''Respect your elders children''

My name is Omazie, I am ten-year-old, I live in South Africa in a small African tribe name Patamonia, with my big brother name Kuru. My parents are dead and in African tradition the big brothers or sisters always takes care of the younger ones, if their parents die.

This is my story how I learnt to respect the rules of elders. I want to share my story because,I want to encourage other children, why it is right and important to always listen and obey elders. I know, we hate listening the rules of adults, because that is how I used to feel, before I learnt my lesson to obey rules. I hope after reading my story you will decide to obey the rules, which are created to protect and guide you.

It all started yesterday, as the sun greeted me at my window. when I woke up I didn't saw my dog name Gee-Gee and I went looked all around the village for him but still I couldn't found him. I love, care and protect my dog, I was scared that he might be on the dreadful and forbidden mountain.

It is forbidden and rule for all the children living in the village to never climb the mountain name Zennito, because a dangerous lion, which we call him Zooloe lives on the mountain. The lion has killed many warriors from my village, that went to fight him. I was scared that he would kill Gee-Gee too. I couldn't let anything bad happen to my dog, I swallow my fear and decided to disobey my elders by going to the mountain.

I leave my village and walked through the deep and beautiful forest name Furge, then up the fearful, high and giant Zennito. I climbed gone in search of my dog. When I reached the top of the mountain, then the rain began to fall pouring on me. Gee-Gee! I shouted, but he didn't bark. I was sad because I thought the lion already ate him.

Suddenly, I heard this loud roar came from behind me.

When I turned around, it was Zooloe. I watched the deadly creature straight in his eyes,as I saw my life flash like lightning before my eyes and I urinated my pants in fear. I couldn't ran because I was shock and scared. My heart in my bony chest had beat like a drum, then I screamed for help!

As the lion was about to attack me, Kuru, jumped in front the lion and fought with him. He tried to spear him with his mighty sword but the lion pushed him to the ground while striking my brother on his face with his claws. Kuru said, ''Run brother.'' and I said, ''No I am not leaving you brother'' and he said, ''Yes, always obey your elders.''

With tears in my eyes and respect for my elders. I ran while I had slide down the muddy and wet mountain. When I met down, I run through the forest and went back to my village. I was sad, scared and ashamed of myself. I thought to my self, my brother must be dead and it's is my fault because I didn't respect and obey older persons. I stood in the middle of the village street in the rain with tears in my eyes and my head bow down in shame.

When I looked up, I couldn't believe my eyes, it was like a miracle.

My brother was alive, with his face covered in blood and scars also he held the lion's head in his hand; while smiling at me on the street, then he shouted, Victory Zooloe is dead!

While all the villagers ran out their huts in joy and excited, because the beast we feared for years was dead, our enemy was gone forever. Then my brother came to me and put his hands on my shoulder.

I said, ''I am sorry brother, I was looking for Gee-Gee.''

He said, ''I saw you while you were leaving the village and followed you slowly and quietly.''

I asked, ''Why didn't you stop me?''

He said, ''When I was young boy like you, I had climbed the mountain, father and mother came in search of me, I am the reason they are dead.''

I said, ''Brother but you told me mother and father died in a fire.''

He said, ''I lied to protect my shame, my brother even adults make mistake but we learnt from them; when the lion kill our parents I was small, weak and I always promise myself, if he attacks you, I would defend you or die to save you, not having that mistake again like, what happen to mother and father.''

I said, ''I could of die going up that mountain and you didn't stop me.''

He said, ''Only when a person feels or experience trouble then they learn to do better next time; our mistakes make us wise and we must make mistakes to become wise.''

I said, ''I don't understand you brother.''

He said,''I let you go up the mountain to learn the danger for yourself and it would cause you to never go back again.''

I asked, ''How did you defeat the lion?''

He said, ''I pushed my sword through his head.''

I said, ''I am sorry for disobeying you and the other elders by gone up the mountain.''

He said,'' I am sorry too for disobeying mother and father but I have learnt my lesson always obey elders and my mistake made me wise.''

I said, ''Thank you brother for showing me things the hard way, it was scary but I learnt my lesson to always obey elders.''

He said,''I am just glad you obey me and ran away when I told you, I hope you will always obey the rules now.''

I asked, ''Will you punish me for disobeying the rules?''

He said, ''No, once is mistake and twice is purpose, you only did it once but if you do it again then I will punish you, because you have already been pushed by nearly experiencing death.''

When the rain stopped and the sun began to shine in the sky, my brother and I hugged with tears of joy in our eyes. Then I saw Gee-Gee walked with the some girls living in the village, he had came back after followed them to fetched water at the well. There was a big celebration in the village street; everybody was drinking wine, laughing, singing and dancing, while I held and kiss Gee-Gee.