On Aesop, and the Comfort of Pebbles

The other day, someone told me about a behaviour commonly exhibited by otters (get ready, it’s cute). Otters will develop a fondness for a particular pebble or small stone, one that can be used to open shells for snacks. They’ll tuck the pebble into their armpit and swim around with it. This is their pebble, and they always know where it is.

This tidbit choked me up a little, partly because it was so obscenely cute, but also because I was having one of those days where it felt like I misplaced my favourite pebble, like I wasn’t sure what to use to get things done, to solve problems. My metaphorical armpit was empty, and in all my floating around, I hadn’t noticed what was missing until I heard about otters.

Call it an Aesop moment, I guess. You think of how other creatures function (even metaphorically), and suddenly you feel like a big, clueless human who’s missed some important life lesson. So, I took to looking up other animals for whom pebbles mean something important. More animals, more pebbles, more wisdom. Okay, maybe I was procrastinating because it was one of those days, but still, I found some other pebble-related things:

·      Thirsty crows have been known to use pebbles to displace water in hard-to-reach places, so that they can have drink (Aesop was spot-on with this one). Crows are an innovative, clever, “use what you’ve got” kind of species. I think there’s lots to be gleaned from that, particularly at a time when our resources are dwindling. One little pebble (or solution) might not be enough, but if you have the wherewithal to combine them, to stack them up, you might get somewhere.

·      Other species of birds have been observed juggling pebbles as they fly, letting them go mid-air and swooping down to catch them. Sometimes they let them hit the ground so they can enjoy the satisfying thud sound they make. There’s a lovely reminder in this to remember to play, to revel in small pleasures.

·      Octopuses will use pebbles and other tiny objects to build walls around the entrance to their dens, big enough to marshmallow fluff themselves into, but small enough to guarantee themselves some privacy. There’s a lot there about boundaries, I think, and feeling that your spot is your spot, and it’s fine to do what you need to do to block it off.

·      Of course, there are penguins, who find nifty pebbles to give to potential mates as gifts, as signs of sincere and lasting affection. They’re given in the hope that they’ll become part of a nest at some point. In modern humans, the act of sending a friend or loved one all kinds of jokes, fun memes, cute GIFS or interesting videos is called “pebbling”. It says, “I like you. Here’s something shiny to make you happy.” We’re already onto this one, and I have to say, I’m a champion pebbler.

This whole post might, in fact, fit neatly into the category of “pebbling”. It is, I hope, a small, shiny thing that sparks joy if you’ve lost your favourite pebble, you need to think creatively about problem-solving, you need to remember to play, you need to set some boundaries, or you need to reach out to the fellow-creatures you love.

Please enjoy the ensuing Aesop moment.