The Audacious Mongoose
Once upon a time, there was a audacious mongoose named Maddy who lived in the house of a farmer. The farmer had a baby and the mongoose would always guard the baby when the parents were away, as it was very protective.
One day, while the farmer and his wife were in the fields, a venomous snake entered the house. Upon seeing the snake nearing the baby, Maddy attacked it. After a fierce battle, the mongoose successfully killed the snake, saving the baby.
Meanwhile, the farmer’s wife had a sudden surmise that something was wrong. She hurried home, only to find Maddy with blood around his mouth. Assuming the worst, she thought Maddy had hurt her baby and in a fit of rage, she hit Maddy with a heavy stick.
Regret washed over her when she entered the house and found her baby safe, and a dead snake nearby. She realized Maddy had actually protected her baby.
To alleviate her guilt, she tried to placate the injured Maddy, but it was too late. Maddy’s amicable spirit had been extinguished due to her hasty judgment.
Vocabulary:
- Audacious: This word describes someone who is daring, bold, or willing to take risks. In this story, ‘audacious’ describes the mongoose, who bravely fights a venomous snake to protect the baby.
- Surmise: To ‘surmise’ means to guess something without having strong evidence. The farmer’s wife suddenly ‘surmised’ that something was wrong at home, even though she had no concrete proof of this.
- Amicable: ‘Amicable’ means friendly or peaceable. Despite being a wild mongoose, Maddy was ‘amicable’ with the farmer’s family, acting as a protector for the baby.
- Alleviate: To ‘alleviate’ means to make less severe, typically of pain, difficulty, or problems. The farmer’s wife tried to ‘alleviate’ her guilt by caring for the injured Maddy, hoping to lessen her regret for her rash action.
- Placate: To ‘placate’ means to make someone less angry or hostile, typically through concessions or conciliatory gestures. The farmer’s wife tried to ‘placate’ the injured Maddy after realizing her mistake, but sadly it was too late.
Moral: It is crucial to think before we act. Hasty decisions often lead to regrettable consequences, as seen by the farmer’s wife’s rash action towards Maddy.
