‌Broken Bridge

Written by: Najia Nijat

Nawab was a quarrelsome boy living in a green village with his family. Zaro was Nawab’s sister. Nawab was always arguing with her for a small issue but Zaro was helping her mother with household chores.

One day, Zaro’s mother wanted Nawab to bring some firewood from the hillside. Nawab ordered Zaro to bring firewood but his mother said that going to the hillside is not appropriate for girls.

Nawab said to Zaro that he will bring wood from the village bridge but Zaro objected and said that if he destroys the bridge, the resident of upper and lower villages would face problems.

 She added that her friends also are also living in the upper village. Nawab intended to destroy the bridge. Zaro shared the issue with her mother. Her mother said that Nawab is just joking.

Nawab went out of his house and Zaro chased him. Zaro grabbed him from his shirt but he escaped and ran toward the bridge.Zaro went to her uncle’s house and there he shared the issue with him too.

Her uncle did not accept what Zaro said and said that Nawab would never destroy the village bridge. Zaro ran toward the bridge, and her uncle went behind her.

When Zaro reached the bridge, Nawab had cut some woods from the bridge, and Nawab was stood upon the bridge. When Nawab saw his uncle was coming toward him, he tried to run away, but suddenly the bridge was destroyed and Nawab fell into the river.

Zaro dived into the water and grabbed Nawab’s hand butshe was not able to rescue him. Zaro’s uncle arrived and rescued both of them from sinking in the river.

Nawab thanked her sister and uncle for rescuing and hepromised that he would never quarrel with anyone afterward.