He did not pinch off three pieces of bread. He did not pinch off three pieces of cheese. He just sat quietly and played with his food.

After lunch, Omar did not rush out of the house as he had done before. Instead he slowly walked to the big rock and sat for the rest of the day. He looked up the stream, then he looked down the stream, then he watched the butterflies fly from flower to flower. This went on for the rest of the day.

That night, after Omar was tucked in bed, his Nanny asked him, "Omar, why did you just sit on the rock today and not play?" Little tears appeared in the corners of his eyes: "My friends are gone", he said. "They had to find a new home. Someone has started cutting the trees near their house and soon their homes will be ruined."

Day after day Omar just sat on the big rock. Finally his Nanny could not stand it any more. Nanny walked to the big rock. "Honey", his Nanny said, "I wish there was something we could do. If we only had money or something we could sell, we would buy the forest. But all we have is our small farm and a milk cow named Ferdinand."

Omar‘s eyes began to glow. "I have some shiny stones my friends gave me. Could we take them to town and sell them?", Omar asked. "I don’t know", his Nanny said. "Not too many people will buy stones from the stream."

"But these are not from the stream. These are special stones my friends gave me." Omar jumped off of the big rock and ran to get his shoe box. A moment later he was back. He placed the shoe box on the big rock and opened the lid so his Nanny could see inside.

"Why Omar! This is a box of gold nuggets. Where on earth did you get them?", his Nanny asked in disbelief. "My friends gave them to me. They told me to save them for a special occasion", exclaimed Omar. "I certainly think this is a special occasion", said his Nanny.

The next day Omar and his Nanny went to town with the shoe box of shiny gold nuggets. There was enough to buy the forest for miles around and the trees will never have to be cut down. Omar‘s friends could return to their home and never have to worry anymore. They had enough money to buy another cow. Omar named the new cow O’leary, after one of his friends.

The next day Omar came in for lunch and climbed onto the big chair. He broke off three bits of bread and three bits of cheese and put it in his leather pouch. After lunch Omar jumped from the chair and raced from the house, down to the edge of the stream. He climbed upon the big rock and took out his handkerchief and placed it neatly on the top of the rock. He removed the leather pouch from his pocket and placed the bread and cheese on the handkerchief.

A piece of bread, a piece of cheese, a piece of bread, a piece of cheese, a piece of bread, a piece of cheese. Once again he was happy to sit and wait while his friends had lunch.

Story by James Waldroup - Drawing by Thelma Waldroup
Dedicated to all the caregivers who take care on our most precious asset: our children.
This story comes to you by courtesy of www.buggybuddy.com