During the summer holiday, i read some novels in my spare time. The novels i read on this summer holiday include freakonomics, the final book of harry potter: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hollows , tarian bumi (a book that we have to read and analyze in bahasa Indonesia class), and a collection of reflections and short stories called Like The Flowing River.
Out of all the story i read, there is one story that really catches my attention. This short story about friendship is one out of many stories included in the book Like The Flowing River which was written by Paulo Coelho. Out of many reflections included in the book, this story about true friendship is my favorite. When the author traveled to Mongolia, he heard a mythical tale about the great warrior called Genghis Khan. And this is the story he wrote:
One morning, the Mongol warrior, Genghis Khan, and his court went out hunting. His companions carried bows and arrows, but Genghis Khan carried on his arm his favorite falcon, which was better and surer than any arrows, because it can fly up into the skies and see evrything that a human being could not. However, despite the group's enthusiastic efforts,they found nothing. Dissapointed, Genghis Khan returned to the encampment and in order not to take out his frustration on his companions, he left the rest of the party and rode on alone. They had stayed in the forest for longer than expected, and Khan was desprately tired and thirsty. In the summer heat, all the streams had dried up, and he could find nothing to drink.Then, to his amazement, he saw a thread of water flowing from a rock just in front of him.
He removed the falcon from his arm, and then took out the silver cup which he always carried with him. It was very slow to fill and, just as he was about to rise it to his lips, the falcon flew up, plucked the cupfrom his hands, and dashed it to the ground. Genghis Khan was furious,but then the falcon was his favorite, and perhaps, it too, was thirsty. He picked up the cup, cleaned up the dirt, and filled it again.When the cup was only half empty this time, the falcon again attacked it, spilling the water.
Genghis Khan adored this bird, but he knew he could not, under any circumstances, allow such disrespect; someone might be watching this scene from afar, and, later on would tell his warriors that the great conqueror was incapable of tamind a mere bird. This time, he drew his sword, picked up the cup and refilled it, keeping one eye on the stream and the other on the falcon. As soon as he has enough water in the cup and was ready to drink, the falcon again took flight and flew towards him. Khan, with one thurst pierced the bird's breast.
The thread of water, however had dried up; but Khan, determined now to find something to drink, climbed the rock in search of the spring. To his surprise, there really was a pool of water and, in the middle of it, dead lay one of the most poisonous snakes in the region.
If he had drunk the water, he, too, would have died.
Khan returned to camp with the dead falcon in his arms.He ordered a gold figurine of the bird to be made and on one of the wings, he had engraved:
And on the other wing, he had these words engraved:
Out of all the story i read, there is one story that really catches my attention. This short story about friendship is one out of many stories included in the book Like The Flowing River which was written by Paulo Coelho. Out of many reflections included in the book, this story about true friendship is my favorite. When the author traveled to Mongolia, he heard a mythical tale about the great warrior called Genghis Khan. And this is the story he wrote:
One morning, the Mongol warrior, Genghis Khan, and his court went out hunting. His companions carried bows and arrows, but Genghis Khan carried on his arm his favorite falcon, which was better and surer than any arrows, because it can fly up into the skies and see evrything that a human being could not. However, despite the group's enthusiastic efforts,they found nothing. Dissapointed, Genghis Khan returned to the encampment and in order not to take out his frustration on his companions, he left the rest of the party and rode on alone. They had stayed in the forest for longer than expected, and Khan was desprately tired and thirsty. In the summer heat, all the streams had dried up, and he could find nothing to drink.Then, to his amazement, he saw a thread of water flowing from a rock just in front of him.
He removed the falcon from his arm, and then took out the silver cup which he always carried with him. It was very slow to fill and, just as he was about to rise it to his lips, the falcon flew up, plucked the cupfrom his hands, and dashed it to the ground. Genghis Khan was furious,but then the falcon was his favorite, and perhaps, it too, was thirsty. He picked up the cup, cleaned up the dirt, and filled it again.When the cup was only half empty this time, the falcon again attacked it, spilling the water.
Genghis Khan adored this bird, but he knew he could not, under any circumstances, allow such disrespect; someone might be watching this scene from afar, and, later on would tell his warriors that the great conqueror was incapable of tamind a mere bird. This time, he drew his sword, picked up the cup and refilled it, keeping one eye on the stream and the other on the falcon. As soon as he has enough water in the cup and was ready to drink, the falcon again took flight and flew towards him. Khan, with one thurst pierced the bird's breast.
The thread of water, however had dried up; but Khan, determined now to find something to drink, climbed the rock in search of the spring. To his surprise, there really was a pool of water and, in the middle of it, dead lay one of the most poisonous snakes in the region.
If he had drunk the water, he, too, would have died.
Khan returned to camp with the dead falcon in his arms.He ordered a gold figurine of the bird to be made and on one of the wings, he had engraved:
Even when a friend does something you do not like,
he continues to be your friend.
he continues to be your friend.
And on the other wing, he had these words engraved:
Any action commited in anger is an action doomed to failure.
This story really inspired me and i now realize how important my friends are in my life. I really learn that we should value our relationship with our friends and try to think before we act. What our friends suggested to us might be against our wants, but we should really think of how it might benefit us. After all, our friends want the best things to happen to us and we should not be stubborn.
This story really change my perspective on friendships and it inspired me to improve the current relationship i have with my friends. I learn a lesson that as friends we should really trust each other as it would strengthen our friendship.
I hope this short story about friendship could be a blessing to you readers because it taught me a moral lesson and i hope it would do the same to you too. :)
-Angelina-
This story really change my perspective on friendships and it inspired me to improve the current relationship i have with my friends. I learn a lesson that as friends we should really trust each other as it would strengthen our friendship.
I hope this short story about friendship could be a blessing to you readers because it taught me a moral lesson and i hope it would do the same to you too. :)
-Angelina-
3 comments:
a very touching analogy of how friends can be
makes me think of the bad things done by my close friends intended for goodness...
a magnificent piece of writing to spread to others
Awww.. poor falcon.. bad Khan..
its true though, why are pets always the best of friends, the best intentioned albeit the fact their actions are sometimes not well thought out..
really cute tale, Ina, well narrated. and touching without being overbearingly sentimental!
*vitriolic/Stephanie Tangkilisan
AWWWWWWW!!!!!
T_T
gosh. this is a really good story.
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