The Lost Calf

Chapter 1: A New Arrival

Tom was a bright-eyed and sprightly boy who lived on a farm in the countryside with his parents and grandparents. Every morning, he would wake up to the chirping of the birds and the clucking of the chickens as he made his way out of the cottage to start his chores. The farm was expansive, with rolling fields of wheat, corn, and vegetables as far as the eye could see.

Today, as Tom folded the hay and stacked it neatly, he noticed one of the cows in the distance giving birth to a calf. He was excited at the prospect of a new addition to the farm family. As soon as the calf was born, Tom’s grandfather went to check on it and ensure that it was healthy.

“Tommy, come here. We have a new calf and it’s your responsibility to look after it,” his grandfather said with a smile on his face.

Tom couldn’t wait to take on the task. “Of course, Grandpa. I’ll do my best to take good care of it,” he replied.

As he approached the calf, it looked up at him with its big, doleful eyes. It was small and furry with a distinctive hump on its back. Tom knew right then that he was going to spend all his time watching over it. He spent the rest of the day feeding the calf, cleaning up after it, and ensuring that it was as comfortable as possible.

“Tommy, it’s getting late. You should head inside now and have some supper,” his grandmother said, interrupting his reverie.

Tom kissed the calf goodbye and reluctantly made his way back to the cottage. He couldn’t wait for tomorrow to start all over again.

As he walked back, he heard the cows mooing contentedly, the horses neighing in the distance, and the pigs grunting loudly in their pigsty. The farm was alive with activity, and Tom loved every minute of it.

When he got inside the cottage, he couldn’t stop talking about the calf to his parents. “It’s so cute and tiny. I’ll make sure to care for it with all my heart,” he said with a beaming smile on his face.

His parents looked at each other, knowing how much Tom had already become attached to the calf. They were happy that he had found something to care for, other than his pets, and they knew that this was going to be a valuable lesson for him.

“Tom, we’re proud of you. But remember, taking care of a calf comes with a lot of responsibilities. You have to make sure that it’s fed on time and kept safe from harm,” his father said sternly.

“I know, Dad. I promise to be the best calf caretaker ever,” Tom replied enthusiastically.

His mother chimed in, “Alright, time for bed. It’s late, and you have a big job ahead of you tomorrow.”

Tom went to bed dreaming of the calf and the adventures they would have together. Little did he know that this was only the beginning of a journey that would test his spirit and teach him some harsh realities of life. –

CHAPTER 2: THE STORM

One night, the sky turned dark, and the wind started howling like a pack of wolves. Raindrops the size of pebbles fell hard on the roof of the farmhouse. Tom woke up to the sound of thunder. He got out of bed and ran to the window, moved the curtain aside, and looked out.

The trees swayed back and forth, as if they were dancing to the loud music of the storm. The fence posts shook, and some of them fell over. The barn door creaked, and Tom knew that the wind was trying to take it down.

He quickly dressed and ran to his parents’ room. “Mom, Dad, wake up! The storm is here, and it’s much worse than we thought!” he shouted.

His parents jumped out of bed and quickly put on their clothes. Together, they rushed to the barn, opened the door, and started to move the animals inside. The cows were scared, and the horses neighed loudly. Tom held the calf tightly and took it to safety.

But the storm was too strong. The roof of the chicken coop was torn apart, and the hens flew away. The crops in the fields were badly damaged, and the orchard trees lost most of their fruits. The family’s spirits were as battered as the farm.

When morning came, Tom looked for the calf, but it was nowhere to be found. “Where could it be?” he thought. He asked his parents if they had seen it, but they hadn’t.

He ran to the woods, calling the calf’s name. “Molly! Molly! Please, come back!” he shouted, but he heard no response. He searched every tree, every bush, every rock, and every stream.

After a few hours, the storm finally ended, and the sun shone through the clouds. Tom’s stomach rumbled with hunger, and his feet ached from walking. He sat down on a rock and rubbed his eyes. Suddenly, he heard a faint sound that sounded like a cow’s moo.

He jumped up and ran towards the sound. He pushed aside some branches and saw the calf lying on the ground. It wasn’t moving. Its fur was dirty, and there were claw marks on its side.

Tom’s heart sank. “No, no, no,” he said, tears streaming down his face. “Please, don’t be dead. Don’t be dead.”

He picked up the calf and held it in his arms. “I’m sorry, Molly. I couldn’t protect you,” he whispered.

He saw a few animals staring at him from a distance. A rabbit, a squirrel, and a bird. They slowly walked towards him, and the rabbit said, “We’re sorry for your loss, Tom. We tried to help, but we couldn’t stop the predator in time.”

Tom looked at them, astonished. “You can talk?” he said.

“Yes, we can,” said the squirrel. “We’ve been watching you all morning, and we wanted to help in any way we could.”

“It’s okay,” Tom said, wiping his tears. “Thank you for coming. I don’t know what to do now.”

The bird flew closer and landed on Tom’s shoulder. “You must learn from this experience, Tom. Life on the farm is hard, but it’s also full of wonders. You’ll have to deal with loss and pain, but you’ll also have moments of joy and pride. Your family needs you, and they’ll help you heal.”

Tom nodded, feeling a bit more comforted. “I understand. I’ll keep going and honor Molly’s memory. She was a special calf.”

The rabbit hugged Tom’s leg. “We’ll help you look for another animal to take care of. How about a kitten or a puppy?”

Tom smiled weakly. “That sounds nice. Thank you, guys. You’re real friends.”

The animals smiled back and left, disappearing in the woods. Tom looked at the calf once more and then started to walk back to the farmhouse, with a heavy heart and a new resolve. He knew that life on the farm would never be the same, but he was ready to face it, one step at a time. –

CHAPTER 3: The Search

The next morning, Tom got up early and packed a few things for his search. He knew he didn’t want to waste any more time looking for the calf. If he didn’t find it, its chances of survival would grow slimmer by the minute.

The woods were vast, and Tom knew getting lost or disoriented was a possibility. But he didn’t have a choice. He had to try.

With a backpack on his shoulders, Tom set out on his journey. The forest was filled with sounds as Tom trudged through skinny bushes, tripped over stones, and climbed steep hills.

“There is no way you can do it!” someone shouted from behind him. Tom turned to see who it was, only to find two mischievous squirrels, sitting on a tree branch, chattering amongst themselves.

“Excuse me?” Tom asked, unsure if he had heard them correctly.

“We said, there is no way you can do it!” one of the squirrels repeated.

Tom arched an eyebrow, “Do what?”

“Find the calf, of course! It’s impossible! Even the best trackers will not be able to locate it. I mean, it’s gone, kaput, disappeared!” said the other squirrel, rolling his eyes.

Tom chuckled, “Thanks for the vote of confidence. But I’ll find it. I have to. It’s my responsibility.”

“Well then, be our guest,” they said in unison and snickered before scampering off.

Tom shook his head and continued on his way.

The forest seemed endless, but as he kept moving forward, he saw something in the distance. He hurried towards it, and as he got closer, he saw a big brown bird with two wide wings, swaying and shaking until a big feather fell to the ground.

“Excuse me, Mr. Bird,” Tom called out, trying to be as polite as possible.

The huge bird turned its head towards Tom and stared at him with unblinking eyes.

“Have you seen a calf around here? Newborn, brown and white?” Tom asked, trying to hold back the urgency in his voice.

The bird looked at Tom for a moment before responding in a raspy voice, “A calf? I don’t eat cows. But if you’re asking if I’ve seen any prey, there is something curious in the bushes. Check over there,” it said pointing towards thick vegetation.

Tom thanked the bird and slowly walked towards the bush, his heart racing. Then, to his relief, he saw the calf lying in the sun, its big brown eyes staring straight at him.

“Calf!” Tom shouted as he ran towards it. “I have been searching all day for you!”

The calf perked up and baaed in response, and Tom felt a rush of relief course through him.

Just when Tom was about to pick up the calf, he saw a movement in the bushes. Suddenly, two big eyes, sharp teeth, and a black nose appeared.

Tom gasped when he saw that a big brown bear had been following him, hoping to make him its dinner.

“Uh… hi, Mr. Bear,” Tom said in a wavering voice. “Nice to see you.”

The bear didn’t respond but started walking towards them.

Tom’s heart thudded as he realized the bear was coming closer.

“Come on, calf,” Tom muttered. “We need to get out of here. Fast.”

The calf, sensing danger, baaed again, and Tom scooped it up as fast as he could. He turned and ran.

As he ran, Tom realized how fast the bear could be, how big and strong it was. He could hear it snarling behind him as he fled towards the farmhouse.

Tom ran, heart pumping and breath ragged, the bear right behind him, until he finally saw the familiar red roof of his farmhouse.

Tom rushed inside the farmhouse with the calf in his arms, panting and sweating, with a huge smile on his face.

“I found it!” he exclaimed, waving the calf around in triumph. “I found the calf!”

His family rushed forward, surrounding him with hugs and congratulations. Tom knew in that moment that he had found something more valuable than just a calf—he had discovered a sense of responsibility and commitment.

From that day onward, Tom looked after the calf until it became a healthy cow that gave the sweetest milk in the farm. And he knew he would never give up on anything again, even when things got tough.

The end. –

Tom was trying to get over the loss of the calf; he felt as if he had let his family down. He had promised to take care of the calf and keep it safe. It was supposed to be his responsibility, but he had failed. Tom was sitting on his bed, trying to keep himself busy by playing with his toys. Suddenly his mother knocked on the door and asked if she could come in. Tom said yes, and she walked into the room.

“Tom, we know how you’re feeling right now, but it’s not your fault. You did everything you could to find the calf,” his mother said in a gentle tone.

“But I promised I would take care of it, and I failed. I don’t know if I can do anything right anymore,” Tom responded with a hint of frustration in his voice.

“Listen, Tom, sometimes we can’t control what happens in life, and that’s okay. You tried your best, and that’s all that matters. This was a learning experience for you. You learned how to be responsible, how to handle setbacks, and how to cope with loss. All of these are essential skills to have in life,” his mother comforted him with a smile.

“You’re right, Mom. I’m not going to give up. Next time, I’ll do better,” Tom said, feeling a sense of relief.

“That’s the spirit, Tom. We are all here for you,” his mother replied.

Just then, Tom’s father walked into the room.

“I don’t want you to feel alone, Tom. I’ve been in your shoes before, and it hurts. But remember, every experience is an opportunity to learn and grow. You’ll get through this, and we’ll be here to support you every step of the way,” his father encouraged him.

Tom realized that he wasn’t alone in his grief and that his family was there for him. He felt grateful for their support and love.

“I know that now, Dad. Thank you,” Tom said, feeling a sense of comfort.

“Of course, son. We’re here for you always,” his father replied, patting his back.

And with that, Tom realized that even though he had lost the calf, he had gained so much more. He had learned valuable lessons that he would carry with him for the rest of his life. –