The recent situation with the ISU has inspired yet another fable from me and Aesop. I found this one and I KNEW it was PERFECT for our Zhenka once again! As with the other, I hope you enjoy it.
Once upon a time, a young boy named Evgeni Plushenko hoped to improve his family's welfare by learning how to be a great figure skater. He loved it, and he was great at it. However, he could not have much use out of it without competing, and he couldn't compete without joining a federation. One day, the Russian Figure Skating Federation came up to him.
The official said, "Your skating will not do you any good. Why don't you skate for us, you can earn money and prestige and you and your family will never be hungry again."
"I would have no objection," the young boy said, "if I could only find a way to do that."
"Then join us, and we'll take care of you, pay for your expenses until you can earn enough to afford them yourself. We are the Russian Figure Skating Federation, quite powerful, and we only answer to the International Skating Union and their rules," the official said, "and you can earn the highest honor in our sport, the Olympic Gold Medal."
So the young man and the Russian Figure Skating Federation enjoyed great success for many years, but one day the young man got hurt and was unable to compete in the Turin World Champiuonships. Heartbroken, he skated less strenuously in shows to ease the pain of not competing. Shortly afterward, the International Skating Union threatened him with suspension. The young man asked the Russian Figure Skating Federation why this was being done.
"Oh, it's nothing," the official said nonchalantly. "It's just a measure to make sure that skaters who withdraw because of injury can't make money in shows. You get more money in shows than in competition, you see. But if you only do shows, you can't compete. It's restricting, but one soon gets used to it."
"Is that all?" asked the young man. "Then good-bye to you."
THE MORAL OF THE STORY:
"Better to starve free, than be a fat slave."
The fable that inspired this: The Dog & The Wolf:
http://aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?1 ... andtheWolf