Reem: Grandma! Grandma! That man just stole from our shop in the souq, he ran away!
Hussa: Tsk, Tsk, these people. No one can stop them, back when I was little we had Bu Ras, he protected us from people like that, but not anymore.
Reem: Why Grandma? Where did Bu Ras go?
Hussa: We thought he made a mistake once and the people of the souq didn’t forgive him. He accused a customer of stealing, which made the shop owners very angry. They called him an ugly beast and told him to never come back to the souq again. After Bu Ras left, the shop owner found out that he was robbed and Bu Ras was right. But the shop owner didn’t do anything about it. No one has seem Bu Ras in over 60 years.
Reem: He didn’t apologize? That is rude!
Hussa: well that’s what happened and he is probably protecting another souq now.
Reem: No, I will find him, I will tell him we need him. He will come back I know he will.
Hussa: I wish my dear, we are losing a lot because of these thieves, we need him more than ever.
Reem went searching for him in every corner of the souq but there was no sign of him.
Frustrated, Reem spoke out loud, “It is your fault adults. You didn’t trust him, and now he’s gone.”
Then, she heard a voice calling her from a dark corner.
Reem: “Hello, is anyone there?
Bu Ras: “Stop, there, I don’t want you to see me Reem.”
Reem: “Who is there? How do you know my name?”
Bu Ras: I’ve watched you grow up in the souq, you are Hussa’s granddaughter. I am Bu Ras.
Reem: I’ve been looking for you, please comeback.
Bu Ras: I want to, but they said never to comeback.
Reem: that was a long time ago, we really need you.
Bu Ras and Reem went back together to the souq, Hussa gathered all the shop-owners and apologized to Bu Ras on their behalf.
Bu Ras: thank you, I dreamt all these years of coming back and guarding the souq.
Reem: thank you Bu Ras, see grandma I told you he would come back.
===
(WRITER) Fatima Rashed Abdulrahman Al-Muqahwi
(ILLUSTRATOR) Fatima Mohamed Jaber Rashed Al Hameli
