Agniva Das, a fourth-grade student, narrates a touching story about a merchant named Anil, who discovers profound lessons about nature and responsibility following a heartbreaking loss.
Once upon a time, there was a man named Anil who sold furniture in his village. One day, while he was cutting down trees, a bird asked him, “Why are you cutting the trees? This is our home. If you cut it down, where will we live?”
Anil replied, “That’s your problem.” Gradually, all the trees were cut down, and there was not enough oxygen left to breathe. One day, Anil’s son got very sick and died because of the lack of oxygen. Anil was heartbroken. He walked slowly to the shade of a tree and started crying. He asked himself, “Why did I cut down all the trees?”
Just then, he saw a bird falling from the sky. He caught the bird and saved it. The bird said, “Thank you.”
Anil took the injured bird home and gave it medicine. One day, the bird’s mother came and said, “Thank you very much for helping my son.”
Anil replied, “No, no, you don’t have to thank me. I should say sorry for cutting down all the trees.”
The bird’s mother told him, “You have one more chance to save nature.”
Anil asked, “How?”
She said, “You need to plant more trees. This way, you can save nature.”
5 Years Later
The news appears in all the leading newspapers. It was the story of Anil who started planting trees all around his house and the nearby areas in the last five years. Anil was awarded many national and international awards for his efforts to save the environment. When the reporters asked him how he felt. He replied, “I am happy with the awards, but I am happier as the children around me can breathe fresh air.”
