Every morning, Mira loved to visit the river that flowed beside her village. It was not the largest river in the world, but to Mira it was full of secrets. Its clear water wound through green fields and flower-covered banks before disappearing beyond the distant mountains. Birds nested in the trees, butterflies danced among the blossoms, and fish flashed like silver arrows beneath the surface. Mira believed the river was alive in its own special way.   One quiet afternoon, Mira carried a small bowl to the riverbank and sat beneath a flowering tree. The sun was warm, the breeze