Lest I Forget - by Hénock Gugsa

 Lest I Forget 

- by Hénock Gugsa  -

Something somber and serious this time ...

One morning, a long, long time ago in Ethiopia, a little boy five or six-years of age was outside playing in front of his house. In the center of the compound with five households, there was an old water well that served everybody including the little boy and his family. 

As the little kid was scampering around, he came upon a little kitten. He picked it up, and for some unknown reason he sauntered over to the well.

He looked down into the abyss of the well, maybe three-hundred feet down, where he could see the black glistening water. He also noticed that the wall of the well was dank and dotted with some smooth pebbles and jutting rocks. The boy was curious if any living thing could successfully clamber up the wall of the well ... up from the water level all the way to the top.

There must have been some devil or evil spirit in the vicinity of the boy because suddenly and impulsively, he threw the kitten down into the well. The little animal's scream as it fell was spine-chilling, and when the kitten hit the water it immediately began to wail as it swam to the sides of the well. Panic and guilt started to overcome the little boy as he realized the horrible and thoughtless thing he had done. Nothing to do but go, run and hide somewhere.

It was not even three minutes before the neighbors heard the animal's scream for help. Very fast and very efficiently, they threw down into the well a wooden bucket tied to a sturdy rope. The little kitten was still alive and fighting for dear life. Somehow, it got on or attached itself to the bucket. And in no time, the poor animal was triumphantly rescued by those good people. 

But what about the culprit? Nothing! Everybody was so busy helping the kitten, they had no time to stop and investigate the crime.

The little boy was inside his house, hiding under a bed.

Well, that brat is now an old man.  When he remembers the terrible thing he did back when he was a little kid, he is filled with regret and shame, and his eyes well up with tears. But he is thankful that the kitten was saved. He has since become an unabashed lover of cats, and he erupts in fury whenever he hears about cruel things people do to animals.

Guess who that little boy is now.
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Moral of the story:   Be kind to animals ... especially to cats!