Echo

David was a woodcutter who lived in a small village in Siberia, adjoining a dense coniferous forest. His job required him to venture into the forest and tread along a treacherous path, everyday. Every day before dawn he would leave the relative safety of his village and go into the snow covered woods to hack a few trees and get back some wood. The return journey was always cumbersome, as he had to carry heavy loads on his back while traversing the slippery, snow and ice covered path, back to his village. But this was David's life, he knew nothing else, he loved his family, his village and the forest, together they made up his little world.

David would often take breaks during his return journey, as it was tiring getting back home after a day's labour and carrying the heavy load on his back. In the silence of the forest he found inner peace, his body and soul felt rejuvenated in the peace and tranquility of the forest. One such evening he sat down and rested his back against the trunk of a mammoth old tree. Suddenly, breaking the silence of the forest, he heard the roar of a tiger. It was followed by repeated short grunts by the tiger, mixed with soft purring sounds, almost like that of a cat. Curiously he followed the sounds. Soon he arrived at a small clear area of the forest shadowed by huge coniferous trees, there he saw a huge siberian tigress, the tigress saw David as well and the two stared eye to eye. David froze in fear. Surprisingly, the tigress did not move, she just held her position. Then the purr sound came again and the tigress immediately turned her attention to the ground, but David could not see anything there. He moved closer and realised that a tiger cub had fallen into the pit, one that is dug up by hunters to catch deer. The pit was deep enough to prevent the cub from climbing out and small enough to prevent the tigress from diving in to rescue her cub.

It was late evening and the forest was flooded with moon light. David thought it would be morally wrong to leave the cub to its certain doom, so he decided to stay and help. He set up a fire to keep himself warm and to have a clear sight of the tigress. The tigress did not make any move towards David and just guarded the pit. It was getting dark and the tigress sat down beside the pit. No mother can leave her child in distress and leave. David tried to make a move towards the pit, but immediately the tigress stood up and sent out a loud roar, a clear signal to stay away. David sat down again. This happened a few times, before the tigress was able to gauge David's intentions, animals get vibes from people they say. The tigress realised David was not trouble and was trying to help. After many hours and many attempts, in the early hours of morning David tried again, he walked towards the pit and this time the tigress allowed him to come close, she just stepped back and gave out short grunts. David could feel her vibes, she was not intimidating, but worried and restless for her cub. The pit was quite deep, David stared down the pit and the cub sent out a little cub roar trying to make itself look threatening. The cubs purr echoed from the pit walls. "We need to get you out little one. Let me see what I can do for you", said David. "What should I call you, let me think. Oh yes, I'll call you Echo. The perfect name for you little fellow", David smiled.

David walked back to his pile of sticks, gathered his day's labour and got a few creepers and giant roots from the forest. He hacked and hewed and managed to make a ladder with the sticks. The tigress patiently watched David at work. After an hour or so David's ladder was ready. He lowered it into the pit. The tigress grew restless and was trotting from side to side. David climbed down the ladder into the pit. The tigress now stood still watching towards the pit. After a few minutes she saw David's head emerge from the pit, as David climbed out she saw Echo, as David had name him, in his arms. David climbed out of the pit and put Echo down. He ran towards his mother. The joy in that moment was one that can not be described in words. The relief of the mother to see her kid out of peril was more than satisfactory for David. They purred n roared and played. The tigress went to ground on her back and Echo jumped on top of her. They licked each other and played with joy and relief. David was overwhelmed and had tears in his eyes. He had been up all night in a dangerous forest but he had done a good deed that made him happy and that moment made him forget all his tiredness. After a few minutes of getting together the tigress got up and walked towards David, Echo followed her close behind. She stopped a few yards away and bowed, as if acknowledging and thanking David. Echo ran from behind her and rubbed his head and body against the feet of David. David was touched by this show of love and affection. Soon after, the tigress and her cub disappeared in the forest. It was nearly dawn and David went home, without any wood for the day, but a lot of peace, happiness and satisfaction in his heart. He felt he had finally been able to give something back to the life sustaining forest.

When he reached home that day, David had an interesting story to share with his family. The rest of the day, he spent resting and thinking of the events of last night. From the next day, it was business as usual for David. Weeks passed then months and then nearly two years. Every morning before dawn David would set off into the woods and return by dusk. The risk of carnivores always threatened him, and the menace of wolves had increased in the last few months. The siberian wolves had killed and dragged away a couple of people from the village. The wolves had gotten the taste of human blood and venturing into the forest was riskier than ever. The risk of being hunted down by the great siberian tiger was also a real danger. On his way back, very often, David would hear the howling of wolves and the roaring of tigers. He could feel the presence of the wolves around him, ambushed in the bushes that lined the path he walked on. He could even feel the presence of tigers around, the roar of the siberian tiger would send a chill down his spine. Full of fear, he walked the same path everyday not knowing which day would be his last. He had even seen the wolves scampering up the mountain slopes, though they were always seen running away from his path. "Someday I'll be a snack for either the wolves of one of the tigers", he said to himself as he wiped the sweat off his brow on a chilly evening, while heading home.

One day he hacked some extra wood and was carrying back a heavier than usual load. He found shelter under a mountain ledge, about ten feet high. He got a fire going and crouched beside it. He felt bliss beside the fire, the crackling sound of burning wood was comforting. As he soaked in the warmth from the fire, he had nearly dozed off when some movement in the bushes alerted him. He drew his axe and moved out of the shelter, fearing he would be cornered inside the little cave like structure. Suddenly from behind the bush a big grey siberian wolf jumped out and started at David straight in his eyes. The wolves eyes were blue and menacing. The wolf started moving slowly towards David. David knew a little about these animals and knew one thing for sure, you never turn your back on an animal trying to hunt you. So he stood his ground, held his axe tight with both his hands and drew it close to his chest. The  wolf looked up and howled, loud and long. Answering his call, the entire pack of wolves came out of hiding and joined the alpha in the hunt. A pack of twelve wolves was closing in on David. He was scared as a mouse but with great courage stood his ground. What is courage after all? It is not the absence of fear, but having the strength to face it. Suddenly the pack of wolves stopped. David heard some grunts behind him, he turned to see and his worst fear came true. There on the ledge stood a giant siberian tigress. David had no where to go. "I'm doomed", he thought to himself. Now the alpha wolf and the tigress stared each other eye to eye. "They are probably going to fight over who gets the meal", thought David.

The tigress crouched a little and then with a magnificent leap landed on all four on the snow clad ground right in front of David. She turned her head around, looked at David, then turned again to face the pack of wolves. She was alone against a pack of twelve. Though a little intimidated, the wolves did not back out, they had strength in numbers. The wolves spread out to make themselves look big and started walking cautiously towards the tigress, it was like an army closing down on a foe. Even a powerful tigress alone, was no match for twelve wolves. The tigress roared a couple of times, as if calling out to someone and indeed, she was. Out of the forest, from behind a tree, jumped a mighty majestic tiger. He was young, strong and powerful, strength oozed from each enlarged muscle on his legs, thighs and shoulders. He had huge ferocious canines that would easily crush the skull of a wolf. His big intimidating eyes were fixed on the alpha. Now even the tigers had numbers, just two, but two were enough. Together they marched forward towards the wolf pack who were now backing off. Then the big male tiger sent up a roar, so loud and scary, it must have probably rattled the Gods up in the heaven. The wolves scampered to the safety of the woods scared like street dogs. The silence of the woods was broken by the roar. The birds fluttered, the owls hooted, the insects were buzzing, the forest seemed to come to life.

With the wolves gone the two tigers turned their attention to David. They turned around and faced him. David shivered with fear, though he did not dare to turn his back to the tigers and run. A pack of twelve wolves was scared of these two, David was a helpless man, all alone. They moved towards David, who stood still, frozen in fear. What happened next though, he would not have thought of, in his wildest imagination. A few steps ahead of him the tigress stopped and lowered her head as if bowing in respect. The male tiger continued to move close and rubbed his head against David's chest. David was surprised, with a jaw that could chop his head off, this tiger was being affectionate towards him. After a few moments of rubbing his head against David he looked at David straight in the eyes, just inches away from him. That's what David recalled, "Echo?" he sort of asked. The tiger roared, in reply to him, it was indeed Echo. He rubbed his body against David, just as he had done when he was a little cub. With a roar the tigress leapt onto the ledge again and disappeared into the forest. Echo gracefully walked away into the forest on the other side too. David could not believe what just happened. Echo, what is Echo? It simply means what you give, comes back to you. A noble deed he had done long ago came to his rescue today. No kind act ever goes in vain. In fact he now realised the roars he would hear everyday while passing through the forest were probably these two tigers looking after his safe passage. He picked up his pile of wood and walked home with one heck of a story to tell his family and friends.