abuse, you lose. Is my horse dead?" When Gordon took the horse, he used no whip but simply enjoyed the free ride of the most wonderful horse in the land. A Meek Man approached Gordon as he dismounted. "Please, sir. Can you not see the error of your ways!" "No need for alarm," gloated Gordon. "The sky is not falling. You say our ways are bad but I live the good life because I am good." "But, sir, your good life will end." "Are you a fraud? Do you not know the law of nature? Anything you abuse, you lose. Is my horse dead?" The Meek Man then asked to ride the horse to a place of nourishment and replenishing water. But the Four Horseman could not stand the idea of not having their horse to use. Said Bob: "If you deserved to ride a horse, you would have a horse." Said Ted: "What a useless proposal!" Said Ed: "That is not our way - and our way has made us great." Said Gordon: "We would be laughed at for allowing such a thing. No one else does that and we are surely as good as them." They mocked the Meek Man and sent him on his way. The day came when the great horse died - and all its lesser brethren. Upon seeing this, the Maker of the Immortals wept. "Is there no one who wishes to cherish what I have made?" When the Meek Man answered yes, the Maker rejoiced and cleansed the land, making yet another Immortal. "This you shall inherit," He proclaimed. The Meek Man then led the horse to the River of Life to share the land forever. For the Meek Man knew no other way.