A fairy tale: Once upon a time there was a planet called Earth

A Fairy tale

Once upon a time there was a planet called Earth

"Mummy, can you read me a bedtime story?”

“Darling, I'm very tired, I don't feel like reading right now ”

"Ok, then close your eyes and make something up!"

"Okay, let me think.”

I close my eyes and start to remember ...

“Once upon a time there was a planet called earth. It was a beautiful, magical place, with pure, crystal clear waters, all kinds of exotic animals, the most beautiful sentient beings. 

Every kind of flora and fauna imaginable, majestic mountains, Colours so vivid that you wouldn't believe. A paradise!

One day some beings called humans appeared: Human beings. The truth is that they were quite stupid at the beginning but little by little over many years they began to evolve: They created and invented, developed their conscience, their curiosity to understand the great secrets of the universe and the reason for existence. Great brains were born that changed the path of these beings. But amongst the good, there were many not so-good ones, whose greed and thirst for power led them on dark and destructive paths. 

Although I would like to say that the vast majority of human beings were good and simple beings, we must also recognise a great apathy amongst them: An unwillingness to take a stand against the wave of destruction being carried out around them.”

"What kind of destruction mum?"

“Well, my love, it hurts me to say it, but human beings destroyed almost everything they touched; from poisoning their own waters and fertile lands, to destroying their majestic forests, eliminating entire species and causing animals to suffer on earth. Some even called it pleasure, a hobby, those ignorant beings! 

They invented lethal weapons to kill in large numbers. The great cities that they built, little by little became empty as their inhabitants had to flee from the great pollution that contaminated their clean, pure air.

And yet with so many warnings over the years, that there was little time left to save Mother Earth, human beings continued on their path to self-destruction, stuck to inventions called mobile phones and the Internet. There was no time to open their eyes to the tragic reality.

“But mum, that makes no sense! Didn't you call them conscious beings? A conscious being doesn't kill or destroy. That's stupid!”

“I know but we are talking about very complicated beings, it’s too much to explain right now. But one day, in spite of the warnings and the great attempt by groups of more conscious beings around the earth to change and stop the destruction, finally the moment of truth arrived.

"What happened Mum?”

“Well darling, climate genocide, or we can also call it Ecocide, crimes against the earth: Massive destruction. With only an increase of two degrees, global warming killed hundreds of millions of human beings, massive forest fires swept the earth, floods to an extent never known before, tsunamis and many of the big cities like London and New York disappeared under water as well as most of the islands. Southern Europe became a desert without water and the countries of Northern Europe also suffered unimaginable heat waves. There was no place on earth that escaped the great destruction ...

“Mum, I don't like this story. It makes me sad. And I don't understand those people. Why didn't they do anything to save their planet, their home? I don't want to hear anymore! ”

“Sorry my love, I got lost in nostalgia for a place I once knew. One day I’ll tell you the curious story of a group of rich and powerful beings, Nasa, Tesla, and Branson among them… ”

"Ok mum: Give me my teddy please. Phew i’m glad we live on Mars!

I can't imagine living amongst beings like that. Goodnight. I love you. ”

“I love you so much and don't worry, we'll never let anything like this happen here. Sweet Dreams”

** I first wrote this short story in Spanish in October 2018, inspired by the work of Polly Higgins, earth lawyer. Sadly almost a year later, Polly has passed away and indeed the earth is now ablaze.