In 2048, Dr. Doomdullah, after years of study, finally understood the true nature of his problem and why the obvious solution wouldn’t work. He wanted to know, ‘If 90% of humanity is trash, why not just be done with it?’ He found his answer in a lost work of parables from Kashmir known as ‘Concise Reshinama of Lost Souls’.
Parable 161
‘After years of observing the sad condition of the world in which he lived -the depravity of men, the vile and evil, Sanger Rishi came to the conclusion if a stone were to randomly drop from the sky and onto a random person, there is a good chance it would hit the head of someone deserving such divine retribution. To test his theory, one early morning Sanger Rishi started climbing the hillock of Kus-ha-sa-Maraan that overlooked the city. On reaching the highest point, he planned to pick a stone and hurl it down at the city. While trekking up the hill, strangest of thing happened: a stone from nowhere hit him on the head. He died. Mazar of Sanger Rishi came up at the spot. His epitaph read:
From my throne high up on
Parbat
every morning
Down below
I see him make his way to the temple,
the mosque, the shop, the job…
Every morning
I hurl down a pebble at his head
Every morning
my head hurts
Dr. Doomdullah understood the true meaning of the parable: you have to get to the top of the hill before anyone else does; hold fort.
Parable 143
Two men were fighting over truth. Each called the other a lair. Each had a dagger at the throat of other, ready to let the blood run and settle the matter. Prophetess Red Dead, who happened to be passing by, intervened. Taking piety on them, in all compassion, she took the daggers from them and casting a certain spell over the metal blades proclaimed, ‘This dagger of truth can now only pierce an untrue heart.’ She then returned the daggers to the two men. Divine daggers in hand, the two men lunged at each with a new righteous ferocity. It was over soon.
Dr. Doomdullah understood the true meaning of the parable: Hold onto your truth and let the blood flow.
Parable 157
The crowd gathered in the village square to begin stoning the condemned man. Prophet Yekusinsaan arrived at the scene and told all gathered people, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him be the one to throw the stones.’ Hearing this a seven-year old girl came forward and threw a small rock at the man. It caught the man’s head at a wrong angle, the condemned man died three days later in much pain.
Dr. Doomdullah understood the true meaning of the parable: Stop talking in parables.
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