Run Like Man

Long ago, there was an encampment of hunter gatherers in the African savanna. Among them was a father and son. Every time the men would leave to hunt, the son would ask his father if he could join, but the father had to refuse him. "My son," he would say, "you are not old or strong enough. You can not keep up with us."

One day, after the men had left to find their game, the son sat and cogitated. It occurred to him that if he could learn to run faster, his father would not deny him. All he needed, then, was a teacher. He looked around and saw a gazelle. He said to himself, "A gazelle runs effortlessly and surely faster than any man. He will be my teacher." So the son followed the gazelle, got on all fours and learned his ways.

When the father returned, his son bounded up to him. "See, father," he said. "None of the other children can catch me, I am so fast. May I join the hunt now?"

The father pointed to the gazelle they had killed and brought back. "My son, you must learn to run better than that, for we hunt the gazelle." The son was disheartened and sought after a new teacher.

When the hunters left again, the son set out to learn to run like a predator instead of prey. He finally decided on the cheetah. He crouched low and when the cheetah chased his dinner, the son would splay his arms in front likewise. His father eventually came home, and when the son ran to greet him, he could barely stop his momentum.

"My son, you have become very fast," the father laughed. He then pointed to a cheetah pelt over his shoulder. "But we must also outrun the cheetah. Don't worry, you will come with us when you are ready."

The son was greatly disappointed and would fall asleep every night trying to come up with a new idea. One night, when most of the men were gone from camp, the son noticed a pair of eyes in the darkness. Thinking that the eyes were set on him, and not wanting to endanger his mother by calling for her help, he slipped away from camp and led the owner of the eyes away.

At first the son walked carefully, but he noticed the eyes gradually gained distance on him. He started to jog, and it seemed the owner of the eyes did as well, but just slightly faster. The son utilized the speed he learned from the cheetah and finally put great distance between him and his pursuer. When he grew tired and slowed down, he saw the eyes again and became afraid, but no matter how many times he could muster his cheetah speed, he could not lose his pursuer. Finally, after being chased the entire night, the son was crawling back into camp, lacking the breath to call for help.

His mother came out from their shelter with a smile on her face. She called out his father's name and gave a warm welcome. The son collapsed into the dirt, knowing his father would save him. The son felt a strong hand on his back, and when he was turned over, he realized the one pursuing him was his father.

"My son, you now know what it means to run like a man."

The son nodded and was allowed to chase prey with the other men.