What happened to Mom’s Gift?

Rida and Hiba were very excited. It was their mother’s birthday on Monday and they had chosen a perfect gift for her.

Their mother loved gardening so the twins decided to buy a beautiful potted plant for her from a plants' nursery. It had beautiful yellow flowers that were tinged with pink
and very bright green leaves. They were sure their mother would love it.


“Daddy, can we please buy this one?” they implored Mr. Nadeem.

“Ok! Anything you say,” said their father. “But it will be your responsibility to keep it safe and well hidden till Monday.”

The twins whooped in delight. As the nursery owner handed them the pot, Mr. Nadeem asked nervously, “Er, how are we supposed to take care of it?”

The man grinned, recognizing the family. “Your missus will know what to do.”

On their way home, they bought some pretty wrapping sheets, ribbons and a birthday card. After making sure that their mother was busy in the kitchen, they quickly transported the plant to their room and hid it behind the curtain. At night, they wrapped the potted plant in the crinkly cellophane sheets and covered it completely so that not even the pot showed.

They wondered where they could hide it so that their mother did not discover it before Monday.

“I know. Let’s hide it the store cupboard. We can put it behind the old cartons. I am sure mother will not see it there.” Hiba suggested.

So very quietly, the two young girls carried the plant to the store cupboard and hid it well. Nobody thought of watering the plant. They just treated it like any another gift package.

They quietly locked the door and put the key back, feeling very pleased with themselves.

Next day they were nervous in school. “What if mother goes to the store-room? What if she finds it?” As they were twins, they were in the same class. They kept whispering to each other until their class teacher made them sit apart.

When the school was over, they rushed home and had a sigh of relief when they found that their secret had not been discovered.

The twins longed for Monday to come. On Sunday night, they stayed up late and waited for their mother to go to bed first. As soon as the coast was clear, they quietly opened the store-room and dragged the plant outside. They placed it on the plastic mat on the dining table where their mother was sure to see it first thing in the morning. They wound the red ribbon around it and placed the card with birthday wishes.

Next morning, the twins got up early. Shouting “Happy Birthday, Mother”, they went to the dining room, where their mother was gazing at their big present in astonishment.

“Please open it quickly, Mother” said the small girls, hopping in excitement.
Mother unwrapped the cellophane sheets carefully. The girls waited for her to admire the beauty of their potted plant but to their horror, all the flowers had wilted and the glossy leaves were withered and brown.

What had happened to their plant??

Hiba burst into tears. “Mother, this was not what we bought for you. The flowers were pink and yellow and the leaves were bright and green.”

Their mother took them in her arms. “My dear, plants need plenty of sunlight and air to grow and remain healthy. How could they survive if you wrap them in sheets and let them have no air and water?”

“We squashed it in the dark store room for three whole days,” wailed Rida.

“And forgot to water it too,” cried Hiba.

They all looked at the drooping little plant and felt very sorry. The girls were disappointed that their mother’s gift was spoiled but she hugged them both all the same. She was sure that she could revive the plant with proper care and some trimming.

The girls got ready for school. They had their science class first. The teacher looked around at young eager faces and asked, “Can anyone tell me what plants need to grow well?”


Many hands shot up but it was Rida who answered, “Plants need soil, air and plenty of sunlight…

“And just the right amount of water to grow well,” added Hiba with a mischievous smile.

They both laughed and so did the teacher and the whole class when they learnt what had happened to their mother’s potted plant over the weekend.

The Worth of Education

The children of Hadipur village fell sick one by one. There had been a fair in the village recently and the sweetmeats were not fresh. After eating the mithai, the children suffered from stomach cramps, fever and diarrhea.


Umar looked at his little sister who lay sick on the charpoy with concern. His mother was fanning the little girl’s face and tried to keep the flies away. Just then there was a knock at the door of their little mud house. Umar opened the door and Mai Sakina walked in.

Mai Sakina was the village sage. Everybody was afraid of her because she claimed to possess spiritual powers. She could talk to jinns and cure people by magic. Umar did not like the dirty woman. He knew that Mai Sakina was a big fraud but the poor, illiterate people of the village held the fat woman in great esteem and contacted her for help every time a calamity struck

.
“Hoho, look at the poor girl,” said Mai Sakina, sitting on the charpoy which sagged under her weight. “She has been touched by black magic. Look how pale she is.”

“She has been vomiting all night and has fever too. She has diarrhea…”Umar said.

Mai Sakina looked at him with dislike. “Your son’s brain has been addled because of books he reads,” she told Umar’s mother.

“Now Umar, be quiet and do not interfere.”

“Mother, if we take Guriya to Dr. Ahmed, he will prescribe medicines and she will be alright but we must not waste time,” Umar argued.

“Haha! what can a doctor do in when faced with black magic. Now Razia, you must give me your silver bangles and six eggs if you wish Guriya to recover. I must work hard to drive the bad devils away,” the greedy woman said.

The poor woman took off her bangles and handed them to Mai Sakina who took off promising to send a cure later. Umar was enraged. He was a student of class nine and the first boy from their tiny village to go to high school. Almost all adults in Hadipur village were illiterate. His own father thought that his only son was wasting his time and health. The village did not have a senior school so Umar rode for five kilometers everyday on his pet donkey to a nearby town.


The hard working boy worked in the fields after school and studied his books in the light of the lantern after dark. He was determined to go to college and become a doctor. He had witnessed too many unnecessary deaths in his village due to lack of knowledge and proper medical care.

Meanwhile, Mai Sakina visited several houses and by midday, she had collected quite a few items from the simple villagers….live chicken, eggs, half sack of rice, a pair of sandals, new clothes, some jewelry, money, a box of mithai and some mutton. Every household was promised a cure for the disease.

By nightfall, there was no word from her. Umar’s mother implored her to go to Mai Sakina’s house and get the medicine for his sister. Umar did not want to go but seeing his mother’s tears, he rode his bicycle and went out. Midway, he changed his mind. He rode quickly towards the village’s dispensary and went to Dr. Ahmed for help.

Dr. Ahmad thought for a while. He knew the village people will not accept his help so he thought of a brilliant plan.

“Umar,you must do as I tell you. Nobody must know that you have not been to Sakina mai. Come on . We don’t have a minute to lose”

They went to his tiny pharmacy and worked quickly. Dr. Ahmad ripped open some oral salts sachets and told Ali to pack them into brown packets. He also crushed some other medicines and made small paper wads.

“Take these home. Tell your mother to boil water and add these when it cools. Make Guriya drink this water all night. Tell your folks these are Sakina mai’s magic potions.”

Umar went home as fast as he could. He relayed the instructions to his mother and took some magic powder to Chaudhary Sahib's and his uncle’s house as well. To his immense anger, they were all very grateful to Sakina mai and praised her skills. Umar bit his tongue and said nothing. He went home and made sure all the instructions were followed.

The children were a lot better next morning,. They were no longer dehydrated and the diarrhea was better too. The villagers gathered in the village square under the old banyan tree and thought of ways of thanking Sakina mai

Umar could bear it no longer. “Listen everyone. I did not go to Sakina mai last night. I went to Dr. Ahmad. Your children are better today because for once they have been drinking boiled water. It was Dr. Ahmad’s medicines that I gave you that saved Baloo’s life and Jamal’s and Fareed’s and our Guriya’s.

The villagers were stunned into silence. They could not believe their ears. “But she took my two hens as payment,” cried Khair Baksh.

“And a pair of leather sandals from me. She told us she’ll bring the medicines later,” added Jamoo, the cobbler.

“And half a sack of rice from me. Where’s the old rogue?” thundered Chaudhary sahib.

Suddenly everyone was very angry. In a large procession, they went to the old woman’s hut which was at some distance from the village.

They found Sakina mai on her cane bed. She was groaning and clutching her stomach. She looked at the angry crowd with a frown.

“O villagers. Help your Sakina mai. I am very ill. Tell your women to make some broth for me. And you boy, go to the doctor and bring him here. “

“Why Sakina Mai,” answered Umar, with an innocent look.” What happened to your powerful spirits? Surely they can cure you at once. Why don’t you call them? And where’s your magic powder which cures all diseases?”

“Yes, take you what you have prepared for our children. We’ll see how quickly it cures you,” added Chaudhary Sahib menacingly.

Mai Sakina had no answer. She did not want to take her own medicines which were powdered roots and dried dust. She looked at the crowd and knew her game was up. She could sense their anger and did not want to get beaten up. Just then her stomach rumbled and she moaned.

“Leave me alone. Argh. Leave me alone. Go away,” she whimpered pitifully.

“Not without my mother’s bangles, and give back all the other things you took from us, “Umar added fearlessly.

The villagers quickly stripped the hut of all their belongings. They found a large wad of money as well and took it too. Clutching their hens, vegetables, earthen pots and other things, they marched back to the village.

“What shall we do with all this money, Chaudhary Sahib?” Kareem Deen asked respectfully. It belonged to the entire village but nobody could decide his own share.

“Let your son decide. He has shown more pluck and sense than all us old folks here,” he said.

Umar thought for a while. “I know! Why not give this to our new dispensary and ask Dr. Ahmad to stock it with necessary medicines and supplies. Then our children, women and elders can have proper treatment and care when they are ill and we will never have to depend upon bad rogues like Mai Sakina for our troubles.”

Everybody agreed. They clasped Karim Deen’s hands in respect and told him what a fine son he had. Karim Deen’s eyes filled with tears of pride.

                            He finally understood the worth of his son’s education.

_________________________________________________________

Guriya: girl’s name meaning doll.
Mai : old woman
Chaudhary Sahib: village elder

I Am Not A Coward

“Run, run. Hide quickly, He’s coming! “ 

“What’s wrong, Faraz?” Zaheer asked one of the younger kids. “Why is everyone running away?” 

It was evening time and the children were outside playing in the street. Some rode their bicycles while others played cricket or basketball. Zaheer was new to the neighborhood. He was a well-mannered boy and made friends quickly.

“It’s Mali Chiragh Deen,” replied Faraz. “Babar has spoiled the flowerbed of Colonel Hamid’s garden again. Mali Chiragh Deen is going to be very angry. Better hide quickly!” Faraz shouted as he disappeared into his own house.

Zaheer watched as an old man in his sixties cycled over. His face was purple with rage and as soon as he saw Zaheer, he made a beeline for him.

“You mischievous little monkey! How dare you spoil my hard work?” 

He caught hold of Zaheer’s collar and shook him hard.

“But I did not do anything, Mali Baba,” said Zaheer trying to extricate himself from Chiragh Deen’s clutches, but the old gardener was beside himself with fury. He shook Zaheer once more before letting him go and, muttering angrily under his breath, went to do his chores. 

Chiragh Deen took great pride in his work. Every garden in the neighborhood was beautifully cultivated with neatly pruned hedges and blossoming flowerbeds. Chiragh Deen mowed and watered the grass regularly and no weeds were allowed to grow. All the gardens bore testimony to his skill and hard work. If only the young rascals would leave him alone!!

Seeing that the coast was clear, the children came out once again. Amongst them was Babar who simply loved to tease the old man. Sometimes he would hide his gardening tools or wreck the flowerbeds. He had even cut the old gardener’s watering hose in half. 

Babar was a bit of a bully and no one liked to get on his wrong side. So whenever he started one prank or the other, the other boys usually followed suit. Sometimes one of the boys would keep a look-out while the others punctured Chiragh Deen’s bicycle. No wonder Mali Chiragh Deen viewed them all as rude, ill-mannered boys. 

Babar grinned broadly at Zaheer’s discomfort and embarrassment. “Shook you well enough, didn't he? Why didn't you kick him and run away?”

Zaheer was shocked at Babar’s casual tone. “I can’t kick an old man. And why did you trash the flowerbed? “

 “Just for fun.” Babar shrugged his shoulders. “He’s such a mean old man.  Always shouting at us as if he owns the whole neighborhood. So we make him pay. Would you like us to puncture his bike as revenge for what he did to you?”

“I think it was wrong of you to destroy the flowerbeds. He is an old man working for his living…..” Zaheer’s words were cut short by Babar’s malicious smirk. 

“You’re saying this because you are a coward,” said Babar, “You are afraid of old Mali Chiragh Deen.”

His words stung Zaheer. “No, I am not afraid of him. I just think it’s unfair…,” he started rather hotly.

“Then prove it. You must steal his new shears. If you steal them, I will take back my words and if you don’t, the whole neighborhood will know that you are a coward,” Babar taunted.

There was silence around them. Young kids were listening intently. Zaheer felt the pressure to prove himself. 

“All right,” he agreed. “Tomorrow when Mali Chiragh Deen comes for work, I will take his shears and you will have to apologize for your words.”

Next day, there was a buzz among the children. Some were amazed by Zaheer’s courage and some doubted his ability to go through the whole thing. When Zaheer came out of his house around 5 o’clock, everyone was watching him. 

He noticed Mali Chiragh Deen’s bicycle outside Colonel Hamid’s house. He strolled towards it casually, feeling a dozen pairs of eyes watching his every move. His heart started beating a little faster. What if I get caught? Surely Mali Chiragh Deen would give him a sound thrashing. What if he complains to my father? 

Zaheer felt sick with apprehension. In his heart he knew what he was about to do was wrong and mean. He wished he had not fallen prey to Babar’s taunts. But now it was too late. With everyone watching his every move, he was determined to prove that he was not a coward,

When Zaheer reached the gate, the gardener was rolling out his prayer mat. Mali Chiragh Deen started his Asr prayers and Zaheer noticed that his tool satchel was lying next to his mat. What a stroke of good fortune! He could now pinch the shears easily and get out before Chiragh Deen could do anything. 

This challenge was going to be a piece of cake!

As Zaheer bent down to open the satchel, he noticed Chiragh Deen’s wrinkled hands. Years of hard labour had left his fingers calloused and stained. He noticed the furrows in the old man’s cheeks where sweat mingled with his white beard. 

He suddenly felt extremely ashamed of himself. What kind of courage was it to steal from an old, defenseless man? What am I trying to prove here? Will I become a hero if I steal tools from a man who is busy praying? He turned round and started walking towards where Babar was hiding. 

“I won’t do it Babar,” he said loudly. “And what’s more I won’t let you do it either.”

Babar and the other boys emerged from behind a tree. “We knew you are a coward, Zaheer. Let me show you how it is done. “

As Babar darted forward, Zaheer caught hold of his arm. “I said I won’t let you do it either. You better leave the old man alone if you know what is best for you.”

Something in Zaheer’s voice made Babar afraid. He noticed a steely determination in Zaheer’s eyes. Like all bullies, he was really a coward at heart. He licked his lips and looked at his friends. None of them wanted to pick a fight.

“Stealing does not make you brave, Babar. It makes you a thief. It is playing mischief with a person who cannot hit back that makes you a coward.” Zaheer spoke again. 

Shame-faced Babar turned away. He knew Zaheer was right.

Faraz was still hanging around. “Wow! Zaheer. It was really brave of you to stand up to Babar like that, and you did it for Mali Chiragh Deen who was especially hard on you yesterday,” he said with admiration.

“Come on, I’ll show you my new video game.” He tugged at Zaheer’s hand. 

It wasn’t Faraz alone but from that day on, the other boys too viewed Zaheer with new respect.

Story Time for Kids: A collection of short stories for children

A delightful collection of short stories for children with memorable characters, witty plots and unexpected endings. 

It is a lot of fun to read about James and his adventures in his uncle's time machine, how Billy the big bad bully gets his just desserts and how the ultra-cool young Detective George Krevis gets rid of the monsters for his feisty client. 

It is easy to see that the young author is heavily influenced by British authors like Enid Blyton and J.K Rowling and her stories are cheerful, uplifting and a joy to read! 

This book would make a lovely addition to your children's library if they like to read short stories featuring brave protagonists and exciting adventures!

Product Details

Paperback: 90 pages

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 2 edition (March 12, 2014)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1497324947

ISBN-13: 978-1497324947

Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 0.2 x 9.2 inches

Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces

Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars

My Very Best Friend

Fawad tip-toed stealthily down the stairs. He was in a hurry to go out but he did not want to alert anyone.

“Fawad, my son, would you come here for a minute?”

Fawad paused at the bottom of the marble stairs and groaned as he heard his grandfather’s voice. He had been hoping to get out of the house undetected. He dragged his feet reluctantly towards his grandfather’s room.

“Yes, grandpa. What is it?” he asked a little impatiently.

“If you are free this evening, I thought we could go to the park together?” asked his grandfather.

“Sorry, Grandpa. I am going to Bilal’s place to study for my math test. I’ll be home late.” The lies came easily to Fawad as he sought a way to avoid his grandfather’s queries.

“Oh! All right then, ” his grandfather blessed him as he watched his only grandson depart.

Mr. Habib was almost seventy. His son and daughter-in-law were both doctors and led very busy lives. He had all the material comforts of life but he wished that his family had more time for him. His only grandson Fawad was also busy with school studies. In the evening, Fawad usually went out to play with his friends leaving the old man alone with their servant Kareem. Lately, Fawad had started spending a lot of time away from home. This worried Mr. Habib but Fawad was always evasive when questioned.

Fawad went out and heaved a sigh of relief. Thank goodness he would not have to spend the entire evening listening to the nostalgic memories of the old man. “Why doesn’t he leave me alone? Who wants to listen to tales of glory and valour, of wars fought and won hundreds of years ago?” he thought irritably

His mood improved when he saw Bilal at the end of the street, straddling a gleaming, blue motorcycle. The bike belonged to Bilal’s older brother who was abroad for his studies. Though he was underage, Bilal had no qualms about borrowing the bike without his parents’ consent or knowledge. He grinned devilishly when he saw Fawad.

“Got away from the old man, eh?” he asked. “Come on, let’s go.”

The two friends got on the bike and rode away. They zigzagged through traffic at neck break speed. Then Bilal started free wheeling. Before Fawad could stop him, Bilal lost control of his bike. It somersaulted in the air and Fawad fell on the concrete road with a sickening thud. He felt blood trickling down his head and sharp pain exploded in his legs and shoulders. As if in slow motion, he saw people running towards them. Shrouded in pain, he heard them shouting and then there was the siren of an approaching ambulance. Then mercifully, everything went dark and he could feel no more.

Two weeks later, he was discharged from the hospital. Although his right arm and leg were in plaster, he had sustained no lasting injuries. At home, he remained confined to his room since he could not move about much… Once his life was out of danger, his parents had given him a thunderous scold over his reckless behavior. His misery was compounded by the knowledge that Bilal who was the main culprit, had escaped the accident with a few scratches.

“Life just isn’t fair,” he thought aggressively.

His complete lack of activity and his parents’ displeasure had made Fawad very low spirited. During these trying days, it was only his grandfather who showered him with unremitting love and affection. Whenever Fawad opened his eyes, Mr.Habib was at his bedside. His anxious eyes would be filled with affection and concern but Fawad was feeling too morose and angry to appreciate his grandfather’s love. None of his friends came to visit him. He was sick of watching TV or rifling through magazines His head hurt, his shoulders ached and his legs were itchy…Life was pure hell!

One day, out of sheer boredom, he picked up the phone and called Bilal.

“Hi Bilal, I was thinking that if you are free and can come over for a visit.” he started but Bilal cut him short.

“Sorry Fawad. I am going to Ali’s house to play his new computer game. Anyway it is quite boring to visit a bedridden person. You can’t even move a joystick.. What would I do at your place?” he added rather callously.

Fawad slowly replaced the receiver. He thought of all the times he had lied to his grandfather to be with his so-called friends. He had never listened to his cautions and always rebuffed his love. Now he was thoroughly ashamed of himself. Tears of remorse and self pity sprung up in his eyes.

There was a gentle tap at the door.” Fawad, are you awake, my son?” Mr. Habib asked.

Fawad suddenly realized how difficult it must be for his grandfather to climb the stairs everyday. He was seventy and had arthritis. He brushed away his tears and tried to sit up.

“Come in, Grandpa,” he said, his voice quavering.

“I’ve asked Kareem to bring some sandwiches and tea. Meanwhile, would you like a game of Ludo? Let’s see if you can beat an old man, eh?” his grandfather chuckled.
Fawad’s spirits lifted. He could roll the dice with his left hand. As he munched his sandwiches and Kareem laid out the game, Fawad asked

“So, what are you reading nowadays, grandpa?”

Mr. Habib started talking about the book he was reading. He talked about wars and conquerors and kings and traitors. His knowledge amazed Fawad who had never paid any attention to his grandfather’s stories before. He listened to them now, mesmerized.

“Your turn, Fawad.” Mr. Habib said gently.

Fawad had not realized that it was his turn to roll the dice. He looked down.

“I am sorry, Grandpa.” He wanted to apologize for all his lies and deceit but words stuck in his throat. He was too ashamed.

“It’s all right, my son,” Mr. Habib. “Children make mistakes. It is what you learn from them that matters.”

Two months later, Fawad’s cast was removed. He was now completely fit. His grandfather smiled fondly as he heard him come down the stairs, two steps at a time.

“Are you going to Bilal’s house, Fawad?” he asked.

“No, Grandpa. I am going to the park with my best friend,” he said, putting one arm around his grandfather’s waist and taking the walking stick from Kareem.

The Kingdom of No Rules

(Dedicated to my children who often wish that rules did not exist)

“Ali! Clean your room at once! Have you seen how messy it is? And don’t you have any homework to do? Get up at once.”

Ali groaned as his mother scolded him from the doorway. He pulled a pillow over his ears and tried to dive deeper into the bed. His mother glared at him for a minute and then gave a last ultimatum.

“I am going out to buy some groceries. When I come back, your room should be clean or you can do without your computer games for one week.”

“That’s not fair, Mom,” Ali tried to argue but his mother had already left the room.

“Bah!” Ali thought angrily. “I wish I was a prince or an emperor. Then nobody could order me around. I’ll give orders and everyone would jump to fulfill them. If I had a kingdom of my own, it would have no rules and no work, only fun … “

There was suddenly a bright light and Ali blinked in amazement. His bedroom was gone. In fact he was not even in his own house. He looked around in wonder.

“Where am I?” he wondered.

He was in a strange place. There were people everywhere and music blared at full volume. Many people stood around talking and laughing. Some slept on grass while others were just sitting and doing nothing. There was a big CLOSED sign in front of the school and kids were zooming around on skateboards, bicycles and roller skates, eating ice creams. When the people saw Ali, they rushed towards him shouting:

“Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor!”

“But where am I?” Ali asked in a daze.

“You are in your kingdom, Your Highness. The Kingdom of No Rules!” they said.

“WHAT?” Ali shouted in amazement.

“Yes, Your Highness. There are no rules here. Nobody works or goes to school. We are free to do anything that we want and we have fun all the time.”

“Oh! What a marvelous place.” Ali said in delight. “I would love to live here forever.”

Ali set out to explore his new kingdom but it proved to be rather difficult. Nobody followed traffic rules. People did not bother to throw empty cans or bottles in bins and there were piles of rubbish and junk everywhere.

Ali reached his castle. He was feeling hungry so he decided to order his royal chef to prepare a pizza. He told his footman to call the chef. The footman was playing a video game and looked annoyed to be disturbed.

“The chef is not here. She is away shopping,” he said. “Nobody works in your kingdom, Your Highness. Remember?”

Ali was upset. “All right, call the treasurer. Tell him I need money to order pizza from a shop.”

“The treasurer is away playing cricket with the rest of the castle staff,” the footman replied rudely. “And there is no money because nobody works.”

Ali was struck dumb. He was about to say something when he heard a great commotion outside.
“What is happening?  Call the guards, “Ali ordered a bit frightened.

“The guards have gone for a seaside picnic, Your Highness. Your orders were that nobody should work.”

Just then, a knight in splendid armour rushed in with lots of soldiers.

“Aha! I knew conquering this kingdom will be a piece of cake. There are no rules and so much chaos and commotion. Everybody is lazy and disinclined to work… Take this prisoner to the dungeon,” the knight ordered pointing towards Ali.

“No, no, no! Let me go, let me go…. “Ali shouted and struggled with all his might.

His eyes snapped open and to his utter relief, he was in his bed. It had all been a dream but Ali was not taking any chances. He jumped out of his bed and cleaned his room at great speed.

Then he went to the living room and cleaned that up as well. He opened his books and started doing his homework. Just then his mother came in and was amazed to see the tidy house and Ali immersed in his studies.

“Thanks for everything that you and Dad do for us, Mom.” he said, giving her a quick hug. “I just realized that our lives without rules and discipline won’t be much fun after all.”

The Day the Animals went to School

One fine day, the beasts of the Animal Kingdom were lazing around a waterhole when they heard a loud “ding, ding, ding” sound. It was coming from a school near their jungle.

“Wouldn’t it be nice if we went to school too?” asked the Hippopotamus.
All the animals looked very excited.

“Yes, yes. Let’s go to school and get some education,” cried the Giraffe.

The animals made an orderly line and went off to school. First in line was the King of the Jungle, the mighty Lion. He was followed by the wily fox, the big brown bear, and Jumbo the elephant.  Then came the monkeys, the wise owl and the old alligator. The spotted deer, the long necked giraffe and zebras also joined them. What a sight that was! In a neat straight line, each followed the other till they reached the school.

The Lion wanted to ask the permission of the headmaster to enter the premises. He thought that it was a polite thing to do. But what came out was a mighty roar that frightened all the students and the teachers who quickly ran away leaving the poor headmaster alone to teach the animals their lessons.

He stood in the corner of the classroom, shaking with fright as the lion entered majestically and sat on the chair in front of him. The bear also wanted to take a seat but alas it broke under his weight and so he had to sit on the floor. The alligator occupied the whole front area right under the blackboard.

The monkeys entered and quickly swung from the fans and tube lights chattering with delight. The wise owl flew in from the window. He perched on a stack of books on the desk and quickly went to sleep. It was day time, you see and he had spent the entire night hunting for mice and rats.

The poor giraffe tried to enter but could not get in. His neck was too long so it stayed in the compound sighing mournfully.  Next came the elephant but he got stuck at the door and had to be happy with just his trunk attending the class. The other animals found the door blocked so they decided to play outside.

Meanwhile in the classroom, the headmaster opened a book. The monkeys felt that ABC’s were boring so they decided to have fun instead. They pelted each other with chalks, books and ink pots and soon the whole class was a mess.

The bear wanted to be the monitor and keep discipline in the class but the naughty monkeys just leapt from desk to desk, leading him a merry dance. The bear scrambled all over the chairs and desks and broke everything. He flopped down tired and defeated.

The alligator also lost interest and eyed the headmaster hungrily. “Is it lunch time, already? “He wondered. He yawned broadly and when the headmaster saw its teeth, he quickly jumped into a cupboard and closed the door.


The alligator chomped down the book but did not find it tasty.

Alas! The school was over and the animals went back to the jungle without learning their ABC’s. It did not matter because they already know a very important thing.

They knew how to make a neat, orderly queue. Do you?

Image credit: pixabay.com

Telling Lies

Sarah and Mariam looked at the glass fragments on the floor with horror. They could not believe what had just happened. They stared at each other and could not find a single word to say. Oh! What will happen now?

Mariam was Sarah’s best friend.  They were inseparable in school. Now it was summer vacation and the two friends had missed each other very much. One day, Sarah’s mother invited Marium over and the girls were ecstatic. They had spent the entire day drawing and painting, playing games and watching the latest Hunger Games movie. Sarah’s mother had gone to the market to buy some goodies for the tea and the two friends were alone at home. 

Sarah decided to show her friend a very expensive crystal vase that her father had gifted her mother on their wedding anniversary. She took her friend to the drawing room and carefully removed the vase from the glass cabinet. 

She knew it was strictly forbidden but she wanted to show off a bit. 

Mariam looked at the fragile vase with wonder. There were tine roses engraved on it and it sparkled under the lights. It was really very lovely. When she was giving back the vase to Sarah, disaster struck. The vase slipped between their fingers and fell on the marble floor with a resounding crash. It seemed to the girls as if it had shattered into a million glittering pieces.

“Oh no!” cried Sarah in panic.” What shall I do now? Mother will be so angry.”

Mariam felt equally guilty. What a horrible thing to happen!

“I know! Let us sweep up the pieces and hide them. Mother would not know that I have broken it.”

“But she will ask when she sees it missing. What will we say then?” Mariam asked.

“She would not know for some days. Nobody uses the drawing room unless we have guests.”

“But Sarah, she is bound to notice it sooner or later. How can such a thing remain hidden?”

Sarah thought for a few minutes. “Maybe she will think that one of the servants have stolen it,” she said in a small voice.

Mariam was horrified. It was bad enough that they had taken the vase without permission and broken it too. How awful would it be if they lied and let someone else take the blame?

“Sarah, we can’t do that. This would be so wrong. I think the best thing would be to own up. We might get scolded but that would be better than telling lies.”

Sarah took a deep breath.” You are right. Let’s clean this place up while we wait for Mother.”

When Sarah’s mother came back she was alarmed to see their sad faces.

“What has happened, girls?” she asked.

Sarah and Mariam poured out their tale. At first, her mother looked furious. Then she saw how unhappy and guilty they both looked and her heart went out to them. She hugged them both tightly.

“I am so glad you were brave enough to own up, Sarah. I am very upset about the vase but I am happy you are both such truthful girls.”

“It was Mariam’s idea that we should own up, Mother,” Sarah added honestly.

“Well, then she gets to eat the delicious brownie,” her mother added, laughing.

The girls laughed too and they skipped to the table. They both felt as if a huge load had been taken off their shoulders. 

Owning up is so much better than telling lies, don’t you think?

Peanuts

One evening, Riwzan was sprawled on the comfortable sofa in his living room. He was eating peanuts while watching television. Rizwan loved to eat peanuts. They were his favorite snack. He found it difficult to shell peanuts and watch his favorite cartoon program at the same time so he yelled for Ali, the nine year old son of their house maid.

“Ali! Come here at once!”

When the thin, little boy came quietly into the living room, Rizwan ordered him to crack open the peanut shells and place them on a plate for him. After a while, Rizwan happened to glance at Ali who was sitting on the carpet beside the sofa. He saw that Ali had surreptitiously put a peanut in his mouth and was munching it silently.

Rizwan temper exploded in a flash.

“How dare you eat my peanuts? You thief!” He leapt from his sofa and smacked Ali hard on the face.

As Ali began to cry softly, Rizwan’s mother hurried into the room.

“What has happened? What is going on here?” She asked worriedly.

“He was eating my peanuts. He is a thief,” shouted Rizwan.

His mother patted Ali on the shoulder and told him to go back to the kitchen.

When Ali left the room, she turned towards her son. “I am ashamed of your behavior, Rizwan.”

“My behavior? What did I do? It was Ali who was stealing my peanuts and eating them when he thought I wasn't looking.”

“Rizwan. You love eating peanuts very much, don’t you? Ali is just about your age. Don’t you think he would like them too?”

“He had no right to take them. Dad brought them for me, “Rizwan said sulkily.

“Yes, he did. Your father loves you and he makes sure that you have everything that you want. He takes care of all your needs. Ali doesn't even have a father to take care of him or his mother,” she added gently.

Rizwan was silenced. It was true that Ali’s father had passed away recently and his mother had to work in several houses to be able to provide food and shelter for her three children.

“It is true that we employ servants to help us with household work but this does not mean that they are not human beings. We have to treat them with respect and dignity. You should not have asked Ali to do something which you are fully capable of doing, Rizwan. It would have been even better if you had been generous enough to share your peanuts with him.”

Rizwan thought for a moment and then hung his head.

“I am truly sorry mother,” he said.

“It’s alright, Rizwan,” she said smilingly. “But you must apologize to Ali as well. Didn't someone once say, ‘it is nice to be important but more important to be nice’?”

Rizwan laughed and went to his room. From his overflowing toys cupboard, he took out a ball, some old toy cars and a Ben-10 watch. He then went to the kitchen in search of Ali and apologized to him.

He handed the gifts to Ali and was touched to see that the toys which he had discarded long ago and never bothered to play with meant so much to the young boy.

Watching the joy in Ali’s eyes, Rizwan decided that it was indeed more fun being nice to other people than munch through a bag of peanuts.

Don’t you agree?

Image credit: Pixabay.com

Tearing Down the Walls

A football sailed over the boundary wall and landed with a thud on the driveway. It bounced a little and rolled over the green turf before coming to a halt near the big oak tree. A black tire was swinging from the tree branch where Ali spent most of his afternoons alone and silent.

A dull look crept in Ali's eyes as he recognized the ball. It belonged to his cousin, Fawad. Ali made no attempt to pick it up but continued straddling the tire with both his arms wrapped around the thick cord.

A memory, unbidden and unwelcome, intruded upon his solitude. "If I ever catch you playing with him, I'll throw you out of my house. Do you understand, boy?" Ali could hear his uncle shout as he shook Fawad's arm in a fit of uncontrollable temper. "You are never to talk to him again. Do you understand me?"

Little Ali, bewildered and afraid, could only stare at his uncle as the adults around him continued to rant and shout at each other. Sniffling and gulping back tears, he sought the eyes of his childhood friend and companion, Fawad, who was three years his senior. But Fawad stood there equally mute and sad as he watched his father quarrel with his uncle.

Ali had never seen his father so angry. At the age of eight, he had been too young to understand about "grandfather's will" and "property dispute" but Fawad was wise beyond his years. He had understood that his father and his uncle were fighting over a piece of property that their grandfather had left in trust to Ali's father for his two grandsons. Fawad's father, in a fit of pique and jealousy, had taken the matter to court. Each brother had vowed to destroy the other and both had severed all family ties.

When their grandfather had been alive, the two brothers had lived in adjacent duplex houses. They shared a huge lawn where birthdays were celebrated with balloons and buntings and the kids played tag. Their grandfather would sit on the white wrought iron chair and watch his two grandsons fondly. Sometimes he would make the two boys recite the verses from the Holy Quran and correct their errors. Sometimes he would tell them stories as the golden sun bathed their house with warmth and contentment.

But not any more. With each court hearing, the bitterness had grown and Ali's father would come home tired and grim and filled with anger. Three years had passed but there seemed no end to this dispute. Now an ugly brick wall, grey and cemented, marred the beauty of the lawn, cutting off any communication between the two houses. The air that was once filled with joy and harmony was now cold and silent.

Ali sometimes saw Fawad as they both left for school. His uncle would firmly propel his son towards the car and scowl with extreme dislike at the sight of his young nephew. Even his Aunt Farah who used to love Ali like a second son seemed helpless in face of her husband's stubborn attitude. Ali wished his mother had been alive. Maybe she would have understood his loneliness!

"Psst. Ali. Come here for a second." Ali's head jerked up. Fawad was peeping above the boundary wall. "Are you alone?"

Ali instinctively looked towards the house. Everything was quiet as his father was having an afternoon siesta. Even their old servant was not in sight. He hurriedly got down from the tire swing and approached the wall.

"What are you doing here, Fawad?" he whispered. "Did you come for your ball?"

"No. I had kicked it over, hoping for an excuse to see you. Here, mother has sent this. Happy Birthday." Fawad handed Ali a package in a brightly colored gift wrap.

Ali felt a lump in his throat. He made no attempt to take the gift.

"I don't want it."

"Take it, Ali. This might be the last time I can give anything to you. Father is selling the house. His business is not doing too well and we are unable to pay the loans that he took from the bank. We might have to look for a smaller house and move soon. "

Ali was aghast at his cousin's words. He had always hoped that his father and uncle would patch up one day and he and Fawad could be like brothers once more but now he felt all his dreams turning to ashes. He took the gift, whispered an anguished "thank you" and went back to his house.

Later in the evening, while father and son were having their tea, Ali decided to mention his uncle's financial woes to his father.

Screwing up his courage, he softly said," Uncle Bilal is selling his house and moving away. They need money."

Mr. Jamal's hand stilled for a fraction of a second. Then he resumed spreading butter on his toast.

"Finish your meal, Ali," came his brusque reply.

"Father, you know how much grandfather loved and trusted you. Do you think he would have liked you to be angry with Uncle Bilal for so long? Can't you forgive him? Can't you help him? He is your brother, "Ali pleaded.

When his father said nothing, Ali tried a different tactic. "Father, you know the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Do not desert one another, do not nurse hatred towards one another, do not be jealous of one another, and become as fellow brothers and obedient to Allah. It is not lawful for a Muslim to stop talking to his Muslim brother for more than three days. Is a piece of land more important than your relationship with your own brother?''

Tears glistened in Mr. Jamal's eyes. He held his son close to his heart.

"How did you get so wise, my little boy?" he asked with pride in his wet eyes. "Let's go and see your uncle."

Hand in hand, the two went to the house next door. Fawad's father opened the door and Mr. Jamal was shocked at how careworn and beaten his younger brother looked. Without a word, he enveloped his brother in a fierce hug. Bilal broke down and wept. He wanted to ask for his older brother's forgiveness but could utter no coherent word.

Aunt Farah and Fawad came out too and were amazed to see the two brothers hugging and crying. The two brothers spent the entire night reminiscing about the past and making plans for the future. The two cousins too were overjoyed while Fawad's mother thanked Allah for His mercy in making her husband see the errors of his ways.

Next morning, a crew of workers was seen tearing down the ugly, grey wall in the garden as the sun once again bathed the green lawn with its golden light. Even the birds seemed to chirp more gaily than usual as the air was filled with sounds of laughter once again.

The Missing Crown

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a king. He was a very good, kind-hearted king but he had one major fault. He was always forgetting his things.

Someday he would misplace his royal shoes. At other times, he would lose the gold keys to the treasury. Sometimes he would not be able to find his diamond ring. So you see, he had a very forgetful memory His servants would always rush around the castle looking for his things.

One day, the king got up early in the morning. A very important guest was coming to his castle that day. The guest was the king of the neighboring country and the king wanted to look his best. He took five hours to get ready.

First, he wore his white, silk tunic. He then put on his new, purple robe. Then he tied his bright, red sash around his waist. On his feet he wore velvet shoes. He put on his gold and diamond rings. At last when he felt that he looked his best, he decided to sit upon his throne and wait for his noble guest. He looked at the red cushion where his crown was usually placed. To his horror, the crown was not there.

Oh, what a catastrophe!!

You see, a king is not a king unless he is wearing a crown. Now you can understand why he was so upset. He did not call his servants and started looking for his precious crown.

He looked under the bed and inside his cupboards. He searched the wardrobe and looked inside his shoes closet. He looked inside the queen’s cupboards too but the crown was nowhere to be found.

He hurried to the breakfast room and looked under one hundred chairs. He went to the dinner room and looked under two hundred chairs and fifty long tables but the crown was not there. The king’s face was red and his legs were tired but finding the crown was very important.

He went to the stables and looked under the horses’ feet. He went to the royal swimming pool and peered at the clear, blue water. Just then the trumpets sounded. The royal guests had arrived and the king had not found his crown.

“Oh my!” the king said in panic. “My guest has arrived and I have not yet found my crown. What shall I do now?”

He clutched his hair in desperation and his hands touched something hard and pointed.

It was the royal crown!! It had been on his head all the time. 

“Silly me,” the king thought happily, relieved to have found his crown. “But now I wonder where I left my purple robe?”

Image credit: Pixabay.com 

True Happiness comes from Helping Others

Amir woke up feeling very happy. It had been his birthday a few days ago and his friends and family had given him many presents. Best of all, his grandfather had given him five thousand rupees.

His father had promised him that he could do whatever he wished with his money and Amir knew what he wanted – a complete cricket kit with gloves, pads, bat, helmet and, of course, a shiny red ball. With this kit, he knew, he would be the envy of all the boys in the neighborhood.

Cricket was Amir’s passion. He wanted to play for his country when he was older. His room was adorned with posters of cricketing giants like Imran Khan, Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar and his favorite Shahid Khan Afridi. He wanted to emulate these stars when he grew up and right now a good cricket kit would help him further his ambitions.

Every night he would lie in his bed and dream about playing cricket. What runs he would score with his new bat! Fours and sixes, half centuries and maybe hundreds. The shiny red ball would race towards the boundary and he would raise his bat to acknowledge the applause of his teammates and the crowds..what dreams!

Amir belonged to a well-to-do family. He was the only son but he was not a spoiled child. Early in the morning, right after breakfast, he asked for his father’s permission to use the car. His father promised that he would send the car back with the driver after he had reached his office. Amir got ready and went out in the garden to wait for the car to arrive.

It was a beautiful day. The sun cast a golden light and the air was perfumed with the scent of the blooming flowers. Amir walked slowly towards the garden, inhaling the smell of freshly mowed grass. His eyes fell on Tariq who was working in the garden.

Tariq was the son of their gardener, Ali Akbar. He was usually relegated the job of a fielder whenever Amir played cricket with his friends. Ali Akbar had been unwell for some time and had not been coming to do his chores. Amir had heard his mother complain about Ali Akbar’s frequent absences to his father. Amir noticed that Tariq’s face was tear-stained as he silently weeded the grass.

He went up to him and put his hand on Tariq’s shoulder. “What is the matter, Tariq?”

“Baba is very ill, Amir,” he replied, his voice tremulous. “He urgently needs to be in hospital. But he was discharged today without proper treatment because we had no money to pay for the medical bills.”

Tariq further told Amir that no one was ready to help them as they had already borrowed a lot of money. Tariq had left his school to fulfill his father’s duties but the future looked very bleak for their family. Tariq feared for his father’s life.

Amir listened silently. He and Tariq were of the same age but how different were their circumstances. He looked at the wallet containing all his savings.

“This money could save someone’s life”, he thought.

“But you wanted to buy that kit,” a small voice said inside his head. “You have been saving for quite a long time and now with your grandfather’s gift, you can buy it now. If you give away the money you won’t be able to buy that kit,” the voice persisted.

Amir felt torn. But with another look at Tariq’s tear-stained face, his mind was made up. Without a word, he handed his wallet to Tariq. Tariq was taken aback but then, slowly and silently, he raised his hand to accept it. Amir went back inside and spent the rest of his day in his room. He was a little sad and disappointed but he knew that he had done the right thing.

A few days later, when Amir was going outside to play, he saw Tariq in the garden. Before he could say a word, Tariq ran towards him.

“Your money saved my father’s life, Amir!” he shouted with tears rolling down his brown cheeks. “We took him to the hospital and the doctor said we were just in time. He is fine now. I can never thank you enough,” he said. “You saved my father’s life, Amir”, Tariq kept on repeating.

Suddenly, Amir felt that he had just hit the biggest six of his life, a more powerful sixer than any hit by Shahid Khan Afridi. He felt the shiny red ball soar high up in the sky and sail towards the boundary. In his mind he saw the people in the stadium rise to applaud and acknowledge his selflessness and sacrifice.

He hugged Tariq and, with arms around his shoulder, he went out to play cricket with his battered bat and the old taped ball.