A Little Knowledgeby Mike ResnickCopyright c1994 by Mike ResnickHugo Award NomineeFictionwise ContemporaryScience Fiction--------------------------------NOTICE: This work is copyrighted. It is licensed only for use by the purchaser. If you did not purchasethis ebook directly from Fictionwise.com then you are in violation of copyright law and are subject to severe fines. Please visitwww.fictionwise.com to purchase a legal copy. Fictionwise.com offers a reward for information leading to the conviction of copyrightviolators of Fictionwise ebooks.--------------------------------THERE WAS a time when animals could speak. Lions and zebras elephants and leopards birds andmen all shared the earth. They labored side by side they met and spoke of many things they exchanged visits and gifts.Then one day Ngai who rules the universe from His throne atop Kirinyaga which men now call Mount Kenya summoned all of Hiscreations to meet with Him.quotI have done everything I can to make life good for all My creaturesquot said Ngai. The assembled animals and men began to sing Hispraises but Ngai held up His hand and they immediately stopped.quotI have made life too good for youquot He continued. quotNone among you has died for the past year.quotquotWhat is wrong with thatquot asked the zebra.quotJust as you are constrained by your naturesquot said Ngai quotjust as the elephant cannot fly and the impala cannot climb trees so I cannotbe dishonest. Since no one has died I cannot feel compassion for you and without compassion I cannot water the savannah and the forestwith my tears. And without water the grasses and the trees will shrivel and die.quotThere was much moaning and wailing from the creatures but again Ngai silenced them.quotI will tell you a storyquot He said quotand you must learn from it.quotOnce there were two colonies of ants. One colony was very wise and one colony was very foolish and they lived next to each other.One day they