The Sandy Road

A merchant loaded his carts with goods and set off for a faraway city. A wide, hot desert stood in his way.

The desert sand burned hot in the daytime. The merchant waited for night, when the sand grew cool. Then he and his men set out.

One man, the pilot, rode ahead. He knew the stars, and they showed him the way. "Follow the stars!" he called.

Each morning they stopped and spread a big awning for shade. They cooked rice, rested all day, and set out again at sunset.

After many nights, the pilot said, "One more night and we reach the city!" The merchant smiled and told his men to throw away the extra water.

The tired pilot lay down in his wagon that night. He fell fast asleep. The oxen had no guide. They walked in slow circles all night long.

At dawn the pilot woke and saw the stars fading. "We are back where we started," he said. The water was gone. The men lay down, saying they were lost.

But the merchant thought, "We must not give up!" He got up and walked through the sand. He spotted a small tuft of green grass. "There must be water underground," he said.

"We must not give up!" the merchant called to his men. "Bring the spade and hammer!" They dug until they struck a hard rock. The merchant listened. "I hear water below!" he said.

The merchant asked a young boy to break the rock. "We must not give up!" the boy cried. He swung the hammer hard, and the rock cracked open. Cool water rushed up and filled the well.

Everyone drank their fill of the cool water. The oxen drank too. They cooked rice and rested all day. Then they set a little flag by the well for other travelers.

That evening they set off again, calm and happy. By morning they reached the city, safe at last. When you keep trying, good things can happen.