The Allegory of the Camel's Nose

A traveler and his camel were making their way across the desert. As evening fell, the traveler unloaded the camel to allow it rest, set up his tent, and went inside at darkness to sleep for the night. The camel remained in the open under the night sky.

As the night progressed it began to get cold. The camel thought, "Here I am, the one who bears my master's burden in the day's heat, shivering in the cold night air, while my master rests warm and protected in his tent." The wily camel devised a plan.

"Master, Master!", he called out in distress. "Yes, yes .... what is it?," the awakened master replied.

"Master, it is very cold, and I am breathing in this cold air, and shivering. I fear that I will not sleep, being so cold, and will be exhausted from shivering all night, and thus be useless for the journey at daybreak. May I place my nose under the tent to breath the warm air so that I may stop shivering and sleep?"

The master said, "Yes, you may place your nose under the tent.", and so the camel stuck his nose under the edge of the tent.

Some while later, the camel once again cried out in distress: "Master, Master!"

"Yes, what is it?", the master replied, again awakened and now irritated.

"It has gotten colder still and my ears are very cold. I fear that by morning I may not be able to hear your commands, and thus our journey may be delayed or misdirected. May I place my head under the edge the tent to warm my ears?"

The master said, "Yes, you may place your head under the tent.'', and so the camel stuck his entire head under the edge of the tent. The traveler moved aside a bit to make room for the camels very large head.

Some while later, the camel again cried out: "Master, Master, the wind has increased and my front legs are being pelted with sand and are very cold and stiff. I fear I will become so stiff by morning that I will be unable to lift your belongings on my back. May I place my fore legs as well as my head under the tent?"

Now, the master was very irritated at being awakened again, but could hear the wind and the sand buffeting the tent. Never the less, the tent was small and the camel's head was already quite an imposition. His instincts told him that if he as the master got no sleep, the journey would not go well in any event. The tent had sparse room for yet more of the camel. But the traveler realized the camel would only persist, felt compassion for the camel in the cold storm, saw mutual best interest in allowing this further Imposition, and had become concerned about its ability to carry his load in the morning. So he acquiesced, and said:

"Yes, you may place your forelegs along with you head in the tent". The traveler push hard against the opposite side to make room for this larger imposition. His own back was now partly exposed to the storm.

After some time, the camel again cried out. "Master. Master, my hind legs are now stiff in the cold and wind, and I can barely move them. I fear I will not be able to walk tomorrow and our journey will not continue. May I place my hind legs in the tent as well?"

Now the master considered his situation. He had given in three times, and still the camel was unsatisfied. The part of the camel already in the tent was crowding him, smelled unpleasantly, and its dirty, beastly presence in his space seemed inappropriate against all standard by which the traveler had lived. But traveler sensed the camel would give him no peace if it remained outside in the cold. The camel's arguments were compelling and difficult to refute given the late hour and the master's state of utter exhaustion after so many insistent intrusions through the night. He felt he needed to give in to the camel this last time to avoid further interruption to his sleep and ensure that his own ability to continue his journey.

So, the master said reluctantly, "You may place your body in the tent to stay warm and thus be ready for our journey in the morning". So. the camel pushed his way fully into the tent alongside the traveler, and in so doing pushed him out the other side of the tent with his large humps and into the cold and wind from which the camel had itself escaped.

The master, realizing he'd been forced out of his own tent, stood up in the cold, howling wind and pelting sand, indignant, demanding the camel exit the tent and that proper order be restored. But the beast was sound asleep and unresponsive to the master. Thus, the master stood outside the tent in the cold windy sandstorm, wringing his hands, and wondering at how he'd allowed himself to be duped away from his better judgment and out of his own tent by this wily camel.

Questions for Discussion:

1. Reflect on camel's nose situations in your life and in our society. Did you recognize them at the time? Do you now after this allegory?

2. If we feel ourselves being co-opted to accept as normative things we know are contrary to our Catholic faith and morals, how can we as Catholic men stand firm?

3. How can we back a camel out of the tent once we come to recognize it's ultimate intent?