PREVIOUS THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY
May 19th to May 24th 2003
MONDAY MAY 19
Leopard and the Cow
Around 10pm each night, in the village of Antoli in Gujarat, India, a leopard wanders in from the local forest to visit a cow. Apparently the two have formed a formed a special bond. One witness, Rohit Vyas said: "It was unbelievable. They approached each other at close proximity and the cow licked the leopard on its head and neck." Officials have decided to do nothing. They feel the leopard is not a threat and is keeping other predators away. I guess it's not yet the lion lying down with the lamb but it's surely a step in the right direction!
TUESDAY MAY 20
Leopard and the Cow - Part Two
Yesterday, I told you about a cow that has made friends with a leopard. I have since had a flood of emails. Some people say they found this story touching. Others feel sure it is a hoax. Doubt and suspicion are, of course, contagious. After reading a few such letters, I was losing faith... till one reader kindly referred me to 'The Daily Pioneer', an Indian on-line newspaper. There, in the archives, was this picture plus an interesting explanation. The leopard is a youngster. It appears to have lost its mother and turned to the cow for comfort!
WEDNESDAY MAY 21
Lioness and the Oryx
Late last year, in Kenya, a lioness called Kamuniak (or Blessed One) was found wandering round a game reserve with an oryx by her side. It soon became clear that she had adopted him. When, tragically, her little companion was attacked and killed by a male lion... she went off and found another baby antelope to take care of. Experts are baffled. But in the light of this, plus the news from India about the leopard and the cow... I am starting to wonder whether a famous old prophecy is starting come true at last...
THURSDAY MAY 22
Sow and Tiger cubs
Today's unusual animal picture is not so inspiring. It shows a sow, in a Thailand zoo, nursing tiger cubs. The authorities take the babies from their mother at less than a week old and put them on the pig. Her milk makes them calmer and “more suited for life in captivity.” The pig, apparently, doesn't object. Nor do the piglets. But I predict that, as our world gradually becomes a more enlightened place, we will stop keeping animals in cages. Eventually, we may stop eating them, too!
FRIDAY MAY 23
Sow and Tiger cubs - Part Two
Yesterday, I spoke disapprovingly about a zoo in Thailand where tiger cubs are fed sow's milk to make them placid. It seems though, there is another side to this story. When they get older, those tigers remain friendly to pigs. They never attack or try to eat them. While I still prefer the tales of spontaneous natural bonding (like the story of the leopard and the cow) I do find this interesting. Perhaps people from warring tribes or cultures could benefit from being brought up together as babies.
SATURDAY MAY 24
Solar eclipse comment
In astrology, the period just prior to a planetary alignment matters most. In the early hours of NEXT Saturday (May 31) there will be a solar eclipse, visible from north-west Scotland. All of us, wherever we are, will soon experience tension followed by relief. Happy Birthday!
Jamie Oliver (Gemini born May 27, 1975) All Geminis love to adopt the persona of a 'cheeky chappie'. The male and female of the species are equally keen to be perceived as amenable, alert and amusing. Often, though, beneath this jolly exterior there's a smart wheeler-dealer with a clear eye for the main chance. Jamie Oliver, who turns 28 on Tuesday, is successful already. But soon he will have even more on his plate.
Happy birthday also this week to: Today May 24; Bob Dylan (62) and Priscilla Presley (58), Tomorrow May 25; Mike Myers (40) Lauryn Hill (28) and Paul Weller (45), Monday May 26; Stevie Nicks (55) Hank Williams, Jr. (54), Lenny Kravitz (41) and Helena Bonham Carter (37), Tuesday May 27; Henry Kissinger (80) and Cilla Black (60), Wednesday May 28; Rudy Giuliani (59) and Gladys Knight (59), Thursday May 29; Bob Hope (100), Noel Gallagher (36), Mel 'B' Melanie Janine Brown (28) and Rupert Everett (44), Friday May 30; Nicky 'Topper' Headon (The Clash) (46).
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