A car-planter

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The wolf was aware of the talk of the lion and the rabbit. That was why he immediately gave the rabbit the hot water bowl which he had hid behind him.

The rabbit did not expect it from the wolf. She became more angry, when she failed:

– Heyy! No! No! Tell me where is your cap? – She again began to kick and beat the wolf.

THE STROKE OF A BLIND MAN

Once a beggar was standing near the bridge. Suddenly someone put paper money (a banknote) into his palm. The beggar’s eyes sparkled as soon as he saw the money. It was for the first time, he got such a big sum of money. He could not stand in his place from happiness. “Probably the man was mistaken. What if he returns and takes back the money?”

He ran down another beggar and hurt his foot when he went to the other side of the bridge.

– Are you blind? Don’t you see me on your way? – The sufferer began to shout. He had been out of luck that day. That was why he was as angry as a dog. On the other hand, he did not like appearance of the newcomer in his area.

The new beggar understood that there was no need to apologize. So, he thought a little bit and answered:

– Oh, yes, you are right, brother. I am blind.

– What? Are you blind? – The sufferer was sorry to be rude with him. But he saw that the beggar did not look like a blind one.

– Yes, I am blind. – The newcomer approved. I am in need of an honest one. – He thought: “One can think of nothing better” and added: – Someone gave me paper money. But I do not know how much it is?

– I am that very honest man and I shall tell you how much it is.

– Who are you?

– I am a beggar as you, but I can see.

– Won’t you deceive me? Won’t you run away?

– No, I will not. Don’t you know that the beggar never gives gift to another one?

– If so, then swear on your honor.

– Let me be a blind as you, if I deceive you.

The eyes of the sufferer sparkled as soon as he saw the money. He had never had such a big sum since he began to solicit alms.

The owner of the money saw that the sufferer was examining the money attentively. That was why he asked:

– What is the matter, brother? Why don’t you say any word?

The sufferer made a step back instead of answer and ran away.

– Heyy, stop, where do you take my money? – The first beggar shouted as soon as he understood his aim.

But the sufferer did not stop. He started running He thought that the owner of the money was blind and he was unable to reach him. So, he will be calmed very soon.

But the owner of the money did not keep up with him. He started to follow him shouting:

– Stop immediately. If you do not stop, I will throw a stone and hurt your right leg. Then you will cry and I will take my money back.

But the second beggar did not pay attention to him.

The owner of the money picked up the stone and threw it to him. The stone hurt the right leg of the beggar. But the beggar neither shouted nor cried. He continued running with a pain in his leg.

The owner of the money again warned him:

– Stop! If you do not stop, I will throw a stone and hurt your left leg. Then you will cry and I will take my money back.

The beggar again did not listen to him. The owner of the money picked up the stone and threw it to him. The stone hurt the left leg of the beggar. But the beggar neither shouted nor cried. He continued running with a pain in his leg.

The owner of the money warned him again:

– I will hurt your head with the stone if you do not stop immediately.

The beggar who tried to steal his money understood that he had to accept a situation. He found himself in a no-win situation. That was why he stopped and gave the money to its owner and said:

– For God’s sake, take your money and do not hurt me. Your strike is unlike to the bland man’s strike.

WOODCUTTER

The woodcutter prepared his ax and pick. He took his donkey and went to the forest.

He gathered a lot of brushwood till the afternoon. Suddenly he heard a strange rustle among trees. When he stood up, he saw a big brown bear coming nearer to him, shaking with head. He took his pick and climbed up the tree.

It was deliberately or willfully the bear came and sat under the same tree.

The woodcutter was horror-stricken and filled with deadly fear. He looked at the sky and begged God for help:

– O great Creator! Don’t let the bear touch me. I will cut my cock as a sacrifice. I will cut it as soon as I reach home.

The bear turned around the tree as if it felt some smell in the air with its big nose.

There were still some lingering doubts in woodcutter’s mind. That was why he climbed up the higher branch. His throat was dry:

– It is clear to me – I am not so naive, as you think. The cock is very little in this case. I will cut my kid as a sacrifice and dispense charity to the needy. The poor will be happy.

He saw that the bear did not move from that place. Then it began to walk around the tree. The woodcutter again climbed up higher.

– Well, I understood. I have mistaken. The kid is smaller in this case. I will correct my mistake. My Lord, I will sacrifice my buck. I say a buck. It is a big and fat ram.

The bear touched the tree with its paw. Then it held up its head and roared. The roar shook the forest. There was a terrible murmur of the forest.

The poor woodcutter would certainly had died of terror in another moment. He hardly fell down from the tree. He threw his pick and put his arms round the tree. He was out of breath. Then he begged the God:

– O great Creator! Don’t be angry. I will cut my cow as a sacrifice though my children will remain without milk and yoghurt. Just let this bear get away. It will be better for the children to be without milk than to live without father.

The bear began to rub with its neck against the tree and roared loudly. The shivering woodcutter climbed up the highest branch of the tree.

– I understood, my Lord. You know that I have an ox. Damn to this bear! I have forgotten not only my ox, even my name.

The bear was still under the tree.

– O, my Lord! I do not have anything beside the ox. If you mean my donkey, I will sacrifice it also. But sacrifice of donkeys is impossible. If you‘d like, the poor thing is walking under the tree. You can take it… Use your own judgement!

At that moment, the bear turned back and went away, shaking its head.

The woodcutter waited for a long time. When the bear disappeared, he carefully climbed down. Then he took the bundle of brushwood and went out of the forest.

Sometimes he looked back in fear. As the danger was past, he was pleased. It seemed that he was not the same man. He struck the donkey with a whip and said smiling:

– Be quick, God damn you! You are in respect in the top circles. As soon as I told about you, everything came right in the end. I was so foolish talking nonsense to God. What could I do? I was in dangerous situation. I had never thought that the life is so sweet! I would remain empty-handed because of a worthless bear. Thanks to God, that I do not have camel or elephant. Otherwise, I would sacrifice them, too. Now, I know how it is difficult for the rich in their hour of need and painful situations. Alas! I was not afraid for myself. The world will not become empty if an ordinary woodcutter dies. I was afraid for my family. Possibly the bear did not come to that tree because of me. It was just walking there. What if the bear’s nose was itching?

The donkey opened its mouth widely and brayed. The woodcutter was surprised:

– What?… What’s the matter? I know, brother donkey, everyone promises several times in a day and breaks his word… If I held my tongue, I would cut the buck, but not a cow. And I promised to cut the cow before the ox.

The woodcutter went for a while, suddenly stopped.

– No, the cow is more important than the ox. Why did I promise to cut the cow? Cutting the cow’s head is similar to cutting the children’s heads. And Allah will punish me for it. Great Allah did not allow the Prophet to sacrifice his son. Everyone knows about it. Who made me say it? Who knew what you had? I promised to cut the buck before the cow. That was enough. Everyone knows that people sacrifice only he-sheep. If relatives and neighbors know about my promise, they will blame me. – No, this is a tradition. I will also cut the he-sheep – buck. Am I richer than the?

He struck the donkey with a whip and went home whistling. At last, he reached home:

– The kid is also not bad… Let me ask advice of my wife. Taking counsel is always useful…

He opened the door and entered the yard. Then he put the brushwood in the corner of the yard, his ax and pick to their own place. He went towards the house. At that moment the cock began to crow at the top of its voice f lapping with wings.

– Сock-a-doodle-doo!

He turned back. He looked at the cock in surprise as if he saw it for the first time. He called his wife with a loud voice:

– Hey woman! Bring me the knife! Be quick! – Then he looked at the sky and said:

– O Great Creator! I have not thought about cutting the cock. Thank you. You gave me good advice!…

TWENTY KOPECKS

(Abbasid coins)

The fellow spent the money, had been collected by his father, but he never thought how it was earned.

One day his father said:

– My son, you have grown up. Stop lounging away your time. You have to find a job and earn for your living. I have not any money to dissipate.

The fellow was obliged to find job. He was working hard all day long. His hands became thickened and hardened. Every evening he gained only twenty kopecks for his work.

The fellow valued his salary very much. He hid it in his pocket in order not to lose it. He was inpatient while going home. He examined his salary several times in his pocket. Then he took it out of his pocket and began to play with it.

When he crossed the bridge, his twenty kopecks fell into the river. He jumped into the river at once. Without stopping to think of his own safety, he plunged down to save the drowning kopeck. He swam up and down but did not find his money.

The fellow reached home tired and wet. When his mother saw him in that condition, she began to cry and beat on her knees. The fellow told her everything what happened. When she heard it, she said:

– Oh my son, is it possible to jump into the water for a penny?

Her son was surprised:

– Do you know how hard I have earned this penny?

His father asked him with earnest concentration:

– Did you think that my money was falling from the sky?

The fellow understood his fault and felt shy.

UNITY

The king got old. He used to ride horse, win the fights and occupy lands with his sword in his youth. He had boundless land, mighty army and countless riches. His glory was widespread in the world. He wished to live in peace last years of his life. But he was disturbed by the gossips about the king of the neighboring kingdom which were spread wide in the palace. The enemy was young but wise, courageous and purposeful. Progress was on his side. The old king knew very well what it meant.

It was for a long time he had entrusted the leadership of the army to his son. His son was also a brave and fearless knight. But he was a little bit frivolous and conceited man. The courtiers suggested him that he is without equal. Nobody could stand to his sword. Only he was able to deal and handle the neighboring king.