While Ayur *, the six-year boy, was playing in Anwal, near the fire place, he heard a sudden tiny buzzing sound coming behind a short wooden chair. He looked at it and found a fly trapped on a spider’s web. Ayur became suddenly sad at the horrible sight, especially as the big brown spider crawled mercilessly towards the poor fly. Ayur decided to save the entangled fly. He took a tiny dried twig, from the scattered dried branches around the fire place. As he was on the verge of untangling the poor fly, the voice of his mum disturbed his saving operation! “Matsskart ?” she said.
“I wanted to save the poor fly from the spider’s web!” replied Ayur.
As he started to explain to his mum the importance of being someone’s hero, and described to her his genius saving operation, the tiny buzzing sound of the fly ceased to be heard.
Ayur looked back to the corner of the wooden chair, and to his extreme surprise, the big brown spider had already wrapped its prey in a glossy and silky white coffin.
Two big tears dropped out of Ayur’s eyes, as the terrible scene unfolded in front of him.
“I failed again to be someone’s hero !” he whispered desperately.
The sight of the wrapped fly outraged him, and in a sudden burst, he started to look for the big brown spider hidden in the cracked clay of Inkan*.
It was hidden deeply in the stove and enjoying its unconditional warmth.
“Get out of here!!” shouted Ayur furiously .
He tried to get the spider out of its hole, but it was in vain as the sound of his mum’s calling urged him to join the family dinner immediately.
Glossary :
Story :A soft heart
Ayur : Amazigh name of a boy that means ; Full moon.
Anwal : Kitchen ;in Amazigh language
“Matsskart ?”*: What are you doing? in Amazigh language
Inkan : Traditional clay stove used in Amazigh old houses
