Many, many years ago, before there were any fire engines and
fire brigades and electric fire alarms, and most houses were built of wood, a
fire was a terrible thing. A whole town, or a good part of it, could go up in
flames and smoke. And so, when the fire broke out, everyone left his business or
work and rushed to help put out the fire. There used to be a watchtower that
was taller than the other buildings, where a watchman kept a lookout all the
time. As soon as he saw smoke or fire, he would sound the alarm. The
townspeople would then form a human chain between the fire and the nearest
well, and pass on to each other pails of water with which to put out the fire.
Once it happened that a lad from a small village came to
town for the first time. He stopped at an inn on the outskirts of the town.
Suddenly he heard the sound of a bugle. He asked the innkeeper what it meant.
“Whenever we have a fire,” the innkeeper explained to the
lad, “we sound the bugle, and the fire is quickly put out.”
“How wonderful!” thought the village lad. “What a surprise
and sensation I will bring to my village!”
Thereupon, the village lad went and bought himself a bugle.
When he returned to his village, he was full of excitement. He called all the
villagers together. “Listen, good people,” he exclaimed. “No need to be afraid
of fire anymore. Just watch me, and see how quickly I will put out a fire!”
Saying this, he ran to the nearest hut and set fire to its
straw roof. The fire began to spread very quickly.
“Don’t be alarmed!” cried the lad. “Now watch me.”
The lad began to blow the bugle with all his might,
interrupting it only to catch his breath, and to say, “Wait, this will put out
the fire in no time!” But the fire did not seem to care much for the music and
merely hopped from one roof to another until the entire village was in flames.
The villagers now began to scold and curse the lad. “You
fool,” they cried. “Did you think that the mere blowing of the trumpet will put
the fire out? It is only the call of an alarm, to wake up the people, if they
are asleep, or to break them away from their business and work, and send them
to the well to draw water and put out the fire!”
OTHER POST:
THE TREE
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OTHER POST:
THE TREE
LOVE,WEALTH,SUCCESS
AUTHENTIC JAMAICAN MEDICINE
THE BEAUTIFUL FLOWER IN A BROKEN POT
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