The Grateful Deer

Many years ago, there lived a kind warm hearted little boy, who was also a hard worker. He would go deep into the mountains to gather firewood to sell at the market place. His frail elderly parents could barely live on the little money he made. One day, while gathering firewood as usual, the little boy, heard an animal's footsteps crackle on dry leaves. He became frightened. Could it be a ferocious mountain lion? Could it be the tiger that had killed the neighbor's sheep? His ears perked up in terror.

As he turned around he saw a beautiful little deer with colorful spots on his back. Trembling and frightened, he cautiously approached the boy, stopping a few steps away from him, begging for help, "Little boy, please save my life. A hunter is coming after me with a shotgun. I am afraid to run any further. The hunter will surely shoot me. Please help me."

The boy told the deer to dive into a nearby heap of hay. No sooner was the deer covered with hay, than a hunter rushed up. Breathing hard, he asked, "Have you seen a deer run this way."

The boy had never lied before. He felt his stomach turn and his lips quiver at the thought of telling a lie. But, with the image of the frightened deer in his mind, he gained courage. "No sir, I didn't see a deer."

The hunter looked at the boy suspiciously, eyeing him from head to toe. "Looks like he got away... I could have shot him. How unlucky I am to miss him." The hunter walked away in search of his lost prize.

After the boy was certain that the hunter had gone he called out to the deer, "You are safe now. You can come out and run away." The deer did not leave right away, hesitating. "What's the matter? The hunter may come back, please hurry, " said the boy.

"No my friend, I want to do something for you. Follow this trail over the mountain where you will find a flat boulder rock. Behind it you will find a narrow path hidden among bushes. It will take you to a Hidden Valley where you will find acre upon acre of a hundred year old special herbal plant. The water from the boiled leaves has healing properties." So saying, the deer bounded off.

The boy followed the trail the deer had revealed to him. Truly there were the herbal plants. He dug a few which he took and, after boiling the leaves, gave the water to his frail parents to drink. Immediately they regained their youthfulness and strength. Now all three of them worked together to harvest the wild plants which sold for the highest prices once the healing properties became known. They made a large fortune selling them. No longer did the little boy need to pick up firewood on cold mornings. He and his parents lived happily ever after.