The ostrich is the world's
largest living bird and lays the largest egg on earth. It is the fastest
two-legged land animal, second only to the cheetah in running speed. This is a
fictitious story about an ostrich whose timely help saved the life of a lonely
traveller and his camel.
The man was
travelling alone on his camel through an extensive desert. His supply of water
and food exhausted and he fell down fainted. He was not aware of the safer
route of the caravan which touched the oases to replenish the stock of water
and food.
An ostrich came that
way. He made a deep study of the situation. He found the man's water-bottle,
open and empty, lying on the dry sand. It had a leather strap used to tie it to
the man's body. The ostrich caught the bottle's strap in his mouth and
proceeded to the nearest oasis.
An oasis is an
isolated fertile area within a desert which is blessed with water and
vegetation. Oases are formed when severe storms carry away enormous amounts of
dust and sand burrowing the land to a level near the water-table. An oasis is
stabilized and maintained by the vegetation. Migrating birds may deposit seeds
and droppings creating vegetation in the oases.
In the present oasis,
there was a pond with fresh water, surrounded by several fruit bearing trees
like date-palm, peach, fig, olive and apricot. The ostrich dipped the bottle in
the water and filled it. Then he carried it back to the fainted man and placed
it close to his head. The man was awakened by the contact with the cold water.
He rose with all his might and drank the water. Regaining his lost strength, he
stood up and thankfully embraced the ostrich. The ostrich led him and the camel
to the oasis nearby, where they could rest, drink and eat and collect water and
food for their onward journey. While relaxing at the oasis, the man could meet
and join a caravan which came to the oasis for resting. The man gratefully bid
farewell to the bird who saved his precious life.
Jesus Christ taught, "Happy are those who are merciful to others;
God will be merciful to them !".
.........................................................................................................
© By Prof. Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin
University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala,
India, Prof. Mrs. Rajamma Babu, Former Professor, St.
Dominic's College, Kanjirappally, Leo. S. John, St. Antony's Public
School, Anakkal, Kanjirappally and Neil John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath,
Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally, Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.
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