Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: CONSPIRACY (01/21/21)
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TITLE: Smoke From The Rocks | Previous Challenge Entry
By Shanta Richard
01/27/21 -
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A few decades ago an interesting event took place among the hill tribes who lived in in the Nilgris mountains. Christ had been preached to these tribes by missionaries, and some of them had been converted but the majority were Hindus. One of these tribes were the Todas. A missionary, Pastor Davidson, lived amongst them and the Tribal Chief had become a Christian.
That year the crops were plentiful, the herds of buffaloes had multiplied and even the bees that nested among the crevices in the rocks had increased. The happy tribes decided to celebrate their good fortune by organizing a great festival - sacrificing and worshipping the gods, preparing large amounts of food and native liquor, arranging loud music with drums and trumpets. Much to the annoyance and anger of the tribes, the Christian Chief of the Todas declined to join the celebrations.
"It's all because of the white man and his foreign God that the Todas are forsaking the gods of their ancestors. We have to teach them a lesson", the tribes decided. Conspiring together they came up with a plan. On the evening of the harvest day, after the crops had been gathered on the threshing ground, and the tired workers had retired for the night, they would all march in.
Creating a loud noise with drums and trumpets, waving their spears and clubs,they would all march up the valley. Awakened by their terrible war cries the sleeping Todas would be too surprised to defend themselves. The invaders would easily gather all the harvest, round up all the buffaloes and return, leaving the Todas to starve till next harvest. Would their White God send them food from heaven?
Harvest morning the Todas started the day with prayer and thanksgiving. The herdsman drove the animals to the grazing fields. It was a pleasant day and the harvesting progressed well. Around noon the herdsman retired to his favorite spot under the shade of an overhanging rock from where he could watch the animals. The silence was broken when he heard stealthy footsteps and muffled whispers. The footsteps climbed the rock above him and he could hear the words.
"Tonight as the moon rises we will march over and collect all the harvest and the animals. We will see if their God is greater than our gods and if he can protect them". Having said that they marched away. The bewildered herdsman ran as fast as he could to convey the message to his Chief and Pastor Davidson. On hearing the message the three of them joined hands and prayed, presenting their predicament to the Lord of hosts and asking Him to fight for them. The Chief commanded the herdsman to keep this as a secret.
That evening after the harvest was done the Todas met on the threshing floor and Pastor Davidson told them about the herdsman message, and quoted 11 Chronicles 20:15 (KJV) Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude for the battle is not yours but the God's.With this assurance the Todas went to bed.
When the moon shone bright the invaders marched in. The Todas were awakened by the loud commotion. Mustering together their faith and courage they listened to the approaching warriors. Then all of a sudden there was pin drop silence - then a loud buzzing sound followed by screams of terror and pain and the clamor of receding footsteps. In the light of the moon the Todas saw smoke rising from the rocks. It took only a minute for the Todas to realize what was happening.
It wasn't the smoke from the rocks, it was the bees. Disturbed by the loud noise and commotion, the angry swarms of bees had stung and chased the offenders. Eager to punish the Todas the tribes had forgotten the bees. The bare bodied warriors had no protection against the venom of bees. The grateful Todas fell on their knees and raised their victory song, " Hallelujah , the Lord reigns".
This story is fiction.
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