It was a Monday morning the laziest morning in the week. The climate was cool and cloudy as it was rainy season. Ramu woke up by his mother’s call,”Ramu get up soon or else you’ll miss the school bus.” Ramu was eight years old studying 4th standard.

He doesn’t feel to get up, previous day’s thoughts were still fresh in his mind and he was on the bed in spite of his mother’s call. Then he suddenly remembered his mathematics homework was not completed. He saw the clock hanging opposite to his bed, the time was 7’o clock and there is no way he could complete his work in one hour because he has to catch the bus at 8’o clock to reach the school in time. The ferocious face of his mathematics teacher came to his mind. He knows the punishment given to one who doesn’t complete their homework.

Then came his mother’s call from the kitchen “Ramu go and have your bath soon or else…...” Ramu saw his uniform kept ready beside his bed as soon as he came out after finishing his bath. He was not at all interested to go to school; he was very much worried about the homework. He was suddenly startled by his mother’s call,”Ramu wear your uniform soon or else…..” He completed his breakfast, wore his shoes readily polished and left for the school at 7.50am.

The bus stop is in the next lane a 5minuts walk and he could reach the bus stop. He was walking slowly; his mind is full of thoughts on what to say in order to escape from the punishment. He reached the next lane which has small pits on the road filled with previous day’s rain water. He started walking carefully to prevent himself stamping on them.

He came across a large pit and he thought of jumping over it; but he suspended his action when he saw a big black Ant floating on the surface of brown water making strenuous efforts to come out of it. He felt pity for the tiny creature and thought of rescuing it from evil pit. But he couldn’t decide how to rescue it from the pit.

First he thought of picking up it with his finger but later avoided it seeing the dirty brown water. He thought for a while and finally came to a decision. He opened his school bag and took a pencil from his pencil box; he dipped the needle of the pencil in the water very close to the ant and it started slowly climbing on to the pencil. He removed the pencil from the water and started observing the movements of the ant. It walking towards the other end; when it came close to his hand he withdrew his hand and held the needle of the pencil. The ant walked till the tip of the pencil and fell down.

He watched it escaping into the grass beside the road. was so astonished how it was still alive after falling from a great height for its size. He felt very happy on saving an ant from getting killed. Then he kept his pencil inside his bag and started walking towards the bus stop.

When he reached the bus stop to his great surprise none of his school mates were there and he came to the conclusion that the school bus has gone. Then he went back home and told his mother “Ma, I missed the school bus.” After scolding him she dropped him at his school.

He was half-an-hour late to the school and it was mathematics class. He saw some of his classmates were already out for not doing their homework. “May I come in teacher!” said Ramu standing at the entrance of his classroom.

Teacher stopped her class and turned towards the entrance. “Ramu why were you late?” uttered teacher angrily. “I missed the school bus teacher.” said Ramu in a panic voice. “Why?” screamed the teacher. “I saved a life which is in danger teacher.” said Ramu. “Is it,” asked the teacher in astonishment “Whom did you save?” “AN ANT.”

The End