The Best Antelope An English tale

The antelopes gathered in the wood to have a meeting to decide who was the best among them all.

They all began to talk at once, and it was some time before the Eland (he was the biggest of the antelopes) could restore order.

“We have gathered,” he said, “to decide a very important thing — who is the best of the antelopes. Those who want to speak may speak, and after that we shall vote. Of course, I don't think that anybody will speak, because it is quite clear that the best antelope is the biggest, therefore I am the best.”

There was a great noise, and another antelope jumped up.

“I don't agree with the Eland,” he said. “I don't think it matters at all how big a person is. I think that the best antelope is the antelope who has good horns and can run very fast. So everybody will agree that I am the best.”

Then a little antelope with four horns got up. He had two very small horns in front of the two big horns.

“I think that the antelope who has most horns is the best,” he said. “If there is somebody here who has more than four horns, I shall vote for him.”

“I don't think horns matter very much,” said the next antelope, “though it is better to have them. But the best antelope is the antelope who is graceful and gentle and doesn't put himself forward.”

“You are all wrong,” said the Koodoo antelope. “You don't know anything about it. Everything depends on the name. Nobody has such a fine name as I have — Koodoo. So it's clear that I am the best antelope.”

“Names don't matter much,” said one of the Gazelles. “An antelope must be small and graceful, with nice horns (not too long, but long enough), and large eyes, and what more do you want?”

Then everybody began to speak at once again, and nobody could hear a word of what anybody else said.

At last they were all quiet and the Eland stood up again.

“I think that it's time to vote now.”

So each antelope went to a little corner and found a smooth place in the sand, and wrote on it with his foot the name of the antelope he thought best.

Then the Eland and the Koodoo counted the votes. They counted votes for a long time, because there were very many antelopes at the meeting. When they finished their work, they both began to laugh until the tears rolled down their cheeks.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” said the Eland, as soon as he could speak. “I am sorry to say that the question is still unsettled. Everyone voted for himself, and nobody has more than one vote. So, ladies and gentlemen, each of you is the best antelope.”