The little boy in the forest

In a large, forested mountain, a little boy set off with his father, who was a woodcutter. They wanted to gather enough firewood to keep their wooden cabin warm all winter. From the beginning, the father, carrying a large axe and a backpack full of provisions, had told his son: “My son, if you get separated from me in the forest, don’t start wandering in any direction. You must stay where you are until I return and find you.”

The little boy listened to his father's words. For several days, they wandered through the forest, chopping down dead trees with the axe. They tied the wood with ropes, preparing it to take back to their wooden cabin.

One morning, the boy woke up and didn't see his father. He looked around, called out loudly several times, but heard no response. Gradually, fear filled his heart.

He thought to himself, “What could have happened that there is no sign of my father? Why didn't he wake me up and take me with him?”

Remembering his father's advice, the little boy decided to head back to where they had started. He still remembered that large rock by the very tall tree. Surely he could find the ashes of the fire they had started the night before. So, he began searching the forest again, but his efforts were in vain.

As the forest's atmosphere turned dark, the little boy grew more tired and hungry. Finally, exhausted, he sat beneath a tree as fear filled his heart. He didn't know what to do, and tears started streaming down his face. Under the tree, he fell asleep after a few moments.

In the middle of the night, he woke up shivering from the cold, and remembered his separation from his father. Suddenly, an idea came to him. During the days they had been in the forest, his father had given him two flint stones

And every time he made a fire by mixing those stones.  He put his small hands in his pocket.  He took out the stones and started hitting them together like a father.

 After a few minutes, the little boy was able to make himself a fire.  Sitting next to the fire, it warmed up a little.  He knew that the flames would keep the animals that live in the forest away from him.

 As the weather cleared, the boy again thought of going in search of his father.  This time he started eating the fruits of forest trees.  He was trying to remember all the things that father used to do in the forest these days.

 Even though he looked for his father in the forest that day, he could not find him.  The second night he made a bigger fire.

 It was the third day that the boy was tired of these conditions.  Although he was able to keep himself warm and full, he missed his father.

 He sat under a tree again and thought.  He remembered the days when he lived with his parents in their wooden hut.  He remembered their chickens and roosters.  Tears filled his eyes and he didn't know what to do.

 That night he made a big fire and sat next to it.  He did not know how many days this situation would continue.  But once he remembered his mother's words.  His mother had told him that whenever you feel like it, put your wish in your palms, close your eyes and then ask God for it.  Finally, blow it towards the sky with all the power you have.

 While shedding tears, the little boy imagined his wish, which was the return of his father, in the palm of his hand.  Then he closed his eyes and started talking to God.  He asked God to bring his father to him as soon as possible.

 Then, as his mother said, he raised his hand towards the sky and blew his wish towards the sky with all the strength he had.

 It was early in the morning when he woke up with the sound of a bird's song, he felt that he could smell a good perfume.  He thought he was dreaming, so he sniffed once more.  He slowly opened his eyes.  The fire he had lit last night was still not extinguished.  Their small pot was on the fire and the father was sitting by the fire with the same smile as always.

 The little boy threw himself into his father's arms and started crying.  The woodcutter said while stroking his hair: "My son, I told you not to move from where you are."  I had gone away from you a little to break firewood and since you were asleep I didn't want to wake you up.  But this distance was a good lesson for you.  You learned how to take care of yourself.  This distance made you a man.