An unembellished allegory

“The artist the scientist and the animal were stranded on an island,” Mr. Duggles was saying; he had that spark in his eye of one embroiled in a story which holds a particular personal interest.  “The situation was hopeless; they had no food, no water, no means of escape.  You know what they did?  They began a descent into madness.  The artist – he was already a little insane – he had a head start on the other two, he started to cover everything in this chalky colored mud – himself, the trees, the rocks.  Then he smeared clear these swirls – patterns – negative spaces in the mud.  The other two didn’t know what to think – they watched him in fascination.  Then he began to dance and sing a very peculiar song – his voice was good and he continued ceaselessly.  Soon the others were dancing and they danced through the night and into the day, and then, one at a time, they collapsed and died with smiles on their faces.”
“That’s preposterous,” Mr. Goret interrupted.  “I’ve heard the story of the artist the scientist and the animal.  It’s true that they were stranded on an island with no food or water and it is true that the artist was absolutely of no help.  But that is as much as you have right.  The scientist, my good friends, the scientist did not sit helpless.  He set to work gathering brush and scrub wood – then in the apex of the day, when the sun burned the hottest and the artist and the animal were mad with thirst, he made fire and there was much burning.  A conflagration engulfed the massive pile of combustibles he had gathered on the beach.  Smoke rose a mile into the sky – the three were dumbstruck as they beheld the mighty inferno.  Heat scorched their skin, but it was a contained burning, and it served its purpose.  A distant ship saw the smoke and within twenty-four hours they were saved.”
“No, you’re both wrong,” Mr. Holpt said in an even and assured tone.  “Quite wrong actually.  The three were indeed stranded on the island, and there was no food, nor water.  The men were despondent.  The animal was hungry.  He ate them both and drank their blood.  A week later he died too.”