The Dove and Her Lost Child

The Dove and Her Lost Child
By Zakariya Tamer

In one corner of this vast and beautiful world, there was a lush green forest filled with life. A sparkling stream ran through its heart, singing softly as it flowed. Near the stream lived a white dove with her tiny baby in a warm little nest built on a tall tree. The days passed peacefully — the mother dove would fly out in search of grains and seeds, while her little one waited eagerly for her return.

One bright morning, the dove left her nest as usual to find food. But when she came back, her heart nearly stopped — her baby was gone! The nest was empty. Shocked and frightened, she searched all around — under leaves, behind branches, even near the stream — but her baby was nowhere to be found. Her heart filled with grief. With tears in her eyes, she made a promise: she would not rest until she found her lost child.

So, the dove began to fly across the forest, calling out again and again, but there was no reply. Tired and heartbroken, she finally landed beside the stream. Unable to hold back her tears, she began to weep softly.

From beneath the clear water, a kind fish surfaced and asked gently, “Beautiful dove, what troubles you so deeply? Why are you crying? Are you hurt or ill?”

The dove sighed and said, “No, dear fish, I’m not sick. I’m crying because my little baby is missing. When I came home today, my nest was empty. I fear he may have wandered away into the forest and lost his way back. He’s still too small to protect himself.”

The fish nodded with sympathy. “Oh, poor mother. You should have kept a closer watch on him. I too am a mother, and I can feel the pain that fills your heart right now.”

The dove replied sadly, “That’s what worries me the most — he’s so young and innocent. He doesn’t yet know how to stay safe.”

The fish said kindly, “Don’t worry. I will help you look for him. I’ll swim to the farthest end of this stream and see if he came to drink water. Perhaps he’s nearby.”

The dove hesitated. “But he’s a bird — he can’t live in the water.”

The fish smiled. “Maybe he came close to drink. Let me check. Don’t waste your strength in tears. Crying won’t bring him back — searching will.”

Grateful, the dove said, “Thank you, kind friend,” and flew off once more to continue her search.

Hours passed. The poor mother grew weary, her wings heavy with exhaustion. Finally, she landed in a field to rest. Her eyes were filled with tears as she whispered to herself, “Where are you, my little one?”

Just then, a rabbit who was nibbling on fresh crops noticed her and hopped closer. “What’s wrong, dear dove?” he asked kindly. “If you’re hungry, come with me — there’s plenty to eat here.”

The dove shook her head sadly. “No, I’m not hungry.”

“Then why are you crying?” asked the rabbit.

“I’ve lost my child,” she replied. “He’s been missing since morning. I’ve searched everywhere, but he’s gone.”

The rabbit stopped eating and said softly, “Don’t cry. I’ll help you. I can run fast — I’ll search every part of the forest until I find him.”

The dove thanked him for his kindness and flew off again, while the rabbit darted into the woods to begin his search.

After a while, the dove’s eyes caught sight of a donkey grazing peacefully in a meadow. She flew down and asked, “Dear donkey, have you seen a little white dove anywhere nearby?”

The donkey raised his head and said clumsily, “What a strange question! Have you ever seen a donkey look up at the sky? We donkeys only eat grass or carry loads — our heads always stay down.”

Just then, a black cat wandered by. Curious, she asked, “What’s going on here?”

The donkey explained, “This poor dove has lost her baby. Have you seen it?”

The cat grinned wickedly. “No, I haven’t. But if I had, my breakfast would have been taken care of.”

Hearing that, the dove trembled and began to weep again. The cat licked her lips and said, “Why waste time crying? Come with me — I’ll eat you, and your pain will end while my hunger will fade.”

The donkey stomped his hoof angrily. “You wicked creature! Leave right now, or I’ll kick you so hard you’ll end up in the village among the hungry dogs!”

Frightened by his words, the cat ran off.

The donkey turned to the dove and said gently, “It’s getting dark. Fly away, dear friend. Don’t listen to cruel creatures. Go home — the night is coming.”

The dove thanked the donkey for his kindness and flew toward her nest, exhausted and broken-hearted.

As she neared her tree, the moonlight spread softly over the forest. When she finally reached her nest, she froze in disbelief — her baby was sitting safely inside, waiting for her!

“My child!” she cried with joy. Tears streamed down her face, but this time, they were tears of happiness.

“Where were you?” she asked tenderly.

The little dove chirped, “I just went out to look around, but then I couldn’t find the way back. I was scared and lost. But then… something inside me guided me home.”

The mother dove smiled warmly and said, “Yes, my child, you’re right. When someone loses their way, love always shows them the path back home — no matter how dark or dangerous the road may be.”

And with that, the mother and her child cuddled close together under the stars — safe, warm, and grateful for the miracle of finding their way home again.

Moral: When love guides you, even in the darkest times, you will always find your way back home.