Photo credit: Jerry Kirkhart
The Kundo grasshoppers were superior to Greens. Just ask them. They jumped higher, chewed faster, kicked harder. Their vibrant coloring clearly marked them as god-blessed. Naturally, Kundos ruled, Greens served.
Kundo leader Marako always kept a Green servant nearby to harangue or beat when he was angry. Marako called him Gak, no matter how often he died and was replaced.
Greens all looked the same to Marako.
One day Gak seemed especially attentive, there whenever Marako turned around. Suddenly, Marako was surrounded by Greens, trapped.
He couldn’t even tell if it was Gak attacking first. But that’s a good bet.
Word count: 100. Written for this week’s Friday Fictioneers challenge, hosted by the wonderful Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Thanks to Shaktiki Sharma for the interesting original photo prompt, below.
Photo © Shaktiki Sharma
Tales from Eneana 
Dear Joy,
Interesting comment that Greens all looked alike to him. Is this a bug’s eye view? I have to admit to being a little lost.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I was thinking on the one hand, that if the fancy grasshoppers have beautiful, colorful markings, they would see all the plain green grasshoppers and think they all look the same because they’re all just green. But more so, I was trying to evoke the racism present in so many oppressive societies, where the lower class is deprived not only of their freedom and dignity, but even of their separate identities and individuality, by being treated as interchangeable and unnoticeable. That terrible thing that should never be said but is, too often: “How can you even tell those [racial slur] apart? They’re all the same to me.” I’m not sure why the image of the grasshopper got me to that place, but it struck me as haughty, that way. I hope that’s clearer; sorry if it didn’t come across.
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The worm turns … Love how the ignored and abused servants – those not even recognised as individuals by their captors – took their revenge. A lesson for tyrants everywhere. Great tale Joy
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Yes exactly, Lynn. If only he had stopped and really paid attention and respected the people who served him, he might not have become such a tyrant, and might not have met his –well-deserved– end. Thanks for commenting!
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I’m sure the same could be said for Mussolini, Nicolae Ceausescu … Happily, many who live in ignominy die that way too. A great tale, Joy
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Revenge!
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Yes indeed, and overdue at that!
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Well done. A good bet indeed, as all greens are Gak.
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To Marako, that is true, good point! Of course, to the Greens, none of them are actually named Gak, which would make it a very poor bet if they were adjudicating. . Thanks for reading!
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My pleasure. Thanks for writing!
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A bugs life in Eneana. Great story.
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Thanks, Tamal! A bugs life is not always an easy one, on Eneana as elsewhere!
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Hah! There you go! Tyrant for long enough, the “lesser ones” will turn on you. Well done!
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I felt the same way – HAH, take that, you meanie! And even if the Greens are weaker, if it’s ten to one against the tyrant they hate… I’m betting on them. Thanks for reading Dale!
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😁
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Great take. Lots of personality here .
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I’m glad you liked it — thanks for stopping by!
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This works so well as a metaphor… I think there is a point of no return… great take.
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Thanks Bjorn. Sadly there are too many real-world examples of tyrants like this. And I agree, there may have been a point of turning back, but he went past it. Maybe the next leader of the Kundo will be different.
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When a leader loses sight of the little people, the little people band together and let him have what’s coming to him. At least, I really, really, REALLY hope so!
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Oh yes, he is DEFINITELY getting what’s coming to him. Feel free to imagine lots of bad, bad things happening to him, because he deserves them all. Probably, though, they will simply attack and kill him right there, which means he will suffer less than his people have this whole time. But at least they will be free, and perhaps forge a new society on their own — or convince the next leader to take them more seriously! Thanks for the great comment 🙂
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That’s the fate of many a dictator when the “peasants” revolt! He should’ve been kinder but he wasn’t.
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Yes exactly — he is learning the results of his actions, too late. Thanks for reading Amanda!
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The Kundo grasshoppers were superior to Greens. Just ask them. A perfect opening for what happened in the end. I truly enjoyed your take on the picture. Kudos.
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Aw, thanks Alicia. I really liked that opening too, so it’s nice of you to notice it. Glad you liked the story — thanks for commenting!
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i guess he didn’t expect that coming. most tyrants don’t.
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Nope — good point! Thanks for reading.
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Revenge of the green grasshoppers. Looks like there’s about to be a change in leadership and not before time!
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I wasn’t thinking revenge so much as rebellion, but I suppose the two look pretty similar in this case. And not too soon, I agree! Thanks for reading, Ali!
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Go Gak, go! For all the Gaks that didn’t make it and so there don’t need to be any other Gaks.
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Indeed — Gaks unite, for the eradication of future Gak-ness! 🙂
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Yes to look down upon someone else unless you’re helping them up,, never a good idea, I enjoyed the message. Nice take on this Joy.
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I agree. Glad you liked it — thanks for commenting!
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Very clever, Joy. A nice metaphor for racisms and supremacy. My skin colour is better than yours, and you look all the same. One day the suppressed will stand up and then it is too late. Great stuff.
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Yes, exactly; I’m happy to see my meaning came across so well. And glad you enjoyed it — thanks for commenting, G!
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Very profound.
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Thanks Sandra!
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Racism in the insect world. Great metaphor with a dire warning 🙂
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Yes indeed, it’s a lesson that it seems we humans have to relearn every generation. Thanks for your comment!
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I thought this worked really well as an allegory and saw immediately what you meant by the Greens ll looking the same to him.
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Thanks for saying so, Michael. It’s hard to find that balance between feeling like I’m hitting the reader over the head with the Obvious Stick and being so subtle that readers might not all get it. So it’s good to know when it works.
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A great story all round,Joy. As several commenters have said, this ending portrays the fate of many tryrants and oppressors throughout history. Even Julius Caesar got his comeuppance for becoming a dictator in all but name – the only difference in his case being there weren’t so many Gaks’ to gang up on him! I love the way you use story of these two species of grasshoppers to illustrate the various aspects of oppression and unjust inequalities within societies.
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Thank you for such a thoughtful comment, Millie. I’m really glad that all of that came through. I don’t do a lot of contemporary social commentary here, but some issues are really universal across time and region. Thanks for reading!
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It is a great story, in so few words!
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