Indonesia
Wish I wasn’t a Bear
A bee, of course! For Miko, bee was the luckiest animal. They don’t run out of honey ever. Miko once stalked a bee into the hive. It went into a hole on a branch wood. Miko picked inside to get some honey but his chubby finger was stung and it was painful. Miko ran into the river avoiding the chase of a pack of angry bees, and jumped into the cold river. “Oh man, i don’t wanna be a bee. Those guys have some seriously temperament issue,” he said.
A frog jumped onto Miko fat belly. Now Miko knew what he really wanted to be. Jumping around like a frog seemed nice. So, Miko assumed squat position and… hup! He started to jump. It was so difficult for Miko, and after only four times bouncing, he landed in sticky stink mud. “Ops! I don’t want to be a frog. They are so dirty,” he grumbled.
Miko spotted a greed snake passing by hissing. Aha, it must cool to be a snake! With no second thought, he prone on the ground and trying to slither. But he couldn’t move well. The stones on the ground scratch his belly. Miko tried to rise up grumbling. “I can’t become a snake. Slithering slows me down and i can’t move far,” he was still grumbling, when a beautiful deer passed by and offered him help. “Grab my horn so you can wake up,” the deer said.
Miko was stunned. The horn was so pretty. Miko looked for two small branches, held them over his head imitating deer. He ran around in joy, convinced that this is the best choice for him. But afterwards, the horn started to halt him from running. It hit bushes and low branches every too often. “Oh no, i’m not going to be a deer again, ever!” he said.
Miko went home with his empty stomach growling. He told his experience to his mom. Mom smiled, “The thick fur is to prevent your skin from scratch when you fall. Your big body also helped to make you strong to walk, you don’t need to slither or jump,” Mom said.” Again, Miko was stunned. It’s true he enjoyed imitating other animals. But he also aware that there’s nothing more fun than becoming a bear. “I made my mind, Mom. I will be a bear forever!” Miko convinced.
HAFIDA INDRAWATI
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTOS
