The Essay: Saving the Deer from the Hunter’s Trap

The Essay: Saving the Deer from the Hunter’s Trap

Faramarz Parsa

The teacher entered the classroom and wrote on the blackboard: “Saving the Deer from the Hunter’s Trap.”

Then he turned to the students and said, “This was last week’s essay topic. Now let’s see who managed to find a way to rescue the deer.”

After a moment, he called on one of the students. “Read your essay.”

The student began loudly:

“The topic of the essay is saving the deer from the hunter’s trap. The teacher said we must find a way to rescue the deer. But no matter how much I thought about it, I realized I couldn’t do it alone. My classmates are not willing to come to the forest with me either. My father said, ‘The traps hunters use are very dangerous. If anyone’s leg gets caught, it will break. It’s better not to interfere in the hunter’s business. First, he has a gun and is stronger than you. Second, the deer caught in the trap probably has a broken or injured leg and cannot run. If it falls into the claws of a wolf or a leopard, it can never be saved. They might even kill and eat you too.’ So I concluded that since I cannot do anything, it is better not to interfere. The end.”

The teacher smiled bitterly. “I told you to write about saving the deer, not about your own helplessness! Go sit down.”

He called on the next student. “Read your essay.”

The student stood up trembling. “Sir, my mother was sick last night. We went to my sister’s house and forgot to bring my schoolbag. I didn’t write the essay.”

The teacher shook his head in disappointment. “Tell your father to come to school tomorrow. You get a zero. Next time you won’t forget your bag. Now go stand in the corner and hold one leg up until the bell rings.”

He called another student. “Did you write your essay?”

The student lowered his head. “Sir, my father said this is not appropriate for children. Interfering in such matters is interfering in God’s work.”

The teacher replied angrily, “Tell your father to come tomorrow! Go stand in the corner and hold up your leg.”

He called the next student.

“Yes, sir, I wrote it.”

He began:

“In the name of God, the Most Merciful. The topic is saving the deer from the hunter’s trap. When I told my father—who is the prayer leader of the mosque—he said, ‘We must not interfere in God’s work, especially children.’ He told me to write this:

I saw a deer in graceful stride,

Now in the hunter’s trap it cried.

It wept and questioned heaven’s art:

Why make me fair, then tear apart?

Why give me life, yet enemies near?

Therefore, we must not interfere in God’s work. God would not be pleased. So we concluded that we should not interfere.”

The teacher laughed bitterly. “So much philosophy! You even became a poet—but you still didn’t save the deer! Sit down!”

“Sir, my father wrote the poem,” the student replied.

The teacher turned to the class. “I asked you to rescue the deer, not to debate theology or fear the hunter’s rope and bullet. This is an essay!”

He called another student.

The student began:

“In the name of God. The topic is saving the deer from the hunter’s trap. I must rescue the deer somehow. But when I thought carefully, I realized the hunter is bigger and stronger than I am. My friends are afraid, and their parents would not allow them to help. So I asked my father, who is both a wrestler and a member of the Revolutionary Guard, for help. He agreed, and we went to the forest together.

After hours of searching, we found the deer, but the hunter was not there. My father said, ‘Let’s quickly free its leg.’ Just as we were working, the hunter appeared and shouted, ‘Give me the deer!’ My father showed his official card, and the hunter fled.

Then my father smiled and said, ‘This poor deer is injured and won’t recover. We’ll take it home and eat its meat.’

I suggested sharing it with my classmates since it was large and had plenty of meat. My father replied, ‘Charity begins at home.’ I didn’t understand what that meant. Then he added, ‘We made your teacher happy, saved the deer from the trap, and got fresh meat. Doing good is always rewarding.’ The end.”

The teacher stared in disbelief. “I said rescue the deer—not become wolves yourselves! Sit down!”

The bell rang.

The next week, the teacher again wrote: “Saving the Deer from the Hunter’s Trap.”

A student raised his hand. “Sir! My father did not allow me to write it. He said this topic is not suitable for children.”

“Tell him to come tomorrow. Go stand in the corner—one leg up, both hands raised.”

Another student stood. “Sir, last week you didn’t call my name to explain why I didn’t write it.”

“So you didn’t write it either?”

“My father and uncle have big rifles and go hunting. When I asked for help, they said such things are not for you.”

“Tell your father to come tomorrow! Corner—one leg up!”

He called another.

“Yes, sir. I wrote it.”

“In the name of God who created heaven and earth and gave humans reason to choose the right path and help the helpless—whether human or animal. To rescue the deer, we must make a plan. It is dangerous: wild animals, the hunter’s gun. But since the topic is to rescue the deer, we must do it and make our teacher happy.

Because my classmates refused to help, I asked my brother. He said there is only one solution: from a distance, with a sniper rifle—like in American movies—we shoot the deer and free it from suffering. Or better yet, shoot the hunter so other deer will not suffer. After killing the hunter, we free the deer and leave food and water for it. I think the teacher would be pleased.”

The teacher was too shocked to speak.

At that moment, another student stood without permission and began:

“Hello teacher and dear classmates. The topic is saving the deer from the hunter’s trap. When I told my mother, she said if you don’t know how to help, you shouldn’t talk about it. My grandmother says: watch and learn. My father says: practice makes perfect.

We should not rely on fearful classmates. My older sister suggested using mobile phones and social media to inform people. Then help would come from everywhere. But there is a problem: since meat is expensive, we cannot trust everyone. We must find a way to protect the deer even after people come to help…”

At that moment, the school bell rang.

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December 11, 2022