The Parable of the Vikings’ Arrival

One day while teaching, Josh was asked, ”Teacher, when the U.S. threatens to pull everyone out of Afghanistan, is it any surprise that the reaction by the Afghans is a shrug?”

Josh spoke thus:

A band of vikings beached their ships on the outskirts of a village.  Scouts were sent out to reconnoiter.

“You do this every time,” the viking leader’s righthand man complained.

“Of course I do,” the viking leader said, “We may be vikings, and we may be fierce, and we may be merciless, but we still need to follow protocol.”

“You know there is not threat,” the righthand man said.

“I know no such thing,” the viking leader said, “You say there is not threat, and at first glance there is no threat.  You see a peaceful village.  You see no lights.  You conclude that the village is asleep, that our arrival will be a surprise.”

“I don’t just see a village,” the righthand man said.

“I see darkness, and I wonder,” the viking leader said, “I wonder, is the village sleeping or is the village waiting?  Is our arrival a surprise, or were the villagers alerted?  Are the villagers waiting in their darkened huts, poised to attack the moment we approach?  Will we ourselves be surprised?”

“How can we be surprised?” the righthand man said.

“Expect the worst,” the viking leader said, “Prepare for the best.”

“There is no threat,” the righthand man said.
“Because it’s dark?  Because it’s quiet?” the viking leader asked, “Perhaps it’s quiet because it’s deserted!”

“It’s not deserted,” the righthand man said, “You know it’s not deserted.”

“Perhaps the villagers are in the trees, waiting,” the viking leader said, “Perhaps they are armed and gathered in the trees.  Perhaps they have allies, and their allies are armed as well.  And perhaps their allies are in the trees also.”

“The villagers are not in the trees and armed,” the righthand man said, “And you know it.  And the villagers do not have allies with them in the trees who are also armed.  And you know that.  And the villagers are not waiting in ambush in their huts, poised to launch at us the moment we enter the village.  And you know that.  You know it every time, and you go through this whole ritual.  Every time.”

“I suspect,” the viking leader said, “I don’t know.  Listen!”

There was a scream in the village, followed by shouts.  Torches were lit, and shadows rushed towards the vikings.  The first recognizable figure in the crowd was a child.

“Daddy!” the child shouted, and it ran into the viking leader’s arms.

“Help!” the viking leader cried, “I’ve been ambushed!”

The righthand man smiled and said, “Every time!”