There once was a boy named Chad. Chad lived happily in his village with his family, his mother, his father, and his sister.

Everyday, Chad went to school out of the village. One day, Chad went to school, and his family stayed behind in the village. After school ended, Chad came home.

This is a catastrophe! The village is burning, and all the houses were empty! Chad was scared. Where was everyone? Chad ran to his own house. His family was gone. 

Chad ran through town, but no one was there. He soon reached the town middle, where a giant message was written on the ground, with a map next to it. 

Chad knew that he had get to the ogre’s cave as soon as he could, and so he quickly collected all the food in town, and then began following the map.

Following the map, Chad reached a bridge over a river, where a man sat in the middle. Chad was in a hurry, so he ran across the bridge. As Chad passed by, though, the man asked, “Kind boy, may I have some food?” 

Chad stopped. “An ogre captured my family, and I need this food to get them back," Chad explained.

The man looked back at Chad, and said, “I have not eaten for so long, and I am very hungry.”

Chad was still hesitant, so the man continued talking.

“My young child,” he said, “Let me introduce myself. I am Muslim, and I follow the teachings of the one and only true God that we believe in, Allah" (Asfarddin). 

Chad listened closely.

“Allah teaches us how we should live,” the man continued. “One teaching we must follow is Allah's five rules, the Five Pillars of Islam. These rules tell us that we must pray everyday, fast during the month of Ramadan, accept Allah as the one and only God, be charitable, and make a journey to the city of Mecca at least once in our lives” (Macaulay)

Chad listened on.

“To follow Allah's teachings, you should consider what is the right choice,” said the man. "Allah teaches us that following the Five Pillars will let us be closer to him at heart, letting us live more fulfilling lives" (Ayoub).

Chad was still confused, but he agreed with the man that it was right to be charitable, so Chad gave him some food. 

“Thank, child,” the man said. “I am grateful for the food. Since you acted charitably, I shall also be charitable, so you can have my boat. You can ride it on the river to the ogre’s cave.”

Chad thanked the man and got in the boat. Chad set sail on the river, following the map. 

Soon, Chad noticed the current was pushing him off course, so he started to steer his boat with a paddle. He paddled, and paddled, but his boat just spun around. Suddenly, Chad’s boat hit a rock! Chad and his boat were launched out the water onto shore, where a man sat fishing by the river.

Chad ignored the man and tried to get his boat back in water, but then the man spoke.

“You seem to be struggling,” the man said.

Chad turned to him. “The river keeps pushing me against the way I am going on!"

“Let me give you some advice,” replied the man. “Come over.”

Chad carefully got closer to the man.

“I am a Taoist monk,” the man introduced himself. “Right now, you are trying to go against the force that runs the universe, which we Taoists call the Dao” (Littlejohn). 

“When you go against the Dao, you will often find yourself struggling,” the monk continued. “We have a way to work around the Dao, called Wu Wei" (Reninger).

Upon hearing that, Chad got interested at the man's words.

"Instead of opposing nature, let the world work to you and let opportunities come to you. Also make sure that you act with skill and not force, so you achieve more doing less" (Livni).

Chad understood the monk's message to let the current carry his boat, and he decided at least try following this advice.

After thanking the man, Chad pushed his boat into the water, and let the current push the boat, even without resisting.

Suddenly, Chad saw the river in front split into three, and he remembered the Daoist monk’s words. He knew from the map that the middle path would bring him to the ogre’s cave, but he needed to push on the sides of the river without pushing too hard or lightly, or else he would drift to the right or left path.

Skillfully, Chad pushed on the river’s sides with his paddle, and passed through the middle path. Chad was relieved.

Following the river, Chad soon could see ogre’s cave in the distance, blocked by a massive boulder door. After landing his boat, he carefully walked up to the cave.

Chad could hear Tyrone the ogre in the cave, who had a deep and rumbling voice. 

“Tonight, I will eat very well,” Chad heard Tyrone chuckle. “When your people bring me the food, I will eat everyone and the food together!"

Chad realized that he was talking to the captured villagers, and froze. If he brought the food to the cave, the ogre would eat him, but it was almost sunset, and he did not want the ogre to eat his family because he was late. 

Chad sat by the boulder, thinking for a solution, but then he heard drumming, coming from a nearby cliff. Chad approached the cliff, hoping to find help.

There, Chad saw a man, dancing in bright, colorful clothes, while hitting his drum and chanting.

“What may you be doing?” Chad asked curiously.

The man stopped his dancing and drumming and turned to Chad. 

“I am practicing my rituals,” answered the man. “You see, I am a Siberian Shaman.”

“Why would you need to do a ritual?” Chad continued to ask. 

“Well, as a Siberian shaman, I, and other believers of shamanism believe that the world is run with spirits. From the earth, the rocks, the rivers, the trees, they all have life” (Smith).