The Girl and the Dog

Who saved a village

Hundreds of birds took flight simultaneously in an explosion of sound. They left the trees and were all gone in a moment.

The approaching army could be heard even before they crested the hill. The villagers fell silent and motionless as they awaited their fate.

They could neither run nor hide from the approaching army. Any attempt to defend themselves was futile. They were powerless except for the love in their hearts. Surrender was their only option.

The entire population of the village came out to stand in the village square to face their collective demise. Many held hands and many were crying. The children did not understand what was happening but they could sense the overwhelming despair. While some of the people’s dogs had run away, many of them stood beside their human families in solidarity with them.

The tanks and trucks and bulldozers rumbled towards the village leaving a cloud of dust in their wake. The army came to a stop at the very edge of the town square. A jeep then pulled out in front of the army and the army’s general stepped out of that jeep and approached the villagers. He was a well regarded and well decorated military leader whose bravery was almost legendary. He was not afraid to lead his army from the front instead of the rear.

This was the third war the general had experienced. The first was when he was a small child. A foreign army had come into his town and killed everyone they could find, including his family. He survived by hiding in the chicken coop clutching his dog. In the second war he was a fearless soldier who did the killing. He exacted revenge.

With his need for revenge sated, in this third war he was now just a general doing his job. Walking towards the villagers he stopped and was about to address them, telling them they were all about to die.

But then a dog broke rank with the villagers and ran up to the general. It sniffed the general and rubbed against his leg. The general bent over and petted the dog.

Then a little girl around the age of six ran towards the dog. Reaching it, she grabbed the dog and held on to it with all her might. Looking up at the general, she said, “You can kill me but please don’t kill my dog!” She then buried her face in the dog, tears pouring down her cheeks onto the dog.

The dog kept looking up at the general with eyes that poured forth unconditional love. Suddenly, the general felt that he was looking into the very same eyes of the dog he had held in that chicken coop so very long ago. He got down on one knee and petted the dog while it licked his hand.

He then addressed the girl, “Do not worry little girl. I will not kill you or your dog. I promise.”

The general then stood up and called forth one of his lieutenants, barking out some orders. He then knelt back down and continued petting the dog with one hand while gently stroking the little girl’s hair with his other hand.

With the villagers looking on in silent shock, the troops began unloading supplies — blankets, food, water, tools — and deposited them in the village square in front of the people. They then returned to their vehicles.

The general spoke softly to the little girl, “Please do not live your life in fear. Live it with the kind of love that you have for your dog.”

The general bent down and kissed the dog on the top of its head. He then got up and returned to his jeep. With the villagers still speechless, the army turned around and headed back in the direction from which it came. Not a sound was uttered by anyone until the army had crested the hill and was gone from sight and could no longer be heard. Then the villagers erupted in relief and jubilation.

Very soon thereafter all the birds returned to the trees.

Copyright by White Feather. All Rights Reserved. This is a work of fiction. Stories by White Feather

Speaking of armies…