Children Short Story – The Hunter and The Predator
Photo credit: bendzso from morguefile.com
Rajiv was a bit upset this evening. His hunt for the topmost rank in the class has ended in vain. He was not able to secure the 1st position in class despite the class topper being knocked out of the examination due to an unfortunate accident forbidding him to appear in the examination. Rajiv was quite secure and confident of pivoting himself to the top rank owing to his advantage. But somehow much to his shock a much lower probable classmate of his surpassed him in the exams, forcing him to stay in his all-time 2nd position.
Seeing his 11 year boy upset Rajiv’s father sat down beside him to comfort him. He tried to cheer him up with promise of gifts and treats but Rajiv didn’t have any interests in his father’s words. He didn’t eat at night and went to his room, turned off the lights and threw himself on the bed. An hour later his father went up to his room to keep a check on him and found that Rajiv still awake, drenching the pillow with his tears. With moist eyes and a pale look on his face he continued looking to some distant view outside the window. Seeing his child’s condition his dad quietly strolled on to the bed beside him, stroked his fingers across his hairs and asked would he like to hear a story. Rajiv didn’t answer. But his father continued and started with the story.
“The PREDATOR quietly strolled out of the bush, in search of its prey, with his gleaming eyes he scanned the surrounding and navigated forward along the footprints of a probable prey. With ambush and tactical measures he thrived forward in all his superiority. Out of the knowledge of the predator there was one more living thing following the predator.
THE HUNTER. Matching its every move, supervising its every action stalked the hunter in his quest. One more scalp to his conquest and one more feather for his accolade lured him and enriched his hunger. The predator without a clue would fall to the hunter and it wouldn’t know what had hit him till. Just about triggering point, the hunter to make his final throw of dice, a blow from behind to the head ended the hunter’s desire. It was a predator’s ally who made his move count. The hunter while was relishing its opportunity ahead it never looked behind to notice if the stalker itself is being stalked. The HUNTER hunted. Both of them carried the lifeless body of the hunter to their habitat much to their pride.”
“Assuming the predators to be tigers, did they devour the hunter after it?” inquired Rajiv out of curiosity.
“In this case the hunter was the tiger and the predators were the humans” said his father.
Rajiv quite perplexed with this answer kept staring at his father.
“Just without assuming it beforehand, reflect whatever I have said and just interchange the positions of the HUNTER and the PREDATOR and rethink the story, does it make any change??” his father attended to a puzzled Rajiv.
After reflecting to his father’s explanation for a few minutes he nodded his head in half agreement.
Putting his hand over his son’s shoulder he said, “Look the point here I am trying to make is, actually two points, First never assume anything beforehand or take anything for granted. And secondly sometimes there will be situations where you are targeting something with utmost focus and even you may have the upper hand but always do watch your back.”
A gentle smile of comprehending appeared on his son’s lips.
He kissed his forehead, pulled the blanket over his son, stroked his son’s hair once, got down off the bed, closed the door and left for his room with a sense of comfort now.
–END–
