The Savior
by Michael C.
Keith
There is
something which excites compassion
in the
very word . . . compassion.
––
Sydney Smith
Masao climbed the steep
hill behind his family’s hut to where he
often spent hours looking out over the limitless
savannah. When he reached the summit, he
discovered a nest of black-tailed crakes. The
chicks––three in all––pleaded
with him to drop something, anything, into their
gaping beaks. They appeared malnourished and one
seemed on the verge of death.
The young Masai looked
above to the outstretched limbs of the Barringtonia
pendula expecting to see the parents of the
baby birds. But all he saw were the abundant
banana-shaped fruit dangling from the reddish-brown
tree. Thinking their guardians had abandoned the
tiny, fuzzy creatures after their fall to the
ground, Masao decided to come to their rescue.
He climbed the low limb to
where a clump of fruit hung. It was directly
above the squawking fowl. I will save you from
your dire plight and free you from your pain,
he mumbled, removing a small blade from his belt.
It took several swipes to cut through the thick
stalk holding the produce. Finally, they fell to
earth striking the black-tail crakes and crushing
them.
“There,” said
Masao, pleased with his effort. “No more
suffering.”
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