The Ants of Antilla

The Ant city of Antilla was originally built on a hilly peninsula surrounded by the river Aare. It outgrew its boundaries during the rule of Queen Sara. A number of Ant hills were built in her rule which allowed the kingdom to expand even more. The kingdom of the Antilla enjoyed a long time of peace and prosperity, but that was not to be for too long.
Like every good thing comes to an end, they were also feeling the strain. It was not long, the large empire created by Ant Queen Sara was in jeopardy. She knew that her power as queen would be taken over by the corrupt council. The council had openly indicated that they do not consider Sara fit to rule the kingdom of Antilla indicating her ill health. With the queens health in jeopardy the kingdom was going through its roughest times. Not having an able successor was only one of the problems. The council of Ants were having their secret meetings to choose her successor. Believing in the ants ability of division of labour, communication and an ability to solve complex problems, Queen Sara passed away in a silent night.

Quote:
All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward.

With this opportunity the council immediately came into motion naming their candidate Conor as the new King. Conor was carefully selected as he was under a treaty to act as the council would say. A king in an Ants world was indeed strange. Conor as an ant was a strong worker ant, but lacked the compassion and care. The council came out with the first rule which Conor agreed to pass.

“All Ants will be rewarded by the work they do and the food they bring”.

This was an attempt made by the council who thought that individual ants would be able to work quicker and hence bring more food to the hills and they would not be dependent on natures virtues, but nature had its own plans.

Ants now ventured deeper into the jungles searching for bigger exploits that they would call their own . The attribute of sharing and bring the catch together was replaced by individual ants working hard to drag their catch back to the hill. The paths that they shared were replaced by scattered movement along the peninsula. They started becoming proud of their individual contributions and forgot what they would bring if they worked together. A sense of perfect capitalism creep ed in their hearts. With the advent of capitalism came all of its evils. Ants with large successful food hunt became powerful and an object of envy. The ones who were not strong enough were looked down upon. Differentiations between the same class of ants was the evil that was spreading the most.

Quote :
Andrea: "Unhappy is the land that breeds no hero."
Galileo: "No, Andrea: Unhappy is the land that needs a hero." By Bertolt Brecht, Life of Galileo (1938), Scene 12, p. 115

A hero was needed to change the ants society and so a hero was born.

Sambhav was a worker ant who was freshly inducted in the chaos of the ant world. He had the motivation and eye of changing things. He had the aspiration of being the highest food contributor to the colony and some day to the entire ant hill. This would bring fame and earn him a spot in Ants institute of Applied Labour. He like everyone else dashed in the madness. He decided that all ant routes were taken by other ants and to them friendship was an ancient term which was buried with the winds of time. He decided to make his new route. He posted a sign which read “Open to all who believe”. He did not look back ,just went ahead.

While on his journey to get the largest catch, he talked to many ants. They told him about how Antilla was a plenty for all place when Queen Sara ruled. He contemplated all ants working together and thought of it as a brilliant idea, all-though this meant that he had to give up on his dream of becoming a super ant. Sitting below the moon with legs folded he got decided that unity of ants was much important than his degree of labour (from the famous college ants institute of applied labour ;) ). All he needed was a plan. Not just a plan - THE PLAN. Sambhav knew that if he had to bring all the ants together then he would require something that all the Ants despised.He knew it was the Armadillo - the Ant Eater. Sambhav ventured far enough into the jungle to finally face off with one.

The armadillo itself was having a lot of problem feeding as the ants were now scattered and did not walk in a straight profile. Sambhav went up to the armadillo and offered to show the ant hill to him. The armadillo did not know Sambhav’s intent but he joined him cause he knew that once he gets the location of the hill then he did not have to worry about feeding. Sambhav climbed up on it and together they went towards Antilla. Sambhav intentionally took the long way so as to give time for the ants to make their plan.

Meanwhile in Antilla the news about Sambhav and the armadillo was spreading like wildfire. Sambhav’s plan was working. The king Conor took control and overthrew the council exposing them to the ants. The only way they could emerge victorious was with unity and courage. It was their kingdom and they had to defend it. The king along with the whole community formed the plan and set forth to execute it. The primary objective was to kill Sambhav and then the armadillo.

So the fated time arrived and the ants faced off against the armadillo. The king with his perfect shot brought down Sambhav. For a moment the wind had stopped blowing. The real hero had died. The armadillo would soon give up against the swarm of the ants and soon the ants would emerge victorious. The victory binding them together , forever.

They rejoiced cause they understood that no victory is big or small ,but is a true victory if it is for all.

Message of the story after the quote.

Quote:

You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. - Harvey Dent/Two Face, The Dark Knight

What is growth if it cant bring people together? And if it cannot be done in this real world then we are in absolute need of a hero.

Out of all heroes that exist today, i believe there will be this one hero who will forgo his life in order to bring a revolution. Sambhav’s action inspired Ants to get together ,unify and believe again in the strength of togetherness. Sometimes in this crazy world, your worldly enemy is your souls best friend.