Marwan is a small, smart boy, though
he’s quite short, he always
carries his big books.
His real problem isn’t the books,
but the bullying that makes him so weary.
Some kids call him “Smurf” while
others name him “The Boy with the Broken Shadow.”
Every day Marwan returns home unhappy,
while his parents are busy, collecting rent.
He searches his father’s study for a book
that might help him with his thoughts.
He finds a big book with a title, so intriguing.
“Prince over Bullies.”
Marwan eagerly starts reading it, grabs his coloured pencils,
to draw himself and his heavy backpack.
He flips through the pages until he falls asleep,
dreaming of the author’s hands gently waking him.
Marwan wakes up to find himself drawn between the book’s lines, with the proud author standing before him.
The author introduces himself, and his remarkable achievements,
So Marwan draws him as a peacock with chicken legs.
The author gets grumpy, his ego grows big, and says:
“Fine, I won’t help you with your tough problem.”
“I’ll talk to those you’ve written about,
for they are more humane and know how to face problems,” says Marwan.
Marwan combs through the pages of the book,
until he finds a long shadow of a young man.
Marwan says, “I wish I were as tall as you!”
“But I wish I were as short as you, everyone calls
me a “Giraffe.” I’m so tired of this nonsense,” the young man says.
Marwan draws a big, white heart for the young man, hoping
he will accept his shadow and appreciate himself more.
Then, Marwan meets a woman with a big, plump shadow.
“I wish I were like you!” Marwan says, “You have the strength of a million.”
The woman says, “I wish I had your short shadow!
Everyone calls me a “Hippo,” and I’ve grown
so tired of this endless taunting.”
Marwan draws her wings, like a butterfly,
so she can fly, and her shadow fades away.
Marwan exits the book, now fully aware
of the wisdom and reasons behind it all.
Marwan wakes from his dream,
and heads to school. One of the bullies says,
“I saw you in yesterday’s episode of “The Smurfs,”
but your short shadow wasn’t there.”
Everyone laughs, but Marwan says,
“If you call me a Smurf, then I’m Brainy Smurf.
I see, hear, think, and decide.”
“Even with my broken shadow, I make up for it
with my heavy backpack filled with science,
arts, and the history of ages and eras.”
“Now decide: either to continue being a bully forever,
or let’s be friends, which is the greatest goal.”
Silence falls among everyone, and the bullies stop their mean talk.
Now, everyone calls Marwan and his backpack “The Boy with the Big Mind and the Long Shadow.”
This story is also available in Arabic click below
