Thinking of others
Think of some ways you have helped
others today
There was once a man called Ali who was travelling home with his
friends through a hot, dry land. It was the hottest month of the summer. On
their way they met a poor stranger, dressed in rags. He was hungry and thirsty
and had no money. He asked if he could join them. The travellers felt sorry for
him. They welcomed him, gave him a drink and continued their journey through
the desert.
It was
not long before they lost their way. The sun beat down even harder. The ground
became more sandy and dusty. There were no rivers or springs in sight. There
were no water wells nearby. Soon their water began to run out. The situation
was bad. They decided that the only way to survive was to ration the water that
was left between them. Each day, each person drank just one small cupful when
they stopped for the night.
One evening, when it was Ali's turn to drink, he noticed the
stranger staring at him. He immediately turned to the water-carrier and said to
him, 'Give my water to my brother, the stranger.' The stranger drank Ali's
share of the water, for he was very thirsty. Ali had nothing to drink.
The next day the same thing
happened again. The stranger drank the water and Ali had none. Day after day it
happened and each day Ali gave toe stranger his water. Each day Ali became
weaker and weaker.
One morning, the stranger called Ali to tell him it was time to
get up and get on his camel. 'Get up, Ali. We are not far from water now. Soon
you will be able to drink as much water as you like,' he said. Ali's friends
looked at the stranger curiously. 'How do you know we are not far from water?'
they asked. The stranger smiled. He picked Ali up and put him on a camel.
'Follow me,' he told Ali's friends. They walked for a few kilometres. Then they
stopped in astonishment. The stranger had repaid Ali's kindness. He had led
them to an oasis!
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