The Story of the Oppressors and the Crawlers

There once were six men who had all decided within themselves that they would go up a steep mountain to meet the LORD: because he waited for them there. Now three of the six men could walk, but the other three could only but crawl. It came to pass that the three walkers had decided amongst themselves that they would tread upon the backs of those who crawled in order to oppress them. *So that they would never have the strength to walk*
Now the first crawler was a valiant man, so he said within himself, “There is a heavy burden upon my back, perhaps if I should attempt to stand, this weight may be lifted. Then I will be able to walk up this mountain in full strength.” So, at once, he festered all of his available strength, and exerted a great force upward *So that he was able to stand to his feet.* Then he proclaimed, “Behold, I can now walk whereas I could only crawl before.”
As the first crawler stood, the oppressor (which stood upon his back) fell to the ground. Afterwards, the first oppressor said, “by treading upon THIS man’s back, I have made him but stronger than before. For he once crawled, but now he walks as I do.” *So that oppressor had become afraid because one of the crawlers endured the spirit of oppression.*
Now the second crawler acknowledged that there was an oppressor upon his back: and the second crawler said to himself, “THIS man was once a crawler like me, but now he is able to walk. He has managed to overtake that oppressor that once stood upon his back.” So the second crawler was motivated to stand also. *since he saw that it was possible* So, like the first man, he girded up his available energy and pushed upward with a great force until he, too, stood to his feet. Now, because of this, the second crawler had begun to mock at the oppressor that he threw from his back *because, in enduring the spirit of oppression, he was now stronger than he.*
The two oppressors which had fallen from the first two crawlers decided to walk for the time being. *For they were now afraid of the two crawlers that now walked.*
Now, soon after these things, the second crawler saw that the first crawler (now walker) was some ways ahead of him. For he said, “This man is, perhaps, the strongest of us all; for he is far ahead of me.” With this thought, the second crawler had purposed to throw stones at the back of the first crawler in hopes that he would slow him down, afflict him, and overtake him also.
So the second crawler hurled stones one after another at the back of the first crawler until he, himself, had grown weary. *He had exerted all of his energy throwing stones as opposed to walking.* Therefore, he became very weak, and he fell to the ground into a crawling position (once again).
The third crawler saw that the other men walked, but he was overwhelmed by the spirit of oppression. (For there was an oppressor upon his back weighing down on him) Therefore, he griped and complained for the affliction that he was experiencing. During this time, he had grown so weak that he could go no further, for he said, “This is as far as I can crawl.” So he died there in the middle of his journey. Now as the third crawler gave up the ghost, the third oppressor (who had once treaded upon him) saw that he was dead, and he became exceedingly remorseful. For he said, “what have I done, I have oppressed this gentleman, and now he is dead. I did not intend for his death, but only that he would never walk as I do. I have done a foolish thing. Let me warn the others so that they do not oppress another. *So from that moment, the third oppressor was no longer an oppressor.
Meanwhile, the other two oppressors said to one another, “this crawler (the second) once walked, but is now weak again. Perhaps we should tread upon him together so that he can not recover. While they were yet contemplating this act, the third once-oppressor approached them and said, “Men do not oppress this man any longer: lest you murder him as I have done to that crawler some ways ago.” The second oppressor, then, said to him, “I want none of THAT spirit you have. Leave me be, this crawler is not a man deserving of mercy. We have watched him throw stones at his own, therefore we are justified in what we do.” In like manner, the first oppressor said, “Leave us be, this is the last man who crawls, if he should walk, we will be the weakest of all. Therefore, we will do as we please for our pride’s sake.” Then the once-oppressor responded by saying, “Do as you please, but just know that as much as you oppress this gentleman, you oppress yourselves also.” The other two disregarded his reproof and did as they pleased. *So they, both, stood upon the second crawler to oppress him once again.*
After the once-oppressor spoke to the other men, he looked ahead of him and saw that the first crawler (now walker) was valiantly enduring his journey. Therefore he made acquaintance with him, and they strengthened, and encouraged, one another as the walked up the mountain.
Meanwhile, the second crawler had now descended back to the crawling position. *For he grew weak from throwing stones* (The other two oppressors had decided to oppress him once again to keep him from walking) It came to pass that the second crawler was exceedingly contrite for what he had done to his brother. For he said, “It was very foolish to throw stones at my brother. For my error, I have been brought low again. I must reconcile again to my brother. But it is even more difficult now seeing as I now have two oppressors and not one.” Nonetheless, the second crawler had festered up every ounce of his strength to overthrow the oppressors. As he did this, he threw himself upward with an exceedingly great force. (Even greater than before – for he now had a righteous motive) As he rose upward, the two oppressors were thrown from his back. But THIS time, there ‘happened’ to be a gaping hole in the ground where they had fallen *So they were both swallowed up by the mouth of the pit, and they were seen no more.*
As the second crawler now stood he said aloud, “I am forever grateful for this mercy: I have the ability to walk again. But let me not walk in vain, let me reconcile with my brother, and thereby will I reconcile with my LORD also.
So he finally caught up with the other two men and he said to the one whom he had wronged, “Brother please forgive me, for I have done foolishly against you. For it was I who threw those stones at you some ways ago. It was not the oppressor, but it was I. Please forgive me.” The once-crawler said, “what oppressors, and what stones? I was not aware of any opposition all this time. For I was focused on my goal – meeting the LORD at the top of the mountain. I tell you, whatever you have done, it is forgiven you.”
When he said that, the second crawler, now walker, said in astonishment, “ surely you are a righteous man.” After he had spoken to his brother, he turned to the other man and said, “ was it not you who bid those oppressors not to tread upon me when I was yet at my weakest?” The once-oppressor said to him, “Yes, it was me. Like you, I have, also, reconciled with the LORD. For I was once an oppressor, and now I am a messenger.” The second walker said to him, “surely you are strong, for you, too, have endured the spirit of oppression. Let us go up this mountain and forget what was behind.”
And it came to pass as they were close to the top of the mountain, the LORD looked down on the three and smiled. He, then, said, “Of the six men that I have invited, I knew that you three would return to me. Come now and rest from your journey.”