THE GREAT NOTHINGNESS

"Yazir! Will you please leave that sledge there and run back home, it's getting late" Yazir's mother, Yameya, shouted for the third time. Yazir reluctantly started home. Yameya watched the slow stride of her ten year old son, with a worried frown. Yazir's mischief and boldness was getting to her nerves. Right from cradle age he was expressing immense vigor and vitality compared to his other brothers. Sometimes, Yameya recollected with pride, how Yazir went on his own in the sledge with their shepherd dog, Yoyo, when he was just three. Even though he gave her a terrible fright that day, she relished to imagine the scene how her toddler of three came back beaming with pride waving a dry twig holding the reins of yoyo, firmly. That dog too adorned him. Yazir loved not only the animals but the entire nature. He could spend hours together just watching at the snow covered peaks of Daleem. Daleem stands at the northern side of Azaro, isolating their village from other countries. Daleen, the mighty peak, stood like a mother hen covering Azaro their little village protectively, but Yazir often wondered why the people of Azaro viewed with dread at that peak. It looked so soft and gentle, extending its fur covered arms all around that village and finally merging with River Thames. And Thames looked bubbling with joy because Mount Daleen generously melted its snow down to its fill. Even though Daleen was a common sight for people of Azaro, Yazer watched it always awestruck. He often felt it beckoning him. He dreamt of climbing it, exploring and shouting on top of his voice "Oh Daleen! I love you". But the very mention of the word Daleen brought abuse not only from his mother but from the entire village folk. He could collect a little bit of information from grandpa, Yozer which was frightening. He said that Daleen sucks the blood of all those who climbs and sends corpse for others to see so that none dares to climb her. Sometimes it clears the entire flesh and drains down the bones, it seems. But none of these stories decreased the adoration of Yazir to Daleen, He whispered softly every night "one day I shall come to you".

The night Yameya, Yazir's mother called Yazir to her side and repeated the same remark which she was chanting for the last ten years "Yazir dear, don't go near Mt. Daleen, it brings death". But as usual he didn't pay any heed. For the first time in the history of Azaro there was immense heat that year, even though snow peaks were melting down heavily River Thames never flooded, because the water was evaporated. People of Azaro found it difficult to sleep, they were not prone to this type of climate. Yazir could not sleep, he came out of his igloo and sat outside, he could see a seal wading silently in the puddle, the seal must be feeling hot. Yazir felt that the seal was watching him; he looked at that creature with pity. After a few days ''The Daleen Day" will be celebrated. The blood of seals will be offered to Mt. Daleen so that it satisfies its thirst and leaves the people of Azaro in peace.

Yazir hated this belief! He hated the whole culture of Azaro, for he loved all silent living things, he could not express his anger to the elders so he opted the weapon of silence, he hardly spoke with anyone, he saw the seal watching him once again, his heart stirred, "No, I cannot watch another blood shed". He slowly took a few strides, his dearest friendly Yoyo, the German shep¬herd, gave a friendly yep. He walked towards it, in an instance he took the sledge and away he made his long cherished trip of his own.

Years passed, people of Azaro forgot Yazir, only Yazir's mother heaved deep sighs and spent sleepless nights cursing Daleen for consuming her darling son.

Whether it is nature's trick or some geographical change, Azaro started experiencing immense heat, henceforth, all the years. People started building tents and huts leaving aside their igloos. Instead of seal-hunting for flesh and meat they tried the art of cultivation; instead of fur coats and caps they tried leaves and barks. All this culture crept in because foreigners began visiting Azaro when the climate became warm and taught new techniques. People of Azaro was ignorant of the fact that Mt. Daleen was coldest peak and the zero degree altitude froze the people to death. But now it has changed.

To the surprise of everybody one day Yazir came back. His appearance and way of dressing attracted the entire folk, he called out for his mother and people recognized him. They all swarmed around him astonished, eager to know the tale of how the blood sucker spared the life of Yazir. Yazir was 15 years old now; tall and more toned. He unraveled the mystery. Mt Daleen is nothing but a loving mother. Of course there are wild polar bears which kill people. But, infact, it is the extreme cold that froze the people to death. The slight movement of the wind caused great avalanche and washed down the bones and dead bodies of the people who climbed the mount. But Yazir's time of ascent was during the geographical change, the cold did not freeze him. His aptitude to befriend the innocent living beings at the age of 10, left him unharmed by the bears. Of course his faithful dog yoyo was always a great help he found a cave and took shelter there, caught the fishes and shrimps for food. He lived a life he yearned for until his dog died of old age. Finally he thought of returning back to Azaro and to clean the blind¬ beliefs of his people.

When finally back in the igloo and trying his best to get some sleep in the fur bed after that long gap upon the mountain peak, he felt a movement outside and saw a pack of shinning eyes wathcing him. It was nothing but a hoard of seals silently expressing their gratitude for wiping off the superstitious belief and taking off their lives by blood shed.


Jacintha Morris
Welfare Assistant
AG's Office
Trivandrum

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