By Bernie Bell

Russia is still being referred to as a bear – The Russian Bear – but Russia no longer deserves to be a bear. 

Russia is now a shark – circling – pouncing – predatory.

Bears prey on other creatures – they need to, to eat, to live – they also like to play and lounge about – think Baloo.

Russia is now a shark, not a bear.

And China – China is now a spider, weaving its webs.  Not a dragon. Whatever their faults, dragons are usually straight-forward in their approach to domination.  You know where you are with a dragon – think of Smaug – flying in, all a-flame – could see and hear him coming from miles away.

China is a big, fat, spider, weaving sticky webs from which it’s victims have difficulty breaking free.

And England –  No longer a bulldog, except maybe in that it’s a bit wheezy.  More like a magpie – picking up the shiny things produced by others, while producing little itself.

I nearly left out America – the Eagle might fly again – but for some time now America has been behaving like a big, fat, greedy, grunting, snorting, trampling pig. 

The problem with these comparisons is, that I like magpies – they have some questionable habits – but I like them, as birds.

And I like pigs – intelligent beasts, though entirely self-centred and focused on consuming.

I don’t mind sharks, or spiders – except when they shit on my shoes …. https://theorkneynews.scot/2022/01/20/wellies-slippers-crocs/

I was thinking – what’s needed is an Ark, in which all the animals would have to live for the good of all, or not survive.

But we have one – it’s called The Earth.