The Breath of the Earth

Muthu was a hardworking farmer who loved his green fields and his strong oxen dearly. Every year, when the rains came, his farm would shimmer like gold. But one year, the clouds refused to gather. The sun beat down mercilessly, and the earth began to crack. Muthu’s fields turned brown and dry. He looked at his plow and his tired oxen, feeling helpless. 'Without the rain, all my hard work is nothing. How can I till this dry ground?' he sighed. His wife, Meena, sat beside him and said, 'Do not lose hope. We will save every drop of water we have and wait for the clouds to return.' Muthu realized that no matter how much strength a man has, he cannot farm without the blessing of rain. When the rains finally arrived the following year, Muthu returned to his fields with renewed joy, and the harvest was more bountiful than ever.