Larian was a little lemur that lived with his mother in Farway Forest on an island in the Indian Ocean. When he was born he was very tiny, not much bigger than a pea pod.  He clung to his mother’s chest by holding on with little digits, like fingers. For a few days he stayed mostly in one spot depending on his mother for food.

 In a few weeks he nmoved to her side still clutching  her fur. Then he crawled upon her back. There he liked that best. It was easier to hold on and Larian could see so much more. He could see the tall lovely tamarind trees with the tiny yellow flowers and the high green grasses that waved in the wind. He felt the warm breeze that brushed his small body.

 Larian and Mother Lucy  were not alone in Farway Forest. There were many lemurs and other animals. The lemurs traveled from one location to another in groups.  Mother lemurs watched after all the little ones just like good neighbors do.

 Larian grew strong and was soon jumping from Mother Lucy’s back to the ground and jumping up there again.  Larian was usually a good lemur and Mother Lucy was proud of him  but one day he was naughty. Larian snatched a caterpillar from his friend Cheeki.

 “You are not being nice,” said Mother Lucy.

 Cheeki went to find something else to eat.  Caterpillars didn’t taste good anyway.

 Larian had lots of energy,. He bounced from one playmate to another. He learned to play tag. It was lots of fun chasing little lemurs and have then trying to catch him.

 “ Mother Lucy, I’m hungry,” he said. “I’m thirsty, too.”

 “Well, dear,” returned Mother Lucy, “Right over there by the hollow log is a patch of berries.  There is water inside the log. That should take care of you this morning.”

 Larian ran with his playmates to the berry patch.  There was no need to be greedy as there were many berries. Every little lemur ate until he was full.

 Suddenly Mother Lucy gave a loud scream. Larian ran to jump on her back. The other little lemurs ran to their mothers.  Mother Lucy hid in some high weeds.  A large hawk was flying above.

 “Hold your ring tail down,” said Mother Lucy. “The hawk is your enemy. You must always be watchful lest you get taken away. No one ever knew what happened to your father, Larry.  He went deep into the forest and never returned to our group of lemurs. I want to keep you safe.

 Larian stayed with Mother Lucy until the hawk flew away then he was again playing an having fun.

 Suddenly a big lemur jumped from the tree to his side.  It was Larian’s Uncle Toofus, his favorite relative which came to entertain the young lemur.

 “Uncle Toofus,” said Larian, “I am glad you came. You are so funny.”

 Uncle Toofus told jokes for Larian and he stood on his hind legs and danced. Larian waved his ring tail in approval.

 “Uncle Toofus, “ said Larian, “Please take me for a piggy back ride.”

 “Hop on!” returned Uncle Toofus. He took Larian for a fast ride around the clearing in the woods. Then he jumped on a tree limb and the two bounced from one tree to another.  It was the best ride Larian had ever had, much more exciting than his rides on Mother Lucy’s back.

 “That was much fun!” said Larian.

 “I must rest,” said Uncle Toofus, “Then I am going to the end of the forest.

 “Must you leave so soon?” asked Mother Lucy.

 “Yes, I must go,” returned the big lemur. “Gaitha, my friend is waiting for me,  She will be angry if I stay too long.”

 Uncle Toofus left with a bounce.

 Mother Lucy and Larian climbed upon a tree limb to rest. Larian took a short nap. Soon he jumped from Mother Lucy’s back and went down the tree trunk into the grass.

 “Mother Lucy!” he cried, “Look, the cousins are coming!”  He could only see their ring tails in the high grass but he knew they were his cousins as they came near to where he was sitting.”

 Big Sal, Brush, Lin, Den, and Katy came.  They all said hello to Larian.  Then they played with Larian, but mostly the cousins played tag. Big Sal wanted to play leap frog.

 “I’ll play with you,” offered Larian.

 “No, you are too small,” said Big Sal. “When you grow bigger I will play leap frog with you.”

 “We can’t stay long,” said Katy.  “The twins, Lin and Din are having a birthday party.  I think we should leave now.  Then Katy sat down and gave Larian a goodbye kiss.  The cousins left.

 The rest of the day Larian played with Cheeki and other friends. It had been a fun day for Larian.

 Mother Lucy again climbed upon a tree limb as she was tired. Larian wasn’t tired.  He climbed up the tree to a limb much higher from the ground.

 “Larian, come down,” Mother Lucy called. “You should not climb so high.”

 Larian did not listen to his mother.  He fell to the ground with a thud.

 Mother Lucy jumped from the tree limb she was on to see if  the little lemur was hurt.

 “Dear, speak to me!” said Mother Lucy.

 Larian did not talk,  He did not move. He was not even breathing. Mother Lucy was very upset.  She stood on her hind legs and with her front legs she moved the little lemur to another place hoping he would breather again. Larian never breathed again. He made no sound at all. Life had gone from Larian.

 “My Larian is gone,” cried Mother Lucy. “I don’t know what I will do without him.”

 The other lemurs were moving on from that location . They asked her to go with them but Mother Lucy lingered near the body that had once been a happy, healthy little animal.

 As the group of lemurs traveled further on, Mother Lucy still heard them calling for her.

 Tears fell from her eyes as she viewed the little lemur’s body. Finally she took twigs and leaves and covered the heap of fur that was once Larian. Then she moved on with a heavy heart.

 Larian will always be in my memory, deep in my heart she thought.  Life must go on.

 She wondered if she could catch up with Uncle Toofus and the other relatives.

 Darkness was falling over the forest,  There was a moon that night. Mother Lucy had never felt so sad and lonely before. She missed the sound Larian had made while riding on her back. She missed him tugging on her fur and even pulling some of it out.  Could she ever feel good again.

 I must go faster she thought. Maybe I’ll never catch up with the relatives. She called loudly to Uncle Toofus and the other lemurs but there was no answer, no response at all.

 Even while sad Mother Lucy kept a watchful eye.  There could be danger ahead from some of the wilder animals. In the moonlight that filtered through the trees she saw a small dark shadow that moved a bit which was alarming at first.  As she came closer she saw it was a small lemur standing by the way in the wilderness.

 The little stranger was the same size as her own Larian had been. The small lemur was shaking with fear. He too was all alone.

 “My dear, said Mother Lucy. “Why are you out here by yourself? Don’t you have a mother or father?”

 “No,” replied the little lemur. “I have no one and I don’t know what to do.” He began to cry.

 “Don’t cry dear,” said Mother Lucy. “What is your name?”

 “My mother called me Babe,” the little one answered.

 “You’ll grow up,” returned the big lemur. “You need a real name.  By the way, what happened to your mother?”

 “A giant snake came out of the tall grass and ate her,” sobbed the little lemur.

 “Oooh,  awful!”  said Mother Lucy.  “Do you want to go further on with me?”

 “That would be nice,” answered the little animal. “ Would you be my mother ?”

 ”I’ll think about it,” said Mother Lucy,  “Jump on my back, Victor. That’s what I’ll call you. Yes, Victor is your new name.”

 “Victor,” said the little animal. “I like that name.” He jumped on Mother Lucy’s back.

The big lemur had mixed feelings about giving Victor a ride. She was glad to help him but oh how she wished  it was Larian clutching her fur.

 I’ll keep Larian in my memory deep in my heart, she thought. He will always be there. Now, I must help Victor who has lost his parents. Victor will be mine for a while.

 “OK Victor,” said the big lemur. “Ill be your mother.”

 Victor smiled.

 “Yes, Victor we have lost our loved ones,” said Mother Lucy. “But, life goes on.”

 Then Mother Lucy with Victor on her back hurried on in the forest in hopes of finding Uncle Toofus and the other relatives.