THE GREAT DEBATE

As you know, The Great Debate features all animals living in the towns and cities - but mainly domestic animals. The venue for this annual debate is
a large empty barn near a thick forest. On the day of the event, all conflicts and fights among the contestants are temporary dropped. Even the cats are unusually patient with the rats on this day.

The title of this particular year's debate is "Dignity and Pride in the Modern Animal Culture." The aim of the contest is to find out which domestic living thing is the least dependent on man.

"Fellow two-leg walkers, four-leg trotters, and six-leg sprinters, please listen to me," coos a fat gray hen, who is the debate coordinator. "I welcome every one of you to the most glamorous event in the animal and insect world. Now, let the debate begin."

A brown-looking rat, with half a tail, cut by a trap, jumps on the table. "Fellows," it cried, "We rats, are the most wise. We do not depend on the humans for our food. Anytime we are hungry, we go to the heavily guarded human food store to steal some. We even eat from their tables at night. The humans do not feed nor groom us. Don't we have more pride than anyone here?"

Lots of applause greets the rat's defense.

A fierce-looking cat proudly mounts the table. "The cats have more pride than the rats. We are more independent. We move alone and sometimes catch
our own food. We do not walk the streets in companionship with humans as dogs do. We prefer to move alone."

Soon, it is the turn of the domestic fowls. "I catch flies to eat by myself," cries a little hen. "Moreover, I scratch the ground and get for food for my chicks. No man does this for me. I do it for myself and my little ones."

"Haa," cries a goat. "I can do without food that is provided by human beings. This is because I am very hardy and can go without food for a long
time. I love looking for food on my own. I can do without man."

"I can do with without man too," a deep voice booms from outside. A young bear jumps inside the barn and the whole barn goes silent at once. "I have
pride in my size," the bear says. "I get my food without no one's help. I can even kill a man if it pleases me. I am the most independent. Don't you
all agree?"