Eyvaz Zeynalov
A car-planter

WHO IS STRONGER

Father had three sons. All of them grew up. Every boy was taller, stronger and more handsome than the other one.

One day their father decided to examine their wisdom. He put his hand on elder son’s shoulder and asked:

– My son, can you tell me who is stronger – you or me?

The elder son looked at his father and said:

– Of course, dad, I am stronger than you.

Father took his hand away and asked again:

– Do think well, my son. Am I stronger or you?

His son again repeated the same answer.

Father put his hand on the shoulder of the second boy and asked:

– My son, can you tell me who is stronger – you or me?

The second son looked at his father and said:

– Of course, dad, I am stronger than you.

Father took his hand away and asked again:

Do think well, my son. Am I stronger or you?

His son again repeated the same answer.

Father said nothing and came to his younger son. He put his hand on the shoulder of the younger son and asked:

– My son, can you tell me who is stronger – you or me?

The second son looked at his father and said:

– Of course, dad, I am stronger than you.

Father took his hand away and asked again:

– Do think well, my son. Am I stronger or you?

His younger son answered without thinking long:

– Probably you are stronger, dad.

Father smiled, but did not show his joy:

– Now tell me, my son, why have you changed your mind?

– Dear dad, I was stronger because your hand was on my shoulder at first and I felt your strength as mine.

BACK FROM THE FOREST

Once my grandson asked me to take him to the forest to gather mushrooms. And I took him with me.

My grandson grew up in a big city. It was for the first time he was in the forest. Everything was new and interesting for him there. He stopped in every step, looked around, listened to the whispering of leaves, twinkling of birds and asked many questions. We gathered many mushrooms. I was secretly looking at my grandson. He was very tired. He did not complain but was barely able to drag his feet. He did not ask questions any more.

Suddenly he asked:

– Granddad, what kind of trees are these?

It seemed he saw those trees just at that moment.

– They are pine-trees – I answered.

I thought he was going to ask again. But he was going quietly hanging his head. There was only one tree on our way. It was a huge tree with lots of branches. We sat under its shadow to have a rest. My grandson asked again:

– What is this tree, Granddad?

– This is a pine-tree. – I said. – Don’t you know it?

– Really? – He looked at me doubtfully.

– Why do you ask?

– It does not look like a pine-tree.

– Why?

– The pine-trees are high and straight in the forest. But this one has wide branches.

I liked my grandson’s ability of observation:

– You are very attentive – I said. – The pine-trees grow very closely in the forest. They have to rise higher in order to reach the sun. This is their struggle for life. Have you seen branches in down part of the tree, which dried in the shadow? Sometimes you have to sacrifice something in order to remain alive. But there is much space, fresh air and sunlight here.

My grandson asked without thinking:

– As city and village?

– What do you mean? – I did not understand anything.

My grandson explained:

– Look here, granddad. The skyscrapers were built very closely to each other in the city. They are as high as pine-trees in the forest. They always try to rise higher to the sky. But villages have much space and the houses are not high here.

THE FRIENDS OF THE NATURE

It was early spring. The school-garden was very crowded. The schoolchildren were busy on watering trees, cutting their dried branches and cleaning irrigation ditches.

Suddenly the pupil of the seventh form Nadir began to boast:

– Our class is the leader in every task.

His classmates endorsed him:

– We are the real friends of the nature.

The pupils of the eighth form objected to them:

– In any case, you cannot be compared with us.

Hearing it, the other children began to object to them. All of them tried to prove that they were real friends of the nature.

The director of the school was informed about it. He consulted with teachers to solve the problem fairly. A special commission was organized. Then the director told the children:

– Don’t worry. The commission will determine the real friend of the nature in the end of the school year.

The schoolchildren began to compete after this news.

At last, the school year came to an end. The commission announced the pupils of the fifth form as winners. They awarded with new textbooks solemnly.

Most of the children did not expect such a decision. That was why the director had to give explanation:

– Children, it is fact that the pupils of the fifth form planted less trees than other classes. But they protected their textbooks better than others. So the pupils of the next fifth form will be able to use their books easily in a new school year. To take care of books means to take care of trees, to protect the nature and to be the true friend of the nature. Publishing of these books needs much paper. The paper is get by the destruction of trees and forests.

The children had never thought about it.

AZER’S SPARROWS

It was early spring. The breath of spring spread everywhere. The people wore their light clothes. Everywhere was green and trees blossomed.

Azer was playing under the big mulberry tree all day long. He had a cap all winter on his head. Every time he threw his cap higher and higher. Next time when he threw it, the cap did not fall down. He looked up in surprise. His cap hung on the branch of the tree.

Azer was a little boy. He could not climb up the tree. He tried to take the cap down from the tree throwing stones on the branches. But he could not.

Azer had a cat. He called the cat and showed his cap on the tree:

– Climb up and bring me the cap.

The cat climbed up the mulberry tree scratching with its claws the trunk of the tree full of cracks. But the cat was afraid of approaching the cap. The branch was very thin. The cat tried to touch the cap with its front paws but could not.

As the days were getting warm Azer had no need to wear the cap. That was why he forgot about it.

One day, Azer’s family had a tea – time under the mulberry tree. His father looked upwards when the twinkling of sparrows was heard in the tree. He noticed the cap among the green leaves.

– Whose is this cap?

Azer was frightened. He did not want to be reproached. But he told how the cap appeared on the tree. His father called the elder son and said:

– Climb up the tree and take the cap.

Azer’s brother climbed up the mulberry tree as quickly as a cat. When he touched the cap, a sparrow flew out of the cap. The sparrow began to twitter with targeting voice and fly around the cap. Another sparrow joined to it and the birds started twittering loudly together.

Azer’s brother was at a loss:

– Daddy, sparrows nestled in the cap. They laid eggs in it.

– Don’t touch then. Come down. – His father said.

Not long after the twittering of nestlings with yellow beaks spread over the garden. Azer was looking at them untiringly.

One day, Azer heard the loud noise of sparrows. He came to the tree quickly and saw his cat on the tree near the nest of the sparrows. The cat stared at the nestlings with watering mouth. But the cat could not approach the nestlings as parent sparrows tried to push it with their beaks, making loud noise.

– Heyy… Mastan, what are you doing there? – Azer shouted in excitement. – Come down! Be quick!

The cat obeyed unwillingly and did not approach nestlings any more.

The nestlings had wings very soon. The parent sparrows taught them to fly.

Azer showed them to children and said proudly:

– They are my sparrows!

WHAT DO FISH WANT?

Rustam and Aydin were in the third form.

Once they passed by the pet shop. They entered the shop as soon as they saw parrots in the cage through the window. There were different types of birds in the pet shop. But the multicolored fish in the aquarium attracted their attention much more. The fish were moving with their tails and swimming by the help of their flippers so fast that the children looked at them with great interest.

In the evening Rustam told his father about the fish which he saw in the pet shop with his friend Aydin:

– Dad, buy aquarium and fish for me.

Father fulfilled his dream. Aydin also asked his father about it.

Some days passed since that day. Aydin came to Rustam after lessons. He looked at the fish in the aquarium, which was in the corridor. He took some feed from the bowl and poured into the water. But the fish did not touch it. Aydin asked:

– Your fish do not need feed.

– I have just fed them.

Aydin said:

– But my fish are very insatiable ones. They are eating whole day, but do not satiate.

– Don’t pamper them. Otherwise, they will not be able to move.

– What can I do? They want to eat. They look at me with open mouth.

Friends came to Aydin’s house. His fish were swimming over the water with open mouth. Sometimes they rose their heads out of the water, as they wanted to eat. There was enough feed in the aquarium. But the water was very dirty. It became dirtier when fish moved quickly. Aydin showed the fish and said:

– Do you see how insatiable they are?…

When he wanted to take feed for them, Rustam said:

– Wait a little! Don’t you really know what your fish want?

Aydin looked at his friend in surprise:

– Of course, feed…

Rustam shook his head:

– No, they do not need feeding.

– What do they want then?

– Bring the textbook “Nature science” to me.

Aydin brought the book. Rustam looked for the unit dedicated to fish and found it. There was such a note there: while remaining in the aquarium for a long time the water becomes dirty and oxygen decreases in the structure of water. The breathing of fish becomes hard. That’s why they rise over the water to breath easily.

– Why have you forgotten this fact so fast? We had this lesson a week ago. – Rustam reproached his friend.

Aydin blushed with shame. He did not learn that lesson a week ago.

BOZLAR

We were the quests in Ashgabad at a young, famous talented Turkman artist by name Nuryaghdi. I cannot forget the portrait of a dog even today, which I saw in his workshop. That portrait, painted with oil on a big canvas, was hung in the center of the workshop. The long-wooled grey dog with cut off ears, had been created by the artist masterly, was staring at the door with its black extraordinarily expressive eyes. It seemed that the dog tried to assess the visitor with its big clever eyes if a newcomer was a friend or an enemy.

Later I saw the dog’s photo on the wall of Nuryaghdi’s house. I had read much and seen many films about dogs. I had also heard much about monuments, erected to the honor of dogs. They gained this respect with devotion to their owners. I wondered, for which services did that dog become favorite one of the family?!

I looked around but could not see the dog there. At last, I had to ask Nuryaghdi pointing on the picture:

– Is this your dog?

He looked attentively at the painting as if he saw it for the first time and said:

– It was our dog. It died two years ago. By the way, it was my savior.

At that moment, the old, thin, round-shouldered man appeared at the door. He had rare short white beard. He had a striped aragchin (national cap with ornamental embroidery) on his head. There was a smile in his Asian eyes.

Nuryaghdi crossed his hands on his breast and introduced me the man who greeted us.

– Let me introduce you my father. It will be better, if my father tells you about Bozlar. By the way, he is the only eyewitness of that accident who remained alive. The old man told us an accident:

– “I remember that accident as if it happened today. We lived in the suburb, far from the center of the city. There was a holiday in our old tumble-down patrimonial hut. Our first child – my son was born that day. This very unfortunate Nuryaghdi. Our nearest and dearest had just gone away when it was getting dark. Suddenly my wife rushed in horrified. She was weeping, beating her knees and tearing her hair:

– Oh, man, the stones fell upon us, the stones fell upon us…

To say the truth, I did not understand anything. What did she want to say? We had just said good-bye to our quests and returned home joyfully. I got angry and shouted at my wife:

– Damn it, woman! What is the matter? Speak quietly!

My wife was trembling and weeping:

– The child disappeared from his cradle.

I felt dull ache on my head hearing it:

– What do you say, woman? Аre you out of your mind?

I ran into the room. The cradle was empty. We were looking for the child everywhere, but could not find him. I was at loss. Had the child been stolen? It was impossible. Nobody was able to come nearer our house because of the fear of Bozlar. Even birds did not fly over the house. Bozlar was very keen-nosed dog. I believed Bozlar as I believed myself. I always entrusted Bozlar with our life. If not, did I keep it in the yard and feed?

But at that moment it was evident that I should not have trusted it. How did it happen that the child had been stolen, when there were so many people at home but Bozlar was not aware of it?

I immediately called Bozlar. As soon as the dog heard my voice, it hurried to me shaking with tail. The dog was out of breath. Bozlar was excited for some reason. The dog did not keep eyes from the hill in front of our house. It laid under my feet and whined. I was out of my mind to understand the dog’s strange actions and perlexed look.

I took Bozlar to the room and showed the empty cradle of my son imitating the baby’s crying. Then I ordered Bozlar:

– Look for, Bozlar, look for the baby and find him. Be quick!..

Bozlar was not well-groomed, hand-reared domestic animal. It never entered the house through the threshold. I made a little dog-hole for Bozlar in the yard and the dog lived there. But it was very clever dog. It was sensitive dog and always devoured my every word.

Bozlar began to run barking and I followed the dog. I found the baby on the hill, which was in front of our house. He was safe and sound. He was in deep sleep. I thought that someone wanted to steal the child but could not, because Bozlar noticed and prevented.

It was very strange. When I was going to take the baby home, Bozlar again began barking and whining. The dog prevented me to move getting under my feet. I thought that Bozlar was showing its joy.

My wife met us in the path with tears of happiness on her eyes. She embraced the baby kissing and caressing.

Bozlar did the same with my wife getting under her feet. The dog did not let her move.

I was so foolish thinking that someone stole my baby. Who could do it? I did not remember that I had any enemy. I did never do harm to anybody. Doubt began to creep in, as I had no idea.

Not long after the baby disappeared again. I went out just to make sure. Darkness was creeping up when I noticed the silhouette crawling to the hill. That was Bozlar. The dog was carrying my son Nuryaghdi in its mouth. I was surprised. What was the matter? Why did the dog carry the baby to the hill? For what purpose the dog that had never entered the house, that day carried the baby from home?..

When I took the baby away from Bozlar, the dog again prevented me getting under my feet and barking. It did not openly let me take the baby home. The dog was fussing about something, smelling the air and howling loudly. But I didn't know what all the fuss was about!

I thought that the poor dog run amuck. If so, I would be able to kill it. I kicked the poor thing a little bit and tied with cord to the pillar. The dog could not get calm. It was digging the ground. I was horrified because of Bozlar’s terrible howling. We could not sleep turning to the left and right. At last, my wife said:

– Man, go and set the dog free from cord. It will let neither us nor neighbors sleep till the morning.

I got up grumbling:

– Bad dog! I’ll show you!…

The dog did not let me approach. I was going to beat it with a spade but felt sorry for poor animal. At last, I took it to the dog-hole with kind words and closed the door, which I had made of reed. I put a big pillar behind the door in order the dog could not open it.

Bozlar was angry with me but I did not pay attention to it. To tell the truth, I was in a bad mood. I went to bed but the dog did not stop howling.

Suddenly I opened my eyes by the stab of pain. The big log had fallen on my head. My hand became bloody when I touched my head. My head was badly wounded. At that moment, I felt that someone was pulling my shirt. That was Bozlar. The dog tried to help me to stand up. My wife was moaning under the logs near to us. There was shouting for help everywhere. At first, I did not understand anything. I came to myself, threw the logs aside and stood up.

Our house was thrown down. We were remained alive thankful to the iron heads of the beds. I helped my wife to draw herself up. She was still moaning. She forgot about her pain as soon as she remembered her baby. She began to shout and cry. I turned the house upside down but could not find the child. Bozlar, was still observing me, suddenly understood that we were looking for something. It whined and ran away towards the hill. It was calmed down.

My son was in deep sleep on the hill unaware of the world.

His swaddling bands were in blood. That was the place of dog’s mouth and teeth. I ran towards Bozlar. The dog’s mouth was full of blood.

When I turned back, I was horrified seeing our housing estate ruined. All houses destroyed. The well-known Ashgabad earthquake ruined our housing estate. There was a slum on its place.

It turned out Bozlar knew about that terrible disaster in advance.

When the dog wanted to open the door it gnawed the reed which cut its mouth, entered the house through the opened window. Then Bozlar took the baby from the cradle and carried him to the hill.

SALTY WATER

Zaur’s father used to go to the nearest lake in for fishing at weekends. Once he took Zaur with himself.

They made tent on the bank of the lake. Father was fishing and Zaur was walking around. There was a little river near the lake. It was flowing into the lake. Everything was new and interesting for Zaur there.

In the afternoon, they made a bonfire to cook fish soup. Father gave him a bucket to bring water.

Zaur walked down along the river. He thought that there was much water in the lake.

Father wanted to drink a glass of water before making soup. When he wanted to drink, he coughed.

– Where have you brought water from, sonny?

– From the lake. – Zaur answered.

Father shook his head and said:

– It is my fault. I had to tell you know beforehand about it. You had to bring water from the river.

Zaur was surprised:

– What is the difference? Water is water everywhere …

– There is a great difference, sonny. The water of the lake is salty. It is impossible to drink it.

Zaur did not believe his father. He tasted the water. It was really, salty. He was interested and asked his father:

– Why is the water of the lake salty, dad?

– Because, the lake water evaporates for centuries but the salt in the composition of water remains. It makes the water of the lake salty.

– Are all the lakes salty, dad?

– No, my son. There are many lakes with drinkable water. But they have flowing water. It means that the rivers, which flow into the lake, bring salt with them. But the rivers, springing from lake, carry the salt with them. This lake does not have flow.

– And what about seas and oceans?

– There is much salt in the water of seas and oceans.

Father poured the water out of the bucket. When he wanted to walk down for bringing water, Zaur prevented:

– Let me bring water, dad.

He took the buckets and ran to the river.

CONFESSION

I had just returned from work. I was lying on the sofa and having rest after dinner. My little daughter carefully approached and began walking around me. I grasped that she wanted to say me something.

– Can I massage your knees, dad? –She started to massage my knee without waiting my answer. I sometimes massaged my knees because of pain in them.

I knew that she used trickery. She was going to ask me something.

– Dad, why do they make such bad pens?..

Now everything was clear to me.

– Which pens, my girl?.. – I asked.

– The pens which you write with.

– I wonder how do they make them?

– So-so… – She drew her voice.

– But how?..

As she saw that my patience gave out, she said:

– They break down while touching them.

I understood that she did something bad. That was why she was going to give advance notice me.

– Which pen is it? Which part of the pen have you broken?

– The back of it.

– Bring it me.

I was not mistaken. That was my pen. She had taken it from my writing-table.

– Do you see, dad? How badly it was made!

The little girl was trying to deny her guilt.

– Why did you yake it without permission, daughter?..

– So what? Must it break?

I was about to lose my temper.İ could restrain my anger in time. What did it mean? It had already happened. And nobody was guilty in it. Neither those who made this pen nor my little daughter. I was so engaged in my work and I could not notice that my daughter had already grown up. She was already interested in paper and pen. What is wrong here? It meant that I would not forbid her taking pens without permission. I had to teach her using pen and paper correctly.

– You are right, my girl, – I said. This pen was not made very well. I’ll give you the new one. It will never break.

– Really?..– My daughter was glad to hear it.

– Of course!..

– Do you know, dad, I did not want it to break off.

My little daughter repented very much. That was a kind of confession in her mind.

– I believe you. – I said. – You will be more careful after this.

– All right, dad! – She jumped and embraced me. – You are the best father!..

I was deeply moved by her action. I did not absolutely feel sorry for broken pen.

AN ELEPHANT OR AN ANT?

Elnur was going back home with his little brother Elmir from the Zoo. His brother asked him on the way:

– Elnur, I wonder, the elephant is stronger or the ant?

– Even babies know this!.. – Elnur laughed ironically.

– Then tell me, which of them is stronger, tell me! – Elmir insisted.

– Of course, an elephant! Didn’t you see, how huge is it?! – Elnur said with assurance.

– No, you are not right!.. – Elmir objected to him.

Elnur stopped:

– What? Do you think that the ant is striong?..

– Of course, the ant is!.. – Elmir said.– Don’t you know it?

Elnur got angry and gave a slap on his brother’s head.

– Are you out of your mind? How can you compare such a huge animal with the little ant? Do you know how the elephant is strong? It can uproot even big trees in the forests with its trunk. But the ant cannot carry even the little grain.

– I say that the ant is stronger than elephant!-Elmir insisted on his mind.

Elnur flew into a rage:

– But the ant is not even the size of an elephant’s claw!

– So what? The case is not in size!..

– Well, in what is the case then?..

– I don’t know. – Elmir could not explain him the reason. – But dad always says so.

– What does dad say?..

– He says that the ant is stronger than the elephant.

– Do you believe him? He thinks that you are naive.

– No, he was serious.

– What makes you think so?

– Don’t you believe me? Ask Gulnar… – Gulnar was their elder sister. – She heard when daddy said it.

Elnur faltered for a while. He knew that his father was always right. If his father said… Elnur did not want to give up so easily.

– We shall clear it up!

In the evening when their father came home from work the boys came up to him. Elnur nudged his brother. He was afraid that his father would think he was so illiterate though he was in the third form and did not know which animal was stronger.

But Elmir was not ashamed:

– Daddy, is the elephant stronger or the ant?

Father said:

– My dear boys, of course, an elephant is the strongest animal in the world…

– You see, I was right! – Elnur said to his brother joyfully…

– But there is something else… – their father added smiling, – If an elephant weighing five tons can barely lift a load weighing a ton and a half load, an ant weighing fif ty milligrams can easily carry a dead worm weighing five hundred milligrams. This is ten times more than the ant’s weight. And this approach reveals that the ant is stronger than the elephant.

EXPERIENCE OF LIFE

Asker’s grandfather was more than eighty years old. He was said: “He had seen the whole world”! .. But he was aware of everything though he was illiterate man and could not read and write. Even the knowledgeable people of the village came to him for advice.

Asgar did not need to go anywhere for advice. His grandfather was always near him. His grandfather always told him when they watered the trees in the garden: “My son, the soil has its own invisible veins. If you want to see the use of water for trees, you have to break the veins of the ground, spade the bottom of the trees and fill them with water. Othervise the water will evaporate quickly”.

Sometimes Asgar slept under the walnut tree when it was getting dark. His grandfather shook and woke him at once:

– Sonny, you must not sleep under the walnut tree when it is getting dark.

– Why, granddad? – Asger asked him in surprise.

– Because the walnut tree receives oxygen like a human and release carbon in the evening. Breathing becomes difficult for the man who sleeps under walnut tree.

Asgar’s grandfather was such a wise man. He knew much more about nature. Sometimes looking at the hens and chickens under the attic and the sparrows rummaged in the dust, he said: “It is going to rain soon!..” And it really rained every time. Sometimes looking at the twittering birds around, he said: “The weather will be fine today!” And it really became fine…

One day the teacher showed an interesting practical lesson on nature study. Asgar decided to examine his grandfather’s knowledge with it.

He took a candle and burnt it. He put it on the floor near the open door. The trembling f lame of the candle tilted to the inside. Asger showed it his grandfather and said as his teacher did it:

– Granddad, look and remember it very well.

– I see, my son. – Grandfather smiled a little.

Asger climbed up the chair. This time he rose the burning candle high.

– Granddad, in which direction is the flame tilting?..

Asgar thought that he was going to astonish his grandfather.

– It is tilting to the outside.

This time Asger asked as his teacher:

– Can you explain the reason, granddad?

– I can, my sonny, I can, – Grandfather stroked his mustache with his hand and smiled cunningly. – İt was all the matter of the air. The stream of the cold air from outside is heavy and it enters the room from below. That’s why it tilts the flame when the candle is on the floor. But the hot air inside the room is light and that’s why it goes out from above. When you rise the candle, the hot air tilts its flame to the outside. Am I right, my son?..

– Wow! Yes, you are! – Asgar was surprised. – Granddad, but you said that you did not go to school!..

– Of course, I never went to school!..

– But how do you know all about it?

– I have learnt all these things from life. The life itself is a school for people – for those who give much attention to it.

TWO SOCKS

Every day when I came home from work, I lied down on the sofa and called my little daughter to me.

– Where are you, my girl?

– I am coming, daddy. – She immediately ran to me wherever she was.

I stretched my legs and she took off my socks with great effort in order to let my feet have a rest. Then she asked me:

– Well, daddy, can your feet breath well now?

– Yes, my dear, thank you very much! May your hands be healthy!

– May your feet be healthy,too!

My daughter finished her work, but did not go away. I knew what she wanted , but İ asked her just to make sure:

– What are you waiting for, dear?

– Don’t you give me my one manat, daddy? – She asked.

– Your manat? – I asked as if İ did not understand her question.

– I am waiting for that what you have to give me. Do you think I take off your socks free of charge?

I jokingly agreed with her from the very beginning. She had to take off my socks every day after work and I had to give her one manat for it. She was going to buy a notebook for her with collected money.

One day I gave my daughter money but she did not go away.

– What are you waiting for now, my dear? – I asked her.

– Daddy, don’t your feet feel cold with a pair of socks? It is very cold in winter.

I thought how this little girl took care of me. I was touched with her words.

– Sometimes they feel cold, my clever daughter.– I said and embraced her.

– Daddy, why don’t you put on two socks together?

– Do you think it will be better for my feet?

– Of course, daddy. Your feet will not feel cold then. – My daughter was happy that I believed her words.

I sleeked down her hair and said:

– Then I will put on two socks tomorrow, my dear.

– All right, daddy, you will. – She smiled cunningly. And don’t forget my two manats.

– Two manats? Why? – I was surprised.

– Since tomorrow I will take off two pair of your socks, daddy. That’s why you will have to give me two manats instead of one.

I DO NOT WANT YOU TO GET OLD

Mother came from market. She took the old mincing machine and put it on the kitchen table in order to mince the meat. Tural and Aytan who were playing long ago in the room came to the kitchen. Mother asked:

– What is the matter? Why do you come to the kitchen?

– We are looking at you, – Tural said.

– We are looking at you, – Aytan repeated her brother’s words as a parrot.

Tural was older than Aytan. He was five years old. Ay-tan was three.

– It will be good if you go and play with your toys. You have nothing to do here.

The children stepped aside, but did not leave the kitchen. The mincing machine was wrong. Mother often opened and cleaned it, controlling the mincing meat. Sometimes she made effort and stopped for a while as the blade of the mincing machine was wrong. The next time when mother stopped, Tural said kindly:

– Mom, let me help you.

– Mom, let me help you. – Aytan again repeated her brother’s words.

– How do you want to help me? – Mother said. – It will be good if you don’t go round me.

The children were offended.

– Mom, we are not going round you.

– Don’t you see I am busy with this machine?!

– Tell dad to buy a new mincing machine for you. The electric one. Tural said.

– As my aunt’s electric machine!.. – Aytan added.

– I have said. But your dad says that he has no money.

– Mom, I will grow very soon and buy it for you. – Tural said with the manner of a young man.

Mother smiled.

– Oh, my son, I will be very old when you grow up.

– As my granny?.. – Aytan asked.

– Yes, as your granny!

Aytan did not know what to say. So, she turned to her brother in order to learn his opinion.

Tural was embarrassed. He was thinking something. Suddenly he rose his head and said:

– Then I don’t want to grow up very soon, mom!

– Why, my son?

– I don’t want you to get old. – He said it so seriously as if he was going to cry.

– I will be old granny, my son! What ‘s wrong with that?..

– We have already had granny, mom. – Aytan said outpacing her brother this time.

– She is right, mom! – Tural affirmed his sister’s words.

Mother almost burst into tears and hugged her children.

WHAT WAS THE MAGPIE LOOKING FOR?

The cattle, sheep and lambs were grazing in the field. Father was lying on his felt cloak on the grass. He had been watching his son İlgar out of the corner of his eye.

Ilgar was collecting flowers and running after the butterflies in the field. Suddenly he stopped as soon as he saw the magpie on the back of the black cow.The motley magpie was jumping up and down and pecking something on the cow’s back. Then it flew away and disappeared in the sky. Not long after the magpie appeared again. This time the bird perched on the other cow’s back and began to look for something. It flew away again. But Ilgar did not know what the magpie carried in its beak.

The third time when the magpie appeared in the field Il-gar threw the bunch of the flower to the bird and whistled. He wanted to frighten the bird. But the magpie was busy in pecking. The bird paid no attention to him.

Ilgar got angry. He run after the magpie. The bird took no heed to him as if he was playing with it. When Ilgar approached the magpie it flew and sat on the back of other cows and sheep.

Ilgar’s father was watching them and smiling secretly. At last he saw that his son would frighten the cattle, so he called him:

– Ilgar!…

– What’s the matter, dad?! – Ilgar stopped and looked at his father screwing his eyes.

– Don’t torment the magpie, sonny!

– But it is pecking and hurting the cows.

– It does not hurt the cattle. The magpie is looking for another thing on cows’ bodies.

– What is it looking for? – Ilgar asked coming nearer to his father slowly.

– The magpie is looking for wool and hair on their bodies.

İlgar was surprised:

– Wool and hair? Why would the bird do that?

– The birds need it. They know that animals shed hair in spring. So, they carry their wool and hair to their nests for making them warmer. They also like warm and comfortable place for sleeping.

Everything was clear to Ilgar now.

THE BEETLE AND APPLE SAPWOOD

The beetles and other insects were flying, running and fussing around in order to collect food for the winter. Even the activation of dung beetles, known among people as the “weather information bureau”, was the best guarantee that the weather would be pleasant in the near future. The small soft balls made of manure were heavier and bigger than the beetles themselves. It was very difficult for beetles to pull those heavy balls out of the endless pits, lift them upward slopes, roll them from dung- hills, throw them over various stones and clods, all kinds of brushwood and at last take them to the holes. But all these difficulties did not cause them to loss courage. The most dangerous thing for them was their meeting with beetles, in other words, unexpected attacks of the pirates. The robbed ones returned and repeated the same thing again. The manure balls were very important for beetles. The baby beetles, born in the fetus, which were put by mother beetles inside the manure balls, could be fed from the first days of their lives.

Suddenly one of the branches of the apple-tree shook and a big apple fell down with a thud. The apple hurt its f lank. İt started to moan. The apple rolled and stopped near the beetles. The white thin apple sapwood went out of the apple. It turned head and saw the beetles around.

– Hey! Who are you? What are you doing there? – The white thin apple sapwood asked them with a low tender voice.

Mother beetles knew apple sapwood very well. That was why they paid no attention to it. But the baby beetle which was interested in everything, asked the apple sapwood with astonishment:

– Can I come and see you, baby? – The baby beetle quickly flew to it without waiting for reply.

– Wow! You have wings! – The apple sapwood said with astonishment.

– Of course! – The baby beetle boasted.

– Ugh! How badly you smell! – The apple sapwood rumpled its face.

– You will also smell badly if you live inside the manure briquette!.. – The baby beetle justified itself.

– There are so many beautiful trees in the garden. Why do you rummage in the manure briquette with such horrible smell?..

– My mother says that manure briquette is our fate. We cannot live another life.

– You are a crazy one! Your mother deceives you! – The apple sapwood laughed.

– It means that I can also live inside this apple as you?..

– Of course! – The apple sapwood said. – It depends just on your will.

At that moment, the gardener stopped as soon as he saw the big red apple on the grass. The baby beetle ran away immediately. The apple sapwood hid inside the hole on the red apple. The gardener picked the apple, cleaned it and went away.

The baby beetle came to its mother in a bad mood.

– Stop idleness! – Mother beetle cried.

– Mom,how long are we going to rummage in the manure briquette?.. – The baby beetle murmured.

– What can we do, my darling?! – Mother was surprised.

– Look around! There are so many beautiful fragrant plants and trees in the garden. Are we worse than the rest ones?

Mother beetle understood that the apple sapwоod had already filled its head with nonsense.

– Don’t pay attention to everything, my dear. You know nothing about this world yet. I had also much dream when I was young… – Mother said.

But the baby beetle did not remember mother’s words at all…

THE RABBIT STUBBORNNESS

The lion commissioned the rabbit to rule over the forest when he went somewhere. The rabbit was embittered on the wolf.

As soon as the rabbit seized power, she convened meeting and gathered animals together on the pretext of a serious event. Suddenly she looked at the wolf sourly and asked:

– Where is your cap?..

The wolf was surprised. He looked at the rabbit and asked:

– What cap, sister rabbit? What do you mean?..

The rabbit:

– I shall show you now what cap I ask!..

The rabbit suddenly jumped over the wolf. She started to kick and beat the wolf heartily.

The next morning the rabbit called all animals again. She again called the wolf and asked:

– Tell me, where is your cap?..

The wolf again had a blank look at the rabbit. He did not know what to say. The rabbit began to shout loudly:

– I ask you where is your cap!..

The wolf remembered the yesterday’s blows and began to toady upon the rabbit:

– Oh! What do you say, dear sister rabbit? I have never had a cap on my head!..

The rabbit shivered with rage and again began to kick and beat the wolf in front of everyone.

It was repeated for some days. At last the lion returned the forest. The wolf complained to the lion about the rabbits

– Your majesty! You know that I have never had a cap at all. What is the matter? What does the rabbit want from me?..

The lion was surprised hearing the wolf’s complaint. He called the rabbit and asked her:

– What is the matter, sister rabbit?

The rabbit admitted the truth when they were alone together:

Your majesty! I was embittered by the wolf very much. I did not know how to take vengeance on him. And I found a pretext for it.

The lion approved the rabbit’s idea. He howled with laughter:

– Remember it, the next time you will ask him another thing.

– What?.. – The rabbit asked.

– Ask him to bring a bowl of water for you… If he brings hot water, you will say that you wanted the cold one. If he brings cold water then you will say you wanted the hot one.

The next time when the lion was apsent the rabbit did the same thing what the lion advised her. She called the wolf and sent him for water in front of the animals.

She drank the water and got angry:

– What is this? I asked you to bring hot water for me.

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.