A HERO’S REWARD | A boy named Eric lived in a small village by a river. His family was very poor. His father worked hard as a fisherman in the morning and as a gardener for a rich man in the afternoon. His mother sold the fish that Eric’s father caught at the market. Eric wanted to go to school and learn like his friends, but because they didn’t have enough money, he had to work on a farm instead. They could barely afford two meals a day.

One evening, while walking in front of his house, Eric heard someone crying for help. He quickly ran toward the sound and saw a younger boy struggling in the river. The boy was being pulled away by the strong water, and no one was around to help. Without thinking twice, Eric jumped into the water. He swam as fast as he could and managed to bring the boy to safety. By the time they reached the shore, a crowd had gathered, and the boy’s parents rushed over. They were very thankful to Eric for saving their son and wanted to reward him. When they found out that Eric dreamed of going to school, they offered to pay for his school fees. Eric felt awkward accepting such a nice reward for just doing the right thing. His parents felt the same way and also turned down the offer. But after a lot of insistence from the boy’s parents, Eric’s family finally agreed.

From that day on, Eric didn’t have to work on the farm anymore. He was grateful for the help and went to school every day. He studied hard and got the best grades in his class. After finishing school, Eric became a reputed lawyer. With his success, he was able to help his parents improve their situation, and they no longer had to struggle to
get by.

This story reminds us of the saying “The kindness that you put out into the world always has a way of coming back to you”.

By, Jayakar Sampaul S | Grade 6 ‘B’ Blue house