Walking through
the woods, a
small armadillo
complained about
his life,
considering
himself very
unhappy.
While birds flew
through the air,
travelling long
distances and
getting to know
different lands,
he was forced to
never move away
from the ground.
Seeing agile
animals that ran
through the
woods, like deer
for example, he
sighed
despondently.
His legs were
short and he
could barely
walk a few
meters!
|
He was grumbling
like that when
he heard a
familiar voice
that said:
- Hello, my
friend! What
happened that
got you to be so
sad?
It was a small
lizard, his
friend, who
lived in a
nearby lake.
In response, the
Armadillo
blurted:
|
 |
- I am very
unhappy! ...
While other
animals run and
play in the
woods, I live
tucked into my
hole.
What kind of
life is that?
... I wish I
could run like
rabbits or deer,
but I cannot. Or
fly like birds
... or live in
this beautiful
lake, like you,
Mr. Lizard. But
I am bound to
live in the
ground. How
unhappy I am!
...
 |
The lizard's
eyes widened, he
moved his tail,
and opened his
big mouth to
say:
- Armadillo,
each one of us
was born as our
Father designed
us. He knows
what His
children need. I
live in the
water and, when
tired, I crawl
on the ground.
It is the life
that I have
received from
God and I'm
happy with it.
- OK! But I have
this heavy shell
that bothers me.
I would like to
get rid of it
and exchange it
for some
beautiful
colourful fur,
such as the
jaguar's, or
beautiful
feathers like
birds have!
A bird that
overheard the
conversation,
standing on a
branch nearby,
interrupted the
conversation
|
|
and also
gave her
opinion: |
- Mr. Armadillo,
you don't know
what you're
saying! I'd
rather be in
your position.
Birds like me
are very fragile
and any larger
bird like an
Eagle or Hawk
can easily hunt
us. In your
case, you hide
in your hole and
they cannot
reach you there.
In addition,
your shell
protects you!
But the
Armadillo,
unhappy with his
situation, did
not accept
different
opinions and
walked away
disappointed,
grumbling:
- You say that
because you do
not know how I
feel.
Sometime later,
the sky was
covered with
dark, heavy
clouds. A big
storm was
approaching.
Every living
creature in the
forest ran
scared to their
lairs, staying
hidden and
waiting.
The clouds,
swept by gusts
of wind, arrived
fast and a storm
fell violently
on the region.
In their
refuges, the
animals trembled
in fear.
When the storm
was over and the
sun was shining
in the sky
again, the
curious
armadillo took
his muzzle out
of the hole to
see what had
happened. He was
startled to see
the damage the
storm had done.
Many trees had
been felled;
stones and
debris were
scattered
everywhere.
Relieved to have
escaped with his
life, the
Armadillo
searched for his
friends but
could not find
them. He learned
that the lake
had overflowed
and the lizard
had been dragged
away by the
waters; birds
had their nests
destroyed and
many died.
Given all that,
the Armadillo
thanked God for
the hole that he
had been given.
As he had been
hiding in the
ground and had
reserves of
food, neither
him nor his
family had
lacked anything
and they were
still alive.
Soon the birds
returned,
building their
nests again and
singing and
flying through
the sky. The
lizard returned
to his lake and
the armadillo
never complained
about the
conditions of
life that God
had given him,
sure that He
knew what was
best for each
one of His
children.
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Celia Xavier
de Camargo on
21/01/2013.)
