The Power of Balance: A Tale of Willow River🔊

Once upon a time, in the small town of Sende, lived a man named Elmo Elson. Elmo was a farmer, a kind and aging man, who grew up with the values of hard work, honesty and fairness. Yet, life had given him many a hard turn, and he had learnt the greatest lesson, 'Everything needed a balance.'

One day, the town's water supply, a river named Willow, abruptly stopped flowing. Panic spread throughout the town as harvest time approached. The townsfolk turned to Elmo, known for his wisdom. 'My friends,' he said, 'we need to find the source of this trouble, balance it out.'

Hence, Elmo, along with a feisty young girl named Margo who was as sharp as a thorn and braver than many others, set off upstream. After days of travel, they reached the river’s source, a vast lake, which was now blocked by an enormous Dam that claimed to be the ‘Great Protector’.

The stubborn Dam wouldn’t budge, gloating about his newly acquired power. ‘I decide who gets water and who doesn’t.’ He showed off power-hungry vibes, creating an imbalance in the ecosystem.

Elmo tried reasoning with the Dam, telling tales of the hardworking farmers of Sende and the dying crops, but the Dam didn’t falter; he was drunk on power.

Margo, growing impatient, picked up her ax, ready to break the Dam open. But, Elmo stopped her, 'Force won't break the power-hungry, Little Margo. It can only be broken by providing perspective.'

Elmo, after much thought, challenged the Dam. He proposed a competition to prove who had a more significant impact on the town of Sende - Water or Denial of it.

Intrigued and confident of victory, the Dam accepted. For a month, he would release the water, and for the subsequent, he would hold it back. The Dam expected the town to crumble without water in the second month, proving his superiority.

In the first month, water flowed freely. Crops grew lush and green. Everyone was happy. In the second month, the Dam held the water back. Yet, to his surprise, the town didn't crumble. The crops kept growing, not as green but survived.

The Dam bewildered, demanded an explanation. Elmo, satisfied, explained how during the first month, they had stored water in preparation for the second, thus creating 'a balance.' The Dam realized his power didn't cause ruin. It was his lack of perspective and inability to balance power that did.

Humbled, the Dam released the water flow permanently. Elmo and Margo returned to Sende as heroes. The town realized the power was in striking a balance, not merely in giving or taking but in thoughtfully using what one has.

And so, the tale of Elmo, Margo, and their wisdom, continues to be passed down in Sende. Every time the river Willow flows, it reminds them of the power of balance, the strength in a steady flow, the powerlessness in mindless holding back, and primarily, the value of thoughtful actions.