A Lesson for Lazy Explorers | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: A Lesson for Lazy Explorers | Previous Challenge Entry
By janet rubin
08/10/05
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After breakfast, we began preparations for the day’s journey. It would be a long day of learning and adventure. We would need to get a good start if we were to accomplish all that we wanted. Everyone participating in the exploration was supposed to help out with the morning chores, but my crew wasn’t cooperating. Being the leader, I picked up the slack and got all of the work done, so we could leave on time. My group was small, consisting of two lovely, albeit lazy, young ladies- one older, in braids, the other younger with striking blue eyes.

Having picked up the breakfast mess and getting together our gear, I announced it was time to leave. “Come on girls! Get ready for an exciting day!”
Reluctantly, the pair got up and followed me, looking tired and bored. Admittedly, we had seen a lot already this week, so I could understand the fatigue
“They’ll wake up once they see what I’m going to show them today!” I thought, springing ahead energetically.

As we went, I gave my introductory talk, the girls yawning periodically.
Soon we stood at the foot of a mountain, home to one of the world’s few matriarchal societies.
“Don’t look for men here, ladies. You won’t find any.”
This statement peaked the interest in the older of the two. “What do you mean? Where are the men?”
I smiled, finally having gotten a reaction. “Well, you see, males in this culture are only considered good for reproduction; once the females have mated with them, they kill them and dispose of the bodies.”
“No way!” said the other girl, eyes wide.

Smiling, I continued, “We’ll be exploring this mountain, girls, and then going underground, to see the amazing way these women have constructed their city. You can watch, just don’t get in the way. They don’t like to be interrupted while they work. This is a socialist community,” I explained. “Everyone works and everyone shares what they have.”
I could see the girls hiking with more enthusiasm now, anxious to see what lay ahead.

We entered the mountain through a tunnel and followed winding corridors until we came to the storage areas, room after room filled with food.
“Wow, there is enough food to last forever!” said the blue-eyed girl.
“Not forever,” I replied, “but at least the winter. This society places an emphasis on hard work and preparedness.” I recalled the uneven distribution of work that morning and hoped my students might learn a thing or two by observing this culture.

On we went to the hospital where sick and injured workers were recuperating. After that we came to the nursery. I explained that the ladies working there were responsible for the care of all the young.
“They’re cute,” both whispered, admiring the newborns.

Looking at my watch, I saw that it was almost time for our lunch break. “Let’s go see one more thing before we stop for lunch,” I suggested. “I saved the best for last.”
We journeyed down more twisting corridors, passing many doors before we came to our destination.
“This,” I said, pausing for effect, “is where the queen lives.”
The girls followed in silence as we entered the queen’s quarters. There lay the queen, surrounded by servants, who eyed us suspiciously, but said nothing.
“The queen is the only one who doesn’t work. These servants bathe her, bring her meals, clean up after her and even give her massages.” As if on cue, one of the servants began to rub the queen’s back.
We watched for a while, all three of us mesmerized. Remembering the time, I nudged the girls. “Let’s go. It’s time for lunch and we have more to see afterwards.”

We left the mountain and traveled a short distance to a place where we could set up lunch. I looked at the girls hopefully. “Why don’t you put away this gear and then help with the meal,” I suggested.

First the older responded, “Sure Mom!” grabbing the ant book and heading to the bookcase, then the younger, who just smiled and started placing napkins on the table. Our home school day, which hadn’t looked very promising earlier, had recovered nicely. I knew just what we would read during our Bible lesson:

Proverbs 6:6-8 “Look to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.”

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