GREENSBORO — Sister Gail Worcelo with Greensboro’s Green Mountain Monastery adapted a 1,000 year old tale for a reading in the Greensboro United Church of Christ (UCC) sanctuary, Sunday afternoon, Mar. 1: “The Animals Case Against Humanity” is said to have originated in India, been written down by Sufi Muslims in Iraq, later translated into Hebrew by a Rabbi and rendered into Latin for a Christian King. The multicultural, interfaith tale’s modern adaptation, from which Worcelo’s synopsis came, was translated and adapted by Rabbis Anson Laytner and Dan Bridge.
Worcelo’s synopsis came from the translated adaptation of a 1,000 year-old take by Rabbis Anson Laytner and Dan Bridge.
photo by Paul Fixx
Introducing the reading, directed by the Sisters of the Earth Community and the UCC, in the sanctuary hung with panels showing animals from a Confluence of All Beings art project,
Worcelo said she would ask the audience three questions during the performance, beginning by asking each person to share with the person next to them, “What animal have you been most influenced by?”
Then, narrating as a court jester, she began reading about an enchanted isle on the equator in the Green Sea; a place animals live alone, free from persecution from humans. The island is ruled by wonderfully wise and awesome Bersaf, King of the Spirits, read by Ed Sunday-Winters.
An endless variety of animals live in peace, never having been visited by humans, or having learned fear, violence or greed.
A storm brings ashore humans of all kinds from all 70 nations of the world. They find all they need on the island and give thanks.
Ahazar, a human read by Aidan Lodge, tells of finding paradise in this new land of innocence, which they expect they will never leave.
The castaways decide to make the best of things, but not everyone is content. Kassel, voiced by Jack Sumberg, bemoans the hard work, lack of servants, slaves and animals to do their bidding.
Ahazar agrees and they prepare to go hunting, but Sister Maria Dipal, giving voice to Hochmah, a wise woman, urges restraint as the humans have a chance to create a new culture and refrain from abusing the animals.
Few listen to Hochman as Ahazar and Kassel urge the humans to a hunt that proves easier than expected as the animals have no fear. They are bridled, slaughtered, cooked and eaten.
The animals who remain free hold a secret council meeting, with Horse, read by Rosann Hickey, speaking first to say running won’t help as animals have already been captured and beaten anyway.
Fan Watkinson, giving voice to Mule, suggests calling on the King of the Spirits Bersaf, who knows the value of justice.
Ox, voiced by Mariel Hess, then cries for justice and all of the animals echo that call.
The king appears and the weeping animals share their fate as he listens. Seeming sympathetic, Bersaf summons the humans to answer for their treatment of the animals in an Animal Lawsuit Against Humanity.
Hochmah, the female sage notes that her warning went unheeded and the humans’ treatment of the animals made no sense,
The jester says the humans were ushered into the audience hall and bowed at the fearsome sight of the king, who calls on the humans to account for their treatment of the animals.
In an afternoon-long trial, the humans point to their upright stance, prayers and commandments as indicators of their superiority. The animals respond, pointing out holiness doesn’t come from those things. Mule says, “The Creator gave these commandments to you and not to us — Because you humans cannot behave properly without them — and barely behave tolerably with them!”
Horse adds, “All days are sacred and we give thanks to the Creator by our lives.”
King Bersaf dismisses the assembly for the evening to contemplate the testimony. Reassembled the next day, he requests final statements from each side, then finds in favor of the animals. Announcing the verdict, King Bersaf says, “humans are guilty for what they have done up until now.”
Commemorating the verdict, Hochmah begins to read the words of a song that all join in reading a stanza of.
Worcelo’s jester ends the reading, saying, “Then hand took hoof and claw and wing, And under the trees all the living did sing: ‘The earth is the Lord’s and all that it holds. . .’”
Worcelo’s final two questions for the audience, began with, “What did audience members see as being revealed by the reading?” Eleanor Guare commented on the power of the animals and Maria Schumann noted the ancient story comes from a perspective we only now seem to be rediscovering.
Ed Sunday-Winter said the animals treatment by the humans seemed similar to humans’ treatment of each other. Another comment noted the stories we tell each other inform our behavior.
Wordelo’s third question asked what was being asked of listeners. Martha Zweig said, “We should not be any worse than the animals.” Steve Young said it was humility. Hal Gray saw it as being to put ourselves in the petition of animals to behave better ourselves.
Sister Dipal said she saw it as helping to restore our relationship with the earth; to ignite our own sense of being, allowing us to change our story and relationship to each other.
Worcelo pointed to Thomas Berry’s work, noting rights originate from nothing other than existence, however that is viewed, and the movement to protect the natural world through legal means.
A fourth question posed by Worcelo, “If you could give voice to anything on the planet, what would it be?” Generated responses naming trees, polar bears, rivers and oceans, cockroaches, wolves, mountains being strip mined, minerals being harvested, bees and pollinators.
Many then moved into Fellowship Hall for often animated conversation over cider and cookies to end their obviously stimulating time together.
Paul Fixx is editor of The Hardwick Gazette and lives in Hardwick.
