The Parable of Blue Elk and Fool’s Feet

“With great power comes great responsibility.” ~Stan Lee

As long as there is poverty, “being rich” is an illusion. Why is this? Because richness loses its legitimacy when it’s built on, or indifferent to, the exploitation or neglect of others. Extreme wealth in a society with hunger and homelessness should be viewed as a symptom of imbalance rather than a personal triumph.

Psychologically, studies on happiness (e.g., the Easterlin Paradox) suggest that beyond a certain point, wealth doesn’t increase well-being if inequality persists—perhaps because humans are wired for empathy or fairness, and poverty’s existence gnaws at the conscience or social fabric.

One might argue that “being rich” isn’t inherently illusory. Wealth can indeed provide real benefits like security, opportunity, and the ability to help others when it’s used as a tool for health. Egocentrism and corruption only kick in if the rich ignore poverty or see it as unrelated to their status.

Let’s focus on solutions. Wealth is power. Those with considerable wealth have a great responsibility regarding their power. The following parable puts it all into perspective…

The Parable:

“Power is not a gift; it’s a test.” ~Frank Herbert

The annual Great Hunt was a great success. Blue Elk’s hunting skills had paid off considerably. He killed a record ten buffalo all by himself. When he met back up with the other nine hunters, he found that Red Bear had a commendable five kills and Black Dog had only one. The other seven hunters all had pretty good excuses for why they couldn’t get a kill. Except for Fool’s Feet. He was just plain lazy.

But Blue Elk was faced with a moral dilemma. The fate of the entire tribe now rested in his hands. The people would surely starve if he kept it all to himself. So, he couldn’t do that. But the others didn’t earn it like he had. So why should he have to share? He knew it was the “right” thing to do, but his pride kept gnawing at him. Especially when it came to Fool’s Feet. He was such a lazy moocher. But the man’s family shouldn’t have to suffer because of it. Everyone should at least have food and shelter, right? Even if they were lazy moochers, he didn’t want anyone to die.

He had a lot of power now. And he realized that he had to be responsible with that power. He had to do the right thing despite his emotions and personal irritations. And he didn’t want to be seen as greedy as Red Bear had been in the past. On the last hunt Red Bear hoarded all his kills and the rest of the tribe suffered.

So, he decided upon an ideal plan: He would take the choicest cuts from each kill to reward himself for his skill and hard work, and then he would divide most of the cuts among the people. Fool’s Feet’s family would get lesser cuts because of his laziness, and to encourage him not to be lazy in the future.

It worked! His conscience was clear, and the tribe thrived. At first, Fool’s Feet’s family was ashamed, but it caused them all to work harder. Especially Fool’s Feet. When the next hunt arrived, Blue Elk still had the most kills with seven, but Fool’s Feet had an amazing five kills. They soon became close friends.

Now Blue Elk laughs when he thinks back. Happy he had made the right decision. Power, it turns out, is a fickle beast. The End.

This parable is a rich and thoughtful exploration of wealth, power, responsibility, and the dynamics of community. It captures the tension between individual achievement and collective well-being, while offering a practical solution that balances justice, mercy, and incentive.

Let’s dive into it and unpack Blue Elk’s journey, the parable’s implications, and how it ties into the idea that "wealth is power" and carries great responsibility.

The parable’s core themes:

“To whom much is given, much is required.” ~Luke 12:48

Wealth as Power:

Blue Elk’s ten buffalo kills represent not just material wealth but the power to influence the tribe’s survival. His success elevates him above the others, placing him in a position where his choices ripple outward. This mirrors real-world dynamics where wealth concentrates decision-making authority—whether in a tribe or a modern economy.

Moral Responsibility:

Blue Elk’s dilemma—keep the spoils or share—reflects the burden of power. He recognizes that hoarding, like Red Bear did, could doom the tribe, yet his pride and sense of fairness chafe at rewarding the undeserving (like Fool’s Feet). This internal conflict highlights the responsibility wealth imposes. It’s not just about personal gain but about how one wields influence over others.

Equity vs. Merit:

The tension between giving everyone an equal share and rewarding effort is palpable. Blue Elk’s solution—taking the best cuts for himself while distributing the rest—strikes a compromise between self-interest and communal need. It’s a pragmatic acknowledgment that merit matters, but survival trumps all.

Incentive and Transformation:

By giving Fool’s Feet’s family lesser cuts, Blue Elk uses his power strategically, not just to punish but to motivate. The outcome—Fool’s Feet’s redemption and their eventual friendship—suggests that responsible use of power can uplift rather than merely sustain, fostering growth in others.

Analysis of Blue Elk’s solution:

“The price of greatness is responsibility.” ~Winston Churchill 

Blue Elk’s plan is a masterstroke of leadership and a direct response to the idea that "those with considerable wealth have a great responsibility regarding their power." Here’s why it works…

By keeping the choicest cuts, Blue Elk honors his own effort without crossing into Red Bear’s territory of destructive selfishness. It’s a nod to the reality that the wealthy often want recognition, but he caps it to avoid excess.

Sharing the majority ensures no one starves, aligning with his realization that power must serve the tribe’s needs, not just his own. His wealth only has meaning because it supports the community.

Giving Fool’s Feet’s family lesser cuts introduces accountability into the equation. It’s not pure charity; it’s a calculated move to discourage laziness while still meeting basic needs. This avoids resentment (from Blue Elk) and dependency (from Fool’s Feet) while avoiding a bad conscience (like Red Bear).

The plan’s success isn’t just immediate survival but the transformation it sparks. Fool’s Feet’s shift from moocher to contributor shows how power, wielded wisely, can reshape behavior and strengthen social bonds. Blue Elk’s laugh at the end suggests he finds deeper satisfaction in this outcome than in hoarding.

Tie-in to wealth and responsibility:

“All things excellent are as difficult as they are rare.” ~Baruch Spinoza

This parable beautifully illustrates that wealth’s power isn’t just in accumulation but in its application. Blue Elk could’ve hoarded (like Red Bear) and been “rich” in a narrow, egocentric sense—yet the tribe’s suffering would’ve undermined that richness, proving it illusory. Instead, he uses his power to balance personal reward with collective good, showing that true wealth lies in responsibility and prestige, not just in possession and power.

This echoes modern debates about wealth distribution. Blue Elk’s approach isn’t pure egalitarianism (everyone gets the same) or pure meritocracy (only the hunters eat); it’s a hybrid that prioritizes survival while incentivizing effort. In today’s terms, it’s akin to a wealthy individual paying themselves a fair salary for their work but investing the rest in community infrastructure: schools, jobs, food security—rather than letting it sit idle or punishing the “lazy” outright.

Applying this to the real world, where wealth disparities are stark, here’s how Blue Elk’s wisdom could scale…

Progressive Sharing:

The wealthy could retain a portion of their earnings as reward but commit the bulk to societal needs—think taxes, philanthropy, or job creation—ensuring no one lacks basics like food and shelter.

Incentivized Contribution:

Rather than unconditional handouts, aid could be structured to encourage participation (e.g., work programs, education). Fool’s Feet’s turnaround shows that people often rise to expectations when given a nudge, not a free pass.

Leadership by Example:

Blue Elk’s rejection of Red Bear’s greed sets a cultural tone. Wealthy individuals or corporations could model responsible power—sharing profits, paying fair wages—shifting norms away from hoarding.

Community Focus:

Wealth’s value could be redefined as its impact on the “tribe.” A billionaire funding clean water access might find more fulfillment (and legacy) than in another private jet.

Tackling large scale poverty:

Imagine a billionaire (or two) stepping up and dropping some big money on a sustainable commune for the homeless. We could call it Project Greenlight, or Tiny Home City, or whatever.

The tiny homes (thousands or even millions with enough land) could be made of bamboo and hempcrete topped out with solar panel roofs and water catch systems around the awning that spill into large cisterns on the side of the home. Each yard would have a windmill made of bamboo for more energy. A small stream would need to run through the village strategically culverted to feed the community garden at the center of the compound.

Everything would be built around the garden, the heart of the village. It would grow everything from tomatoes to potatoes, onion to squash, spinach to kale. Each tiny home’s yard would also have a tiny garden that would grow a single crop (cherry tomatoes for example) for the rest of the village and supplement the community garden.

There would need to be chickens and cows and goats added to the commune to make it more sustainable.

Morale should be high because the community garden would flourish, and everyone would have a sense of purpose tending to their garden, their health, and their “savior” community (Tribe). All they would need to guide them is the Golden Rule, the Non-aggression Principle, no stealing, no hoarding, and all things in moderation coupled with the healthy wealth distribution strategy discovered in the parable.

It wouldn’t be easy. It would in fact be a Herculean task, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.

Overall, this parable is both a personal story of conscience and a blueprint for wielding power responsibly. Blue Elk’s solution sidesteps the traps of pride and resentment, turning potential conflict into harmony. It suggests that the powerful don’t have to choose between self-interest and altruism, they can blend them to lift everyone. Power, as Blue Elk learns, isn’t so fickle when guided by principle; it’s a tool for building something lasting and sustainable.

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About the Author:

Gary Z McGee, a former Navy Intelligence Specialist turned philosopher, is the author of Birthday Suit of God and The Looking Glass Man. His works are inspired by the great philosophers of the ages and his wide-awake view of the modern world.

This article (The Parable of Blue Elk and Fool's Feet) was originally created and published by Self-inflicted Philosophy and is printed here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Gary Z McGee and self-inflictedphilosophy.com. It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this statement of copyright.