THE ARABIAN

By Susan Diamond

The Rub al-Khali is the largest continuous body of sand on Earth, stretching across the Arabian Desert from Jordan and Iraq to the north and Qatar and Yemen to the south.

This is the birthplace of Aldebaran.

Aldebaran is a magnificent animal, tall and strong, a descendent of royalty. No one knows his birth name due to the unfortunate circumstances of his parent’s demise, but he earned the name given to him by his adopted family as you will soon learn.

On the day of Aldebaran’s birth, God sent a horrific sand storm of epic proportions to the Rub Al-Khali. Not a living creature survived except for the newborn, somehow sheltered from the storm and spared the fate of the rest of his natural family.

When the dust settled and the air cleared, there was a herd of Dromedaries passing through the desert. Young Aldebaran got up on his spindly legs and followed the camels, making himself quite at home.

That’s how he got his name which means “follower” in Arabic and alas, the grand animal lived up to his name.

As far as Aldebaran knew, his childhood was ordinary. He had no recollection of his life before becoming a member of the Dromedary herd. He kept up with his brothers as they roamed the desert. He worked alongside his adopted kin, knowing love and acceptance. He lived well and he was happy.

As he grew he had odd urges – improper desires. He dismissed them as not fitting for one such as he, and continued to look upon his elders for guidance. He watched and learned and gave his heart to every task assigned to him.

Young Aldebaran carried heavy loads, and was easily tired as he plodded along. He was thirsty and parched at all times and frequently suffered from heatstroke.

It seemed the harder he tried, the harder it was to do what was expected of him. His growth was stunted and he was bewildered. He prayed for endurance, he prayed for the skills his cousins came by easily. He was constantly struggling and his spirit sagged.

One day, when trudging along the desert sands, outpaced and left behind by the others...read more