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.
