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The Charm

The narrator reflects on their journey from being a shy, fearful young man to becoming a brave leader during wartime. An encounter with an old blind man who gives him a charm instills courage in the narrator, allowing him to lead his fellow soldiers despite their fears. Ultimately, he learns that true bravery comes from within, and he no longer needs the charm to be courageous.

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Jose
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8 views2 pages

The Charm

The narrator reflects on their journey from being a shy, fearful young man to becoming a brave leader during wartime. An encounter with an old blind man who gives him a charm instills courage in the narrator, allowing him to lead his fellow soldiers despite their fears. Ultimately, he learns that true bravery comes from within, and he no longer needs the charm to be courageous.

Uploaded by

Jose
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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But I had tinre - a lot of time.

'['m not doing anythir:g,'I


thought.'Why can't I help him? I won't be afraid of him.'
The Charrn I took the old man's arm, and I helped hir.n acrossthe road.
'Thank you!' he said.His hand felt my coat.'This is a soldier's
'Het a brave man,' people say about me.'He'.s ncver aftaid.' coat,' he said.'Are you a soldier?'
They are wrong. I wasn't always a brave r.nan,and at tinles I was Yes.
rfraid - very afiaid. Perhaps I said it in a sad voice. The old n.ranput a hand in his
I anr an important nlan now. I have an inrportant job. People jacket. He took something out and gave it to me.
know me and like nre. They don't know tlrat I wasnt always 'Take this,' he said. 'lt will help you. Wear it, ar.rdyou'll be all
brave. I will tell you the story. right. Nothing bad will happen to yotr.'
I was a very shy youne man. I didn't likc calking to other
yourg men; I was afrrid.'They'll laugh at me,' I thought-
'Wornen were wor se.I llever spoke to therrr; I was always afraid
of them.
I try to help shy people now. I never laugh at ther.n,because I
rcrnember that tine. I was very unhappy tl.ren.
Then there was a war between my country and another
country. I had to be r soldier. Me! I was always afraid, but I had to
be a soldier! And it wls very dangerous.
I was afraid. The other soldiers didnt talk about it, but they
knew.'They're laughing rt me,' I thought.'Tficy aren't afiaid.' I was
wrong, but I didnt know that. I felt very bad.
One day,I was in the town. I had two days holiday, away from
the other soldiers. I wasnt with friends; I didnt have any fr-iends.I
was very unhappy. I walked slowly past solne shops.
An old rnan stood by the road. There weren't many cars on it-
'Why doesnt he mlk acrossthe road?'I thought.'Is he afraid?'
I went near him, and then I saw his eyes.'Oh,' I thought.'Now He walked away,and I looked at the thing in nly hand. It was a
I know He can't sec! He wants to go acloss, but he can't go small charm - pretry but strange.
without help.' 'Itl a girlls tlring,' I thought, and I put it in my coat.
Other people walked quickly past hinr. They had to go to The next day we went to war. I was rfraid - very afraid - but I
work, ol to theil homes. They didnt help hirr; they didn't have remernberedthe charm in nry coat.'Perhapsthe charm will help
tmre- me,' I thought, so I took it with me .

16 77
Suddenly I wasnt :rfr:ricl.Why? I didnt know. Was it the charm?
It was bad that day. Men clied rll round me.'Perhaps I'll die
r)ext,'I thought. But I wasn't xfriid!
Our leader was a brave lnan. He was in front of us, and rve
followed him. Suddenly he wrs down. Hc lell to the ground and
didn't move. The other soldiers stopped. They were afraid.
I thought,'Perhapsour leaderisn't dead.I'll go and see.'
I went to him. The fighting wls worse rrow, but I wasn't afraicl.
'l've got the charm with me,'I tl.rought.'l'll be all right.'
I brought our leader back to a better place,and then I looked
at him. He was very white :rnclill, but hc wasn't dead. His eyes
opened,and he smiled at me.
He spoke - not easily,br.rt I hc;rrcl him. 'Go in fiont!' he s:rid.
'The rnen will follow you.'
The men lollowed me, and we fought well that day.
After that, I was fine. L:rte1 I r,vasa le;rder,too. The men were
happy and followed me. People didn't hugh at me then.
'But is it right?' I thought.'l'rrr rrot very brave.Iti only the
charn-r-'
I didnt tell people about the chalm. I had friends for the first I tlrought,'My words have helped thenr. They aren't afiaid
now. They're waiting for nre. They'll follow me everywhere. I'ur
time, and I was happy.
One day we had to take an impot tant blidge. There were a lot their leader, and I can't be afi'aid.'
I shouted:'Let'sgo!'
of soldierson it, and they hacl big guns. The country was open,
We ran. We got to the bridge. We lost sorle nen, but we got
without any trees. lt was very da:rgerous, and nry men were
therel And we took the bridgel
aft-aid.
'We're going to die,' they s:ricl. I will never forget that clay. I learnt something then rbout
'Listen; I told thern.'l'11 go first, aud we'll run very quickly to brave men. Brave men rre afraid, too. lJut that doesn't stop thenr.
I will also remenrberthat old rrr:rnwith the charm.'It will help
the bridge. Don't be afraid.They cau't kill us all. Follow me, and
we'll take that bridge.' you,'he said.
He was right. I learnt to bc brave rvithout it.
I put my hand in nry coat. llut the charrn wasn't there!
'What am I going to do?' I thought.'l cant be brave without I was a young man then,lrrd now I anr old.
I rrrr a braverrr.rrr.
pcople t hir t k.
the charm.'
And, yes they are r ight. I aur
I looked at the faces of rny nren. They weren't afraid now.

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