The patterns on the gendarme’s body resemble those of a tribal mask. One might be tempted to see in them the features of a sacred entity governing the harmonies of the world — a world sometimes described as “wild.” This world is generally viewed through the chilling lens of “the law of the strongest.” We almost forget that the realms of life are the setting for numerous partnerships. The example of the linden tree and the gendarme (a common insect widely found in our latitudes) perfectly symbolizes these symbiotic relationships: the insect takes refuge in the tree’s bark and feeds on its seeds that have fallen to the ground, thereby allowing its host to avoid excessive competition from young shoots. Mutual aid — that is the other law of the jungle.