Son of a Farmer

It was yet another childless day for the village farmer and his wife, for many years they had tried, but offspring did not arrive. He was a simple soul, a subsistence farmer, every day working his small field whilst his wife stayed at home with Goats and Chickens to tend.

They longed to have a child but they were not getting any younger, but this did not quell the wife’s tears, for everyday she would look from her window to the village well and see all the mothers there with their little ones. Also every day for the last three years now there had been the sight of a young boy no older than eight who was brought to the well daily by his mother and left there until the moon appeared.

This miserable soul was deaf dumb and blind, but this day his life would change for that morning the wife said to her husband, husband you know that boy, you know that he is not wanted, maybe just maybe we can adopt this wretched child.
Her husband said wife of mine you know I love you dearly but this child will be of no use to us in our later years, he will just be another mouth to feed. Look my wife he is blind what can he see? “yes husband but he has a heart” He is deaf my wife what will he hear? “yes but he has a heart” He can not speak my wife “yes but he has a heart” What company can he be, how can he work a field. He has a heart, a heart that needs our love, I will look after him as if he were my own I will love him care for him make him welcome in our home.

The farmer then left for the field leaving just a few simple words, “I love you my wife do what you think should be done”
Later when the woman turned up at the well with her child, the farmers wife was there waiting, a deal was struck and with the exchange of a Goat this poor wretch would never again be left at the well.

When the farmer returned that night he could do nothing but smile for there he met his wife, at last with child. She was combing his hair and kissing his forehead, showing such maternal love. This sight was the image that he had imagined all his life.

Years came and year went with the same routine of life. The farmer would lead this boy, now a young man, to his field where he would sit him down upon a rock whilst seeding and harvesting was done.

Then one morning the farmer woke up with a strange sensation in his eyes and within hours he had completely lost his sight. The doctor said farmer Sir there is nothing that can be done.

The farmer turned to despair and spent every day sitting silently, unhearing at the well. While the routine of the boy, now a man carried on with daily trips to his rock for he knew the route in his heart.

Then one day the farmer whilst sitting at the well, felt a hand take his and lead him away to a familiar smell, the smell of ripening corn and the farmer knew where he was and who had led him. The farmer then moved with help through his small plot of land and he knew that it had been tended well.

From that day to this, the blind farmer and his Son tend the land together with the blind leading the blind. The future for this complete family has turned from darkness to looking bright.