Long ago, in a quiet village called Yellow Hay, there lived an old legend whispered among the townsfolk. Every three years, for just seven nights, a time traveler would appear atop the misty mountain. People said he brought rare goods from distant places, wore the disguise of an old man with a large dog, and filled the night air with strange, otherworldly music.
Many feared the eerie melodies that echoed through the hills, but others believed the visitor was a blessing—choosing one family each cycle to change their fortune.
Peter, a poor and aging fisherman, lived in Yellow Hay with his wife and their four children. His wife sold eggs in the market, and their children were still in school. Though they struggled daily, Peter’s heart brimmed with hope.
When whispers spread that the time traveler would return on the second day of the next month, Peter clung to the tale like a lifeline.
One night, strange music drifted from the mountain—haunting and unfamiliar. Many villagers locked their doors in fear. But Peter’s family, hearts filled with anticipation, looked to the sky and smiled.
On the second day, Peter climbed the mountain at dawn, hoping to glimpse the mysterious traveler. But the forest was quiet. Disappointed, he returned home, wondering if the music had simply come from wandering tourists.
That night, the music returned—this time darker, colder. Fear stirred in the village once again.
Then Peter’s youngest fell ill with a fever. With no money for medicine, Peter wrapped himself in a cloak and climbed the mountain once more, desperate for help. There, in the stillness of night, he didn’t find an old man—but a young man, cooking over a small fire. The smell of roasted meat reached Peter, and his hunger betrayed him.
The stranger noticed him and offered a warm meal. Hesitant, but too hungry to decline, Peter accepted. As they ate, Peter asked if he had seen the old time traveler.
The young man only smiled. “Tell me about your family,” he said.
Peter spoke of his sick child, of his wife’s hard work, of their dreams to live a better life.
The young man listened kindly. Then, without further explanation, he handed Peter a single chicken. “Take this,” he said. “Raise it well.”
Peter blinked, confused. “What does this have to do with the time traveler?”
The young man simply smiled again. “Some gifts don’t announce themselves.”
Peter thanked him and returned home.
The next morning, Peter discovered something incredible—six large eggs had appeared in the yard. The chicken had laid them overnight. He and his wife sold the eggs in the market and used the money for their daughter’s treatment.
Each morning after, the chicken laid another six eggs. They saved carefully, bought more chickens, and soon had a bustling little coop.
Peter never forgot the mysterious young man. He climbed the mountain days later, hoping to find him again. Instead, there was only a letter pinned to a tree:
> “You were chosen. The chicken was a gift. Take care of it, and it will take care of you.”
Years passed. Peter’s family built a full chicken farm. They bought land on the mountainside, raised more animals, and even employed others from the village. Their lives transformed—but the memory of the quiet young man never left Peter’s heart.
Three years later, the music returned.
Peter, now dressed in clean clothes and standing tall with pride, climbed the mountain once more. He searched the familiar trails until he stumbled into an old man with a big dog.
Breath catching in his throat, Peter asked, “Have you seen a young man who once gave me a chicken…?”
The old man smiled.
“I’m glad,” he said, “you still remember me.”
The moral lesson of The Time Traveler of Yellow Hay is that acts of kindness and hope can transform lives, even when they come from unexpected sources. Peter’s humility, determination, and willingness to care for a simple gift—one chicken—led to lasting change for his whole family. It teaches us to:
Embrace small blessings—they may grow into something far greater.
Stay hopeful and kind, even in hard times, because help might arrive in unexpected forms.
Believe in quiet miracles—not all gifts come with fanfare, and not all heroes wear cloaks.
Comments