The First Tower

Many, many, years ago…

When the world was created, so were the humans. The humans lived a wonderful life alone, but soon they began to see the troubles that started to grow around them. Tension for the surrounding food and water began to rise as the other creatures started to share their space, and the humans quickly became more vulnerable and weak. After needing to leave their home again and again searching for protection, a warrior sought out on a journey alone for help. He marched day and night through the heat of Africa until he could no longer move, and pleaded on his knees to the starry sky for three wishes.

First, he pleaded for a heart that was big enough to keep all of his family as one. He knew that the most important thing was unity, and if fear stayed away they all could survive anything together.

Second, he wished that it would be difficult for predators to ever take them down. With them being small and just a few, they didn’t scare or discourage anyone around. They needed to be tougher. Toughness was a must in a world full of competition.

The third wish he asked for was to be able to see when danger was coming. There was always something lurking or coming after them, but they never could see it until it was too late. He was determined to change this for his people. They just needed a better view.

Quickly after he yelled out his final wish, his exhausted body collapsed to the ground. Then he mumbled, “I want to be a tower.” And fell asleep. The cooling sand washed all over his brown skin, and he was comfortably covered through the night.

When he awoke, his long tongue flopped out of his mouth and the world felt very different. His hands no longer had fingers, and his chest felt fifty times heavier. His skin was still brown, but now it had different shaped patches all over it. He stood up, and his heart began to beat faster than it ever did before. The ground beneath him slowly grew to about 16 feet down from his long neck and tall legs, and he realized he’s never seen the world from so high. Trying to spread his new four wobbly legs apart without doing a full split, he dipped his head down to see his reflection in a little pond and realized he wasn’t a human anymore.

Without thinking any longer, he stumbled at first, and then ran as fast as he could back towards home. Wind rushing in his tail hair, he felt like he was flying for the first time. Getting closer and closer home, he asked the sky what’s happened to him and who has he become? The sky answered him, right as the long shadows of his family stood in front of him. It said,

“You asked for a big heart. So, I gave you a heart that is two feet long and 25 pounds. It will beat twice as fast as your old one, and it’s a reminder to take care of each other. You asked to be difficult to take down. So, I made you 17 feet tall, and gave you strong legs to kick and run faster than you ever have. Some will still test you, but now you can fight back. You asked to see when danger is coming. So, I stretched seven of your bones and gave you a 500 pound neck. Even your eyes have grown larger. You now have the better view you wanted. I hope that you appreciate where you are now, and stand tall. Lastly, you asked to be a tower. And that’s what the world will call you when you walk the land with your family. Alone, you will be called a giraffe, but when united you are something greater. Protect your family, and always do your best to show them the way.”

The warrior looked at his family and how much they’ve grown. He saw how his wishes had forever changed them, and how they quickly became the tallest living land animals in the world. Africa would never be the same, and neither would they…

THE END

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