The Merlion and the boy sat in their cage worrying about their future; a future that was being discussed by the Council of the Merlions as they sat dead-eyed with concern, unable to take in their beautiful surroundings. For four days they sat contemplating the worst and quietly discussing possible ways out.
Their meals were brought by the young Merlion they had followed as part of his punishment. At first he hadn’t spoken a word to the prisoners and had simply dumped the food unceremoniously before quickly turning his tail. Before long, however, his curiosity got the better of him and he began to talk.
He told them about the Merlions’ self-imposed confinement in the lagoon and how their numbers had dwindled and the pack had become more depressed over time. They were creatures, he said, that needed to spend most of their lives in the vastness of the sea and that, although the lagoon was deep and large, it was not enough. Before the kidnapping it had been a place for resting at night and from storms. Now, thanks to the council, they could never leave it.
This got the boy thinking and, when the time came for the Merlion to go before the council the boy said, “You need to save your kind, Merlion. You have to convince them to move to Singapore.”
“But. How?” asked the Merlion.
“I don’t know, Merlion, this is something only you can do, I’m afraid. And I am certain that you must.”
Their meals were brought by the young Merlion they had followed as part of his punishment. At first he hadn’t spoken a word to the prisoners and had simply dumped the food unceremoniously before quickly turning his tail. Before long, however, his curiosity got the better of him and he began to talk.
He told them about the Merlions’ self-imposed confinement in the lagoon and how their numbers had dwindled and the pack had become more depressed over time. They were creatures, he said, that needed to spend most of their lives in the vastness of the sea and that, although the lagoon was deep and large, it was not enough. Before the kidnapping it had been a place for resting at night and from storms. Now, thanks to the council, they could never leave it.
This got the boy thinking and, when the time came for the Merlion to go before the council the boy said, “You need to save your kind, Merlion. You have to convince them to move to Singapore.”
“But. How?” asked the Merlion.
“I don’t know, Merlion, this is something only you can do, I’m afraid. And I am certain that you must.”
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