Short Story

Her Calling

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written for OLWG #421.
The prompts appear below.
This is my story.

Image by Me & ChatGPT

Dara lived in a small Cambodian village with her parents who were always busy working in the sugar cane fields. There were very few children in her village and she spent much of her time off by herself. One day, while playing near the woods, Dara stumbled upon a wounded elephant lying on the ground. The poor creature was moaning; it had a deep gash on its leg and was obviously in pain. Dara rushed closer, her eyes wide with worry.

“Oh no, what has happened to you? ” she asked softly. The elephant looked at her with big, sad eyes and Dara felt a strong urge to help. She ran back to her village and told the people, but everyone was too scared of the large creature. “It’s dangerous,” they declared. But Dara couldn’t leave it to suffer. She gathered water in a bucket and went back to the elephant. As she cleaned its wound, the elephant watched her with gentle eyes. Dara knew she had to help it get better.

Day after day Dara visited the elephant, bringing fresh water and the softest leaves she could find. She spoke to it in a soothing voice, telling stories of her village and the people who lived there. At times the elephant seemed to understand, sometimes making a low rumble in response.

The wound slowly started to heal, but the elephant still couldn’t stand on its leg. Dara tried to help it up, but she was so little and the elephant was massive. Discouraged, she sat beside the elephant and cried. Dara was startled to feel a nudge against her back; when she turned her head for a look, she gasped. The elephant had managed to raise its trunk slightly and was giving Dara a comforting hug. She knew in her heart that this creature was very special.

Just then, Dara remembered her mother’s uncle who lived in the next village; he was old and blind now but he was a wise man who knew many things. As fast as she could, she ran to his hut and told him about the elephant. He listened patiently, nodding as Dara talked. When she was finished, the old man stood and reached for his cane. Dara watched in silence as her great-uncle walked back and forth from one side of his hut to the other, deep in thought. Finally he turned and smiled. “Sometimes,” he said, “the smallest person can make the biggest difference. You have already shown the elephant kindness. Now is the time for you to be clever.“

Dara’s great-uncle retrieved a book from a shelf and handed it to her; inside were formulas and instructions, including one showing how to create a mixture of herbs and mud to heal wounds. The old man also explained how to make a support for the elephant’s leg using strong branches and soft cloth.

With renewed determination, Dara continued her care of the elephant. She applied the herbal mixture, adjusted the support, and kept the elephant company. At last, one morning the elephant slowly rose to its feet. It took a few shaky steps, then stood tall, its eyes filled with gratitude. With careful steps, Dara helped the gentle giant return to its herd.

Watching from a distance as the elephant joined the fold, Dara now realized it was her calling in life to protect and care for all animals. She promised herself that somehow she would make that happen.

🐘 🐘 🐘 🐘 🐘 🐘 🐘 🐘 🐘

Here are our prompts: 1) she wasn’t big enough to carry it; 2) now I have a new goal; 3) pacing my cage. We can use one prompt, two, all three or none at all. It doesn’t matter; we just need to be creative.

NAR©2025
#OLWG

This is “Wild Life” by OneRepublic

OLWG#421- Recalcitrant Cinquain, Gazelle and Girl do not Rhyme

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47 thoughts on “Her Calling”

    1. Mille grazie, cara mia! It was the prompt “she wasn’t big enough to carry it” that made me think of writing about an elephant. Since then, another WP friend wrote a beautiful poem about elephants and I saw online the video of an elephant saving a gazelle from drowning in a watering hole in Guatemala. It’s said things come in threes; maybe that really is true! 🐘 🩶

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