Natural disaster
The torrential rain kept pouring non-stop for three days and nights. It was already late at night, but the elephant was still patrolling the flood control dam with a flashlight, braving the fierce wind and rain. Suddenly, the elephant noticed that the dam was beginning to collapse. He was extremely anxious and hurriedly struck a large gong to alert the villagers.
The sound of the gong, “clang, clang, clang,” pierced through the dark night sky, echoing over the village and waking the villagers from their sleep.
The sow heard the gong and knew that something must have gone wrong with the dam. She thought, there are many villagers in the village, it doesn’t matter if one more or one less goes. Besides, she had been feeling a bit under the weather lately, so she stretched lazily and comfortably lay back down.
The donkey heard the gong and looked out the window, seeing only darkness and the raging storm. He thought, it doesn’t matter if one more or one less goes, and besides, he didn’t have a flashlight, so he comfortably lay back down as well.
The monkey heard the gong and just as he opened the door, a sudden clap of thunder frightened him back inside. He thought, it doesn’t matter if one more or one less goes, and besides, everyone knows he’s afraid of thunder, so he comfortably lay back down too.
The black bear, gorilla, spotted deer, and other villagers all heard the urgent gong.
They all believed that since others would go, one less of them wouldn’t make a difference. Each of them had their own “reasons” for not going. Some didn’t have rain gear, some didn’t have tools, some were exhausted from working late the previous day, and some had drunk a bit too much that night…
The elephant struck the gong until it was almost broken, but not a single villager came to rescue the dam. He hurriedly threw down the gong and started piling stones on the collapsing spot by himself. The river water was rising rapidly, and the collapse was getting more severe. Despite the elephant’s desperate efforts to pile stones, he was alone and too weak to protect the dam.
Eventually, the flood control dam broke, and the torrential floodwaters, like wild horses freed from their reins, rushed out of the dam. The houses in the village were destroyed, and the crops were submerged. Those villagers who had been lying comfortably in their beds were now swept together by the flood.
In the brief light of the lightning, they looked towards the dam and saw only the lonely figure of the elephant. They looked at each other, feeling both ashamed and regretful.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
