Maru’s Family


Maru sat on a boulder looking lost and bewildered. It was very cold and the rain had not stopped for twelve days. His house and family had been washed away in the flash flood. There was slush all around. The mountainside had turned very dangerous and mud slides came suddenly and without warning. Many villages had been swept away with the heavy rains as the swollen river carried the houses and people helplessly down the mountain.
The fields were all covered with water and there was no hope of a harvest that year. Many people had rushed to the school building hoping it would be strong enough to withstand the force of water. But the building had vanished along with the people in it!
Suddenly, there was a lot of noise as water gushed and rocks and mud slid down the steep slope, but there were no sounds of human voices or of animals, no dogs barking, cow bells or sheep bleating.
Amongst all the noises Maru heard a thin wailing sound. When he heard the sound, he lifted his head, trying to locate the sound. He found it came from behind where he sat. Peering back he saw a small boy, about five years old, holding on to the branch of a tree in muddy water.

Maru did not think before he quickly slid closer to the child. He tore his clothes but he did not care. They were already tattered and dirty and wet. He looked at his shirt and tore what was left of it. Then he held on to the boulder against which to get a grip with his feet.
Twisting the torn shreds of his shirt into a rope, he called out, “Child, hold on! Grab this.” He repeated it time and again so that the panic-stricken child might understand. The child stopped crying and listened. Then he grabbed the rope and let the tree go.
Slowly, Maru pulled the child, praying that the ‘rope’ would not tear. As the child came near, he caught him and hugged him, both of them relieved.
That night, the rain stopped and a soldier came with dry clothes and a flask of tea and some bread. He tied the rope and took them to a place where there was food and warmth in plenty.

When he asked, Maru said, “Yes, I was frightened. But this little fellow needed help, so I forgot my fear and tried to help him. Now he’s my family.”
Moral: True relationships are built on courage and kindness.

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