Guardian Angel of the Mountains🔊

Once there was a tiny village nestled between two great mountains. The mountains were rich in mineral deposits and the village prospered because of it. However, the same mountains that brought prosperity to the village caused it tremendous tragedy.

Three generations back, a massive rockslide had claimed countless lives and had left the villagers in economic despair. As the children grew up, they were burdened with the tales of the tragic past, and a fear of the mountains grew in their hearts. The eldest of the villagers, the wise old woman Mary, well-versed in the lore of their ancestors, often told the tale of the Guardian Angel. It was a straw-thatched notion passed down over generations. The angel, she claimed, was tasked with the safety of the village, and would save them in the time of disaster.

One day, a villager spotted unusual movement in the mountains. He rushed back to inform the villagers. They knew that another catastrophe was coming, the panic was inevitable. Mary, however, reminded them of the Guardian Angel tale, trying to sow their hopes.

In the midst of chaos was a young shepherd named Benjamin. He spent his days in the mountain pastures, leading his flock and often observing the high ridges of the mountain range. He had a deep sense of connection with these mountains. The tales of the Guardian Angel resonated with him, but he had always believed that action could triumph over destiny. Instead of panicking, Benjamin decided to confront the impending disaster in his own way.

He remembered his grandfather’s old maps of the mountain passages, carefully preserved in the family heirloom. Using the map, he identified a narrow pass that led him to the unstable section of the mountain. His plan was to divert the course of the oncoming rockslide to a path that caused least damage to the village.

Climbing the treacherous mountains was anything but easy, but Benjamin's will was unbreakable. He reached the spot and started carving out a large canal like structure. His hands bled, and exhaustion took over him, but the thought of saving his village kept him going.

Days turned into nights, and the work continued. It was not before the last night that he realized something odd was happening. He felt his tired arms becoming stronger, the remaining work progressed faster, as if someone was helping him. When he awoke with the first ray of dawn, the pathway was ready. He felt an inexplicable warmth and in that moment, he believed in the Guardian Angel.

The rumbling rocks roared with fury as they cascaded down the mountain. Benjamin’s heart sank as he noticed the scale of the rockslide. Racing against time, he hurried to the pathway, standing on the edge, ready to guide the catastrophe away from his people. The rocks rushed towards the diversion, catalyzed by an unseen force. The village was saved. Only an old uninhabited barn was reduced to rubble.

As people emerged out of their homes, they saw Benjamin standing atop the mountain, presenting a spectacle that awed the villagers. To them, it looked as if Benjamin controlled the rockslide. He was acclaimed as a hero, their Guardian Angel who saved them from the disaster.

Years later, Benjamin's heroism was narred with the tales of the Guardian angel, passing down generations with wisdom and hope. Benjamin, on the other hand, always knew that he was not the Guardian Angel, but he believed that he was not entirely alone either. He shared his legacy with his invisible angel, a presence he could never explain, but always felt.