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The hot summer sun beat down on the
village. Crowds of people jammed into the market place, adding to the
misery and heat. Four animals were tied with ropes to small wooden sticks
that had been pounded into the sand. A large sign, reading ‘Animals For
Sale’ was nailed to one of the sticks.
"I’ll be the first one to go," the
elephant said. "I’m strong. I can carry things. I can give rides and I can
do tricks."
"You’re wrong. I’ll be the first one
bought. I can sing. I am beautiful. Look at my colored feathers! They are
a prized possession, wanted by many for decorations," the peacock boasted.
"You are both wrong. It shall be I
who goes first. I can give milk for cheese. My hair, though rough, can be
used for making Bedouin tents," the goat chimed in. He turned and looked
at the camel. "Nobody will buy you," he scoffed. "You are ugly. You bite,
spit and kick. You have a big hump and smell. You will still be tied to
the stick, sweltering in the hot sun long after the three of us have been
sold."
The camel didn’t say a word. He
stood munching on some hay.
As the hours passed, more and more
people came to the marketplace. The sun seemed to get hotter and hotter as
it made its way higher into the sky. "I could use a drink of cool,
refreshing water," the elephant complained. He was sweating and feeling
very thirsty.
"I need a drink of water also," the
peacock added. Its feathers were beginning to sag from the heat.
"If it gets much hotter, I’ll die of
thirst," the goat said. He was covered with so much hair that he felt more
miserable than the other three animals.
The camel didn’t say a word. He
stood munching on some hay.
A group of men walked up to the
animals. They were wearing bright-colored robes that hung to the ground.
Each wore a scarf that was tied around their heads. "I think I shall buy
this elephant. It can carry a heavy load," Ahmed said. The elephant beamed
with pride and smiled at the peacock, goat and camel. Ahmed petted the
elephant’s strong legs and trunk.
"The elephant is a strong animal,
but it will not do well crossing the hot, desert sands," Rashid replied.
Ahmed rubbed his chin in thought.
"You are right, Rashid," Ahmed said and walked over to the well to get a
drink of water.
"I think I shall buy the peacock. It
can sing me to sleep at night while we are traveling by caravan across
Arabia," Ali said. He knelt down and looked at the peacock’s beautiful
feathers.
The peacock smiled at the elephant,
goat and camel. "The peacock does sing and it is a beautiful bird, but it
could never endure the desert heat," Rashid said.
Ali rubbed his chin in thought. "You
are right, Rashid," Ali said and walked into the marketplace to buy some
pistachios.
"I think I will buy this goat. It
can give milk for cheese and I can use its coarse hair for my tent,"
Khalil said. The goat smiled at the elephant, peacock and camel.
"The goat does give milk. You could
make wonderful cheeses and butter. You can use its coarse hair for your
tent, but it can’t walk fast enough or long enough to be in a caravan,"
Rashid pointed out.
Khalil rubbed his chin in thought.
"You are right, Rashid," Khalil said. He walked away and bought some fine
silks instead.
"I am going to buy this camel,"
Rashid said. He petted the camel’s neck. "You also give milk. Your hair
can be used to make a tent; you can carry heavy loads, such as spices,
frankincense, and precious silks. You can go for days without drinking and
can walk for a week without getting tired. You aren’t huge like the
elephant, nor are you as beautiful as the peacock. You can’t sing at all,
but you are the best animal of the four. I will buy you," Rashid said. He
paid the man and walked away with his purchase.
The camel turned and smiled at the
elephant, peacock and goat, who stood sweltering in the hot summer sun. |
