The Dung Beetle

by Balthazar M.

A dung beetle once roamed the forest floor to look for droppings. She visited nests of larger animals and knocked on the entrances of burrows to procure their dung.

Everyone despised cleaning up their own nests. Thinking the dung beetle brave and noble for doing the dirty work no one else wanted to, the animals applauded her when she came by to roll the manure away from their homes.

One particular sparrow was absolutely impressed with the dung beetle's selflessness and service. He wanted to extend his gratitude to the heroic insect personally; so, he set out to visit the dung beetle's abode one pleasant afternoon. He looked for the dung beetle throughout the forest, and finally spotted her fixing the latest piece of dung to her mound.

To the sparrow's surprise, the seemingly humble dung beetle started bragging around her fellow insects, 'I have the largest mound in this part of the woods! I sneer at your nests and hives as I have the most majestic home, don't you agree? Look at me, the queen of the mound!'

The sparrow shook his head in disappointment, 'Here we were thinking she was collecting our wastes for the benefit of the forest and its animals. Turns out, she was just making a castle of dung to give her the right to look down at her peers!'

A castle of good deeds made from bricks of impure intentions is nothing more than a pile of dung on the ground. 🌸

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