The great answer

                                                                                        -          Fulton Oursler, USA (1893-1952)

I. Literal Comprehension

            Context: This story is written by Fulton Oursler, USA (1893-1952).

            There were many refugees in boarding houses of a village near the Spanish border. They were fleeing to Spain when the German police, the Gestapo, along with the Nazi armies, entered France. Among the refugees were a young mother and her four-year old girl. They wanted to reach safely to America. They had already walked hundreds of miles to arrive at the place, but the Spanish guards did not allow them to pass through. The mother was worried that the German police would arrive any time soon and put them into the concentration camp. She prayed to God. Coincidently, the next day, a man appeared in her room. He said he was a guide who had come there to lead the refugees to Spain at night. That night, she went to the appointed place to join the other refugees who were also going to Spain. There were all age-group people (old, middle-aged, and young) in the group. When they started their journey, the middle-aged and young men helped her to carry her baby. The leader told them to trust on God because the path that led them to high up and over the mountain was very difficult. One oldest and frailest man lost his courage on the way. He told the others in the group to leave him alone there to die, but the leader encouraged him and told him to carry the child until the last drop of energy remained in his body. Other two old men also wanted to give up their journey one after the other, but the leader encouraged them as well to carry the child. Walking whole night along the difficult trail, the party of the refugees arrived in Spain. The three old men who had carried the lady’s child had found new strength and new life in them, and were ready to face a new world of freedom.

II. Interpretation

            This story might be trying to tell us that one’s perseverance and faith in God leads one to success through any kind of difficulty. The refugees succeeded in crossing the high mountains walking whole night with a trust in God in their heart. This story might also be trying to tell us that selflessly helping others is a necessary human quality. The guide takes no charge from the refugees for helping them to reach another country. Adding a new problem helps us forget or overcome the older one because we cannot escape from problems. Our life is full of problems.

III. Critical Thinking

            Despite being realistic, this story, I think, is an exaggerated one. The description of the refugees and their panic is very realistic, but the writer doesn’t provide the identity of the guide. Was he God in human disguise? How could the three old men who were ready to give up their journey carry the lady’s child? Do the modern readers believe in the existence of God? Does the faith in God alone help us cross a difficult mountain?

IV. Assimilation

After reading the story, I have understood the riddle of life, i. e. if we add more problems to the older one, we feel it lighter. This is the reality of our life because it is never free of problems.