A few years ago, there was a large swamp on the edge of a great rainforest. There, in that great swamp, an old capybara stood proudly on a hefty wooden log. He was not like any ordinary capybara, which was rather odd. On his face lay a devilish grin, whilst his left ear had been bitten off, and instead of inhaling, he gave out a loud pant.
On the edge of that swamp was a younger capybara, only a week old, but wiser than he seemed. The young capybara used to have a gentle smile until his mother passed away. He seldom smiled, and without anyone to stand up for him, he thought he’d be better off stuffed. The young capybara was also very small for his age and weighed only as much as a Graell’s Tamarin.
Although the older capybara was an arrogant fellow, all the other capybaras treated his words as the law, for he was the leading male of the herd.
One fine summer’s eve, the young capybara overheard the leader. He was asking all the adults to sign an agreement that stated he should stay the leader of their herd even after his death.
The younger capybara raced in and told them the story of when his friend Bara’s herd had been poached by humans because they’d failed to select a new leader at the time when the old one died. The adults of the herd paid no heed to him; they turned to the older capybara and just laughed at him. The young capybara scoffed at the adults. Yet again they paid no heed to him and just scowled whilst dragging him away.
“You’ll pay for not listening! All of you! ” The young one shouted, but his screams seemed to go unheard.
Some days later, the herd’s leader fell ill and died soon after. Then all the adults of the herd got together and decided to follow the decree they signed with their deceased leader: they didn’t select a new one. From then on, they carried their deceased leader’s coffin wherever they went. (Little did they know that the decision would lead to their demise.)
Two days later, a man arrived with a smug grin on his face. The man’s presence was disturbing to the young ones, but they followed their parents and trudged on. All the young ones did just that except for one: the young one that stood up to the late leader.
He just dawdled at the back, searching for another glimpse of the man. Then, he saw him. The young capybara sprang into a bush and carefully peeked out, and there he saw the most terrible sight he could’ve ever imagined: the man shot the adults with a handgun, which he’d kept in his pocket, hidden from sight, and then trapped the other babies in cages with addresses on them.
About the Author
Maria Kalen is a 9-year-old girl who lives in Werribee, Victoria, Australia. From a young age, she has always loved telling stories, whether it’s sharing imaginative tales with her friends or creating epic adventures with her favorite toys.
When she’s not busy writing, Kalen, as she is affectionately called, enjoys exploring nature while going for weekend park runs and cycling. She also loves playing with her two younger sisters, whom she often includes in her imaginative play.
In school, Kalen is known for her enthusiasm and creativity. She excels in subjects like English and math. Outside of school, Kalen loves visiting the local library, different parks, and play centers.