alnahn’tahna’resdul
Fable Sixteen
The Strongest Nix-Ox
great nix-ox trumpeted to its herd, “None of you love the master more than I! Do you see what great burdens I bear?”
²“But you are twice our size!” the lesser nix-oxen grumbled. “Better for us to carry four bales of saltrice than struggle with six and risk great injury.”
³“Bah!” the mighty nix-ox snorted. “It’s hard work you fear, not injury.” The great beast took up its yoke and trudged out into the field.
⁴The lesser nix-oxen gathered by a fence and watched their mighty brother take up two bales of saltrice, then four bales, then six, eight, ten! ⁵Until at last, the great nix-ox was laden with twelve full bales.
⁶“Do you see?” it said, straining for breath. “None of you love the master more than I!”
⁷Just then, the nix-ox’s shell began to crack under the weight. ⁸It let out a painful bellow and collapsed under the bales—crushed to death.
⁹The lesser nix-oxen sighed and shook their heads. ¹⁰“Poor fool. He learned too late that there is no mortal strength without limits.”