THE WORLD OF STORY
The Woodman and the Serpent
In a small village nestled amidst dense forests, there lived a kind-hearted woodman named Elias. Every morning, he would venture into the woods, axe in hand, to gather firewood for his family. One crisp autumn day, as Elias was chopping down a particularly stubborn oak, he heard a faint hiss.
The Serpent’s Distress:
Intrigued, he looked around but saw nothing. The hiss came again, this time louder and closer. Cautiously, Elias parted the undergrowth and discovered a small, venomous serpent coiled at the base of the tree. The creature was clearly injured, its scales marred with a deep gash.
Elias’s Act of Kindness:
Without hesitation, Elias knelt beside the serpent. He knew the danger of handling such a creature, but compassion overcame his fear. Gently, he scooped the serpent onto his palm and carried it to the nearest stream. There, he rinsed the wound and applied a poultice made from herbs he had learned about from an old village healer.
The Serpent’s Recovery:
The serpent writhed and hissed, but Elias remained calm. He knew the creature was in pain, and he was determined to help. After tending to its wound, Elias released the serpent back into the undergrowth. The creature slithered away, its movements much more fluid than before.
An Unexpected Reunion:
Days turned into weeks, and Elias continued his daily routine. One morning, as he was chopping wood near the spot where he had found the serpent, he heard a rustling in the leaves. Turning, he saw the serpent slithering towards him. But instead of fear, Elias felt a sense of warmth and gratitude. The serpent coiled around his ankle and nuzzled his hand.
A Lasting Friendship:
From that day forward, the serpent became Elias’s constant companion. The villagers, initially frightened by the sight of a woodman with a venomous serpent as his pet, eventually came to accept their unusual friendship. They even began to believe that the serpent was a guardian, protecting Elias from harm in the treacherous woods.
And so, the story of the woodman and the serpent became a legend in the village, a testament to the power of kindness and compassion, even in the face of danger.
The moral of the story is that kindness and compassion can be rewarded, even in unexpected ways. Elias, despite the danger, showed empathy and helped the injured serpent. This act of kindness led to an unlikely friendship and even protection. The story teaches us that it’s important to treat all creatures with respect and compassion, no matter how difficult or dangerous they may seem.