The Greatest

Once all the animals of the earth met for a great conclave. Their intention was to answer the much argued question: Which is the greatest species?

“We are the greatest!” trumpeted the elephants!

“No, said the blue whales, surfacing in the sea, “We are!”

The giraffes loped gracefully across a field and sang out “Look how we move!”

“But compare us!” called the swimming swans, holding their long, curved necks so proudly.as they swam on the lake.

The peregrine falcons flew up into the sky and cried out, “Watch how we dive!”

“No,” said the ostriches running, “See us!”

“Look at us; see us!” cried out all the creatures hungrily.

Then the humans spoke up. “You can all quit showing off and stop all the yelling,” they said, “Obviously we are the superior species. We have the best brains, and brains trump size, grace and speed every time!”

“How can we be sure you are smarter than us?” asked the other animals.

“The proof is easy,” said the humans. “We invented guns and bombs, and we can blow the mangy hide off the rest of you anytime we want.”

Then all the other animals cried out in fear, “Why would you do that?”

“Because we are the smartest and the greatest!” responded the humans, “and we rule you!”

Not long after that the humans got into a massive conflict with each other, as they were so want to do, and with a vicious war cry, the big-brained species pressed their bomb buttons and incinerated the planet, vaporized all the great creatures, including themselves.