The Mute

They jeered and reprimanded him. Making faces and rude gestures at him. And all he did was smile and walk away.

Crazy they called him. His only answer to them was that same silent smile.

His life was simple. Routine. Work, eat, pray, sleep. And in the midst of it, be maltreated by each and every single person in the village.

He did it all with a smile.

His presence was to them an abomination. The sight of him irked them. Roused their anger and made them sick to their stomachs. He was disgusting; to them at least.

One day, their patience wore out and his presence finally became unbearable. They ran him out of the village.

This too, he did with a smile.

Months passed and he lived out in the wild alone, building a small garden for food and cottage for shelter.

There-in he lived, with birds for company and animals for friends. His smile received by the creatures of the woods with warmth and joy.

One fine afternoon, while he was busy preparing a meal for himself and the little squirrel that lived in the tree nearby, there came a knock on the door.

Opening the cottage door, he was greeted by the sight of a ragged, starved, teary-eyed little girl.

"Oh please, please sir could you let me in? I'm hungry and I'm lost. I've been in the woods a very long time and I'm tired." said the little girl in between her sobbing.

The man smiled and nodded, ushering her in. She rushed in happily, taking a quick glance around the little cottage and setting herself down swiftly by the cosy little fire at the corner of the hut.

Beaming as he always did, he walked over to the fire and took the ready porridge and poured it into a clay bowl, then setting it in front of the girl.

Not a second was lost as she pounced on the meal and gobbled it up greedily. Such a mess she made as she stuffed herself with as much food as her mouth would allow without choking.

As he made his way for the door, she turned to him and said, "Can I have the rest?"

Smiling once more, he simply nodded before leaving the cottage to go to the tree nearby; nuts in hand.

Years passed and the lost little girl chose to stay with him. They worked to build a separate room for her.

Time flew by, him with his constant smiles and nods, and she with her endless talks and laughter.

A number of times she asked, "Why don't you talk? Are you mute?" He would shake his head in answer and smile each time.

The question plagued her and she continued to badger him till he finally gave in and said only one word.

"God."

His answer puzzled her even more. "You're God?" she asked.

He shook his head and smiled. As she had done before, she pestered him till he finally gave in.

He brought her to a huge lake deep in the woods. Sparkling waters surrounded by lush greenery and decorated by the flight of beautiful parakeets and jaysand their endless songs. It was a serenity like she had never seen before.

He pointed at the birds and smiled. Then he said it again.

"God."

The birds continued their singing and flew.

"That's God?" asked the little girl.

"No." He answered.

"That's what they're singing. Praises to God for His Mercy and His Kindness. Praises to the Almighty Lord of the Worlds." Continued the man smiling from ear to ear.

The answer stunned her. Before she could think up a reply, he continued. "I have nothing more to say. Only that."

With that, he smiled and walked away. Leaving a very stunned girl to listen to the tweeting of the birds.