Collection of short stories

[جمال جرار]

The Hospitality of The Pigeon

Once upon a time, there lived two pigeons. They were husband and wife. They spend their day looking for food. In the evening they would come and rest on their favorite tree in the forest.

One evening, the wife returned home early. A usual she was waiting for her husband, when suddenly it started raining. She strated to worry. “Where are you, my dear? You never get so late,” she whispered to herself.

Just then she saw a bird-catcher coming towards her. In a cage he had a pigeon. It was her husband. “OH no, what shall I do now” I wish I can help my husband,” she said. She desperately tried to distract the bird-catcher by flapping her wings, but all in vain.

Soon, it stopped raining. “Brrr! It is so cold,” said the bird-catcher. His clothes were wet. He decided to sit under the same tree where the two pigeons lived.

The poor wife sat by her husband’s cage. And she started to cry. The husband said. “Do not feel sad, dear. We now have a guest. This man is shivering and hungry. He needs your help.” Hearing this, the wife flew around getting dry twigs. She made a fire for the bird-catcher. Then she looked at the bird-catcher and said, “You are our guest, since I have no food to offer, I will jump into this fire. In few minutes I will become an edible item for you. You can eat me.”

By now, the bird-catcher was overwhelmed by the hospitality of the humble pigeon couple. He at once stopped the wife jumping into the fire.

He opened the cage and set the husband free. “I have been cruel and selfish. I will never trap any bird in my net again,” said the bird-catcher and went away. The two pigeons were happy to be reunited.

[جمال جرار]

The Hospitality of The Pigeon

Once upon a time, there lived two pigeons. They were husband and wife. They spend their day looking for food. In the evening they would come and rest on their favorite tree in the forest.

One evening, the wife returned home early. A usual she was waiting for her husband, when suddenly it started raining. She strated to worry. “Where are you, my dear? You never get so late,” she whispered to herself.

Just then she saw a bird-catcher coming towards her. In a cage he had a pigeon. It was her husband. “OH no, what shall I do now” I wish I can help my husband,” she said. She desperately tried to distract the bird-catcher by flapping her wings, but all in vain.

Soon, it stopped raining. “Brrr! It is so cold,” said the bird-catcher. His clothes were wet. He decided to sit under the same tree where the two pigeons lived.

The poor wife sat by her husband’s cage. And she started to cry. The husband said. “Do not feel sad, dear. We now have a guest. This man is shivering and hungry. He needs your help.” Hearing this, the wife flew around getting dry twigs. She made a fire for the bird-catcher. Then she looked at the bird-catcher and said, “You are our guest, since I have no food to offer, I will jump into this fire. In few minutes I will become an edible item for you. You can eat me.”

By now, the bird-catcher was overwhelmed by the hospitality of the humble pigeon couple. He at once stopped the wife jumping into the fire.

He opened the cage and set the husband free. “I have been cruel and selfish. I will never trap any bird in my net again,” said the bird-catcher and went away. The two pigeons were happy to be reunited.

[جمال جرار]

The Arrogant Swans

In a far away kingdom, there was a river. This river was home to many golden swans. The swans spent most of their time on the banks of the river. Every six months, the swans would leave a golden feather as a fee for using the lake. The soldiers of the kingdom would collect the feathers and deposit them in the royal treasury.

One day, a homeless bird saw the river. “The water in this river seems so cool and soothing. I will make my home here,” thought the bird.

As soon as the bird settled down near the river, the golden swans noticed her. They came shouting. “This river belongs to us. We pay a golden feather to the King to use this river. You can not live here.”

“I am homeless, brothers. I too will pay the rent. Please give me shelter,” the bird pleaded. “How will you pay the rent? You do not have golden feathers,” said the swans laughing. They further added, “Stop dreaming and leave once.” The humble bird pleaded many times. But the arrogant swans drove the bird away.

“I will teach them a lesson!” decided the humiliated bird.

She went to the King and said, “O King! The swans in your river are impolite and unkind. I begged for shelter but they said that they had purchased the river with golden feathers.”

The King was angry with the arrogant swans for having insulted the homeless bird. He ordered his soldiers to bring the arrogant swans to his court. In no time, all the golden swans were brought to the King’s court.

“Do you think the royal treasury depends upon your golden feathers? You can not decide who lives by the river. Leave the river at once or you all will be beheaded!” shouted the King.

The swans shivered with fear on hearing the King. They flew away never to return. The bird built her home near the river and lived there happily forever. The bird gave shelter to all other birds in the river.

[جمال جرار]

Bad Temper

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day, the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry. The wound is still there."

A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one

[جمال جرار]

The Three Questions

King John was the King of England. He did not like anyone else to look ricer than himself. The Abbot of Canterbury was rich. He was enjoying luxurious life. The King did not like the Abbot. He was in great anger. He sent his soldiers to bring the Abbot. The soldiers brought him before the King. The King asked, “Who is greater? The King or an Abbot? Then how bold of you to enjoy much better than the king? You are plotting to become the King of England. It is a crime. Therefore you must die.”

The Abbot was greatly frightened. He said very humbly. “Your Majesty, I have never used others’ money for my use. Is it a crime to spend my own money for my needs?”

“Yes,” replied the King. Then he added, “It is a crime to live grander than the King.”

The Abbot trembled in fear.

The King continued. “But I shall give you a chance to get pardon. Answer my three questions correctly to my satisfaction.”

Then he gave out the three questions.


1. Tell me how much I am worth.
2. How long will it take for me to go around the world?
3. What I am thinking now?


The Abbot listened. His confusion and fear increased rapidly. He could not speak. Finally he begged for time to answer. Three weeks were given. The Abbot left the palace in a dejected mood.

On the way, he went into Oxford University and Cambridge University. He met great professors and learned men. He asked them for answers to these three questions. They were not able to find the suitable answers. He was returning home safely. On the way he met his shepherd boy.

The shepherd asked the Abbot, “Why are you looking so sad, my master?”

“My dear shepherd, the King has set three questions for me. I have to find answers to his satisfaction, or else die for plotting against the King. The questions are difficult. I have only three days more,” replied the Abbot.

The shepherd said, “My Lord, let me go in your place. I shall meet the King. I shall answer the three questions to his satisfaction.” Then he added, “People say I look very much like you. Therefore permit me to wear your dress. The king will not be able to find out.”

The Abbot agreed.

Immediately the shepherd put on the Abbot’s dress. He exactly looked like the Abbot. He then went to meet the King.

The King had not expected the Abbot so soon. He was not able to find the difference. He said, “I am happy, Abbot. You have kept your promises. Now are ready with the answers?”

The shepherd in the Abbot’s dress replied, “Yes, Your Majesty. I shall try to answer to the best of my ability.”

The King asked, “What am I worth? I am the King of England.”

“Your Majesty,” replied the shepherd, “according to the Bible, Jesus, the King of Heaven and Earth, was sold for thirty pence. Your worth must be one pence less. It should be twenty nine pence.”

The King had a sense of humor. He started laughing. After some time, he gave out second question. “How soon can I ride around the world?”

The shepherd said, “Your Majesty, you must rise with the Sun, ride with it the whole night. In this way, you will be able to go round the world in twenty four hours.”

Again the King had a merry laugh. Then he looks seriously at the shepherd. He said, “Tell me quickly. What am I thinking now?”

“Sire, you are thinking I am the Abbot. But I am not the Abbot. I am only his poor shepherd. I have come to ask pardon for the Abbot and for myself.” Then he quickly removed the Abbot’s dress. Now he looked like a shepherd. He knelt down before the King for pardon.

The King was not at all angry. He started laughing. And he laughed for a long time. Finally he said, “I am pleased with your intelligence. I shall make you the Abbot.”

But the shepherd said, “Your Majesty. I can not read and write. I can not become an Abbot.”

The King said, “Then you shall receive a pound a week as long as you live. Go home and tell the Abbot. I have forgiven him.”

[جمال جرار]

A House in The Sky

Once upon a time there lived a poor man, Abhilas by name. He was clever and often made jokes at rich people and even at the chief. So they did not like him and wanted to kill him. Once the chief sent for Abhilas and he came to the chief’s house.


"I hear that you are very clever, Abhilas! Can you build me a house in the sky in three days? You may have as many men as you need. If you can't do that my soldiers will kill you."


"I shall build it, my Chief," said Abhilas and went home.


He began to think. Then he made a kite and tied a bell and a long sting to it. When the wind blew, the kite rose high up in the air.


But it did not fly far, because Abhilas tied the string to a tree. The next day all the people of the town heard the bell and saw a dark spot in the sky. The chief saw the spot, too. Abhilas came up to the chief and said" oh, my Chief, the house in the sky will soon be ready. Do you hear the bell? The workers are ringing the bell from the sky. They need some boards for the roof of the house. Please tell your soldiers to climb up to the sky with the boards."


"But how will my soldiers climb up to the sky?" asked the chief.


"Oh, there is a way up," said Abhilas.


So the chief ordered his soldiers to get some boards and to follow Abhilas. They came to the tree and saw the string there. "This is the way to the sky," Abhilas said. "Climb up the string and you will come to the sky."


The soldiers tried to climb up the string, but could not do that. "Try again, try again! Our Chief will be very angry if you don't carry the boards up to his house in the sky!" said Abhilas.


Then the soldiers went to the chief and said, "Oh, Chief, no man can climb up to the sky!"


The chief thought a little and said, "That's right. Nobody can do that."


Then Abhilas said to the chief, "Oh, my Chief, if you know that, why do you ask me to build you a house in the sky?"


And the chief could give no answer to that. Abhilas went to the tree, cut the string and took away the kite.

[جمال جرار]

A Sly Cat

When he was a strong young cat, he caught many mice. The mice were afraid of him then. But in time he grew old and could not catch mice any more.



One day he decided to play a trick on the mice. He lay on his back and did not move at all.



A mouse saw him and thought he was dead. She ran to her friends and said, "The cat is dead! Let us dance and play!"



And all the mice began to dance and play. They were very happy. They danced and danced round the cat and the cat did not move.



Then one of the mice jumped on the cat's head. "Look at me! Come nearer, all of you! The bad cat is dead! Let us dance on his head!" But suddenly the cat jumped up and caught the silly mouse.



The other mice ran away as quickly as they could.



Mice! Don't forget! Never believe a cat!

[جمال جرار]

A Story about The Tongue

Once, a chief told one of his servants to bring him the best meat from the market. The servant brought him a tongue. The next day the chief told the servant to bring him the worst meat from the market. The servant brought a tongue again. "What?" the chief said. "When I ask for the best meat, you bring a tongue and then you bring the same thing for the worst meat."



The servant said, "Sometimes a man is very unhappy because of his tongue and sometimes his tongue makes him very happy."



"You are right," the chief said. "Let us be masters of our tongue!

[جمال جرار]

A Tale about A Jackal

A jackal once got a thorn in his paw. "Oh, Oh!" he cried as he walked along a road in the forest. "What shall I do? What shall I do?"


Then he met an old woman: "Please, dear granny," he said, "Pull the thorn out of my paw."


The old woman pulled it out. The jackal thanked her and went away.


But in a minute he came back and asked: "Where is my thorn, Granny?"


"I don't know," answered the old woman. "Who needs a thorn?"


Then the jackal began to cry, "Oh, where is my thorn?" He cried. "I need it. I need it very much."


The old woman was sorry for the jackal and said, "Don't cry. Here is an egg for you."


The jackal took the egg and ran away with it. He came to a village and knocked at the door of the first house. A man opened it.


"Please, my good man," said the jackal, "May I stay the night with you? It is late and cold."


"Please come in," answered the man.


The jackal came in. "May I put my egg on this plate?" he asked.


"Yes, of course, you may."


In the night the jackal got up, ate up the egg and put the shell back on the plate. In the morning the jackal asked the man: "Where is my egg?"


"I don't know," was the answer.


Then the jackal began to cry, "Oh, my big, big egg!" he said. "Your cat ate it in the night. I am sure!" The man was sorry for the jackal and gave him a hen instead of the egg.


The jackal took the hen and ran away with it. He ran and ran and came to the next village in the evening. There he knocked at the first door and asked the woman who opened the door.


"May I stay the night with you, please? It is so cold outside!"


"Please, come in, little jackal," said the woman.


"And where can I put my hen?" the jackal asked.


"Let the hen stay with our goat," the woman said.


In the night the jackal got up, went to the place where the goat was and ate up the hen. In the morning he said to the woman, "Let us go and get my hen."


But there was no hen, of course. There were only feathers and bones on the ground. The jackal began to cry, "Oh, my hen, my beautiful grey hen! Your goat ate it up in the night!"


The woman was sorry for the jackal and gave him one of the goat's kids instead of the hen. The jackal thanked the woman and ran away.


He ran and ran and he came to another village. It was all most evening and he knocked at the first house, "May I stay the night in your house?" he asked the man who opened the door. "I am very, very tired."


"Please come in," the man said.


"Where may I put my little kid?" the jackal asked.


"Tie it to the end of my son's bed," the man said.


At night the jackal ate up the kid and put its bones on the boy's bed.


In the morning he asked the man. "Where is my little kid?"


They went up to the boy's bed. But there were only horns and bones instead of the kid.


"Oh, my little kid, my dear little kid! Your son ate it in the night, I am sure," said the jackal and began to cry.


The man said, "Don't cry. I shall give you a big goat instead of your little kid."


"No, No, I don't want the goat! Give me your son!"


"All right, go out and wait a little at the door," said the man.


Then the man brought him a big bag and said: "Here is the boy. He is in the bag. Good bye!"


The jackal took the bag and went away quickly. He tried to run. But he couldn't run. The bag was very heavy.


"This is a very big boy," the jackal thought. "Or perhaps it is not a boy. Perhaps the man put stones into the bag! I shall open it and see.' He opened the bag and two big dogs jumped out of it! In a minute they tore the jackal to pieces.”

[جمال جرار]

The Ignorant Man

There was a village in a kingdom. There was living a milkman. His name was Deenu. He had built his hut far away from his village, in the woods. He loved the quietness of the woods rather than the noisy atmosphere of the village. He lived in his hut with his two cows. He fed them well and took proper care of them. Everyday he took the two cows to a nearby lake to bath them. The two cows gave more milk. With the milk that the two cows gave, he earned enough money to live happily.

Deenu was an honest man. Though he was content, at times he would be restless. “There is so much wrong and evil in this world. Is there nobody to guide the people?” this thought made his sad every now and then.

One evening, the ignorant man, Deenu was returning home after selling milk in the village. He saw a saint sitting under a tree and meditating. He slowly walked up to him and waited for the saint to open his eyes. He was happy to be with the saint for some time. He decided to wait there itself till the saint opened his eyes.

After a while, the saint slowly opened his eyes. He was surprised to see a man patiently sitting beside him.

“What do you want?” asked the saint humbly.

“I want to know what the path to Truth and Piety is? Where shall I find Honesty?” asked Deenu.

The saint smiled and said, “Go to the pond nearby and ask the fish the same question. She will give you the answer.”

Then as asked to do, the ignorant man, Deenu went to the nearby pond and asked the same question to the fish. The fish said, “O kind man! First, bring me some water to drink.” Deny was surprised. He said, “You live in water. But you still want water to drink? How strange!”

At this moment, the fish replied, “You are right. And that gives you the answer to your question as well. Truth, Piety and honesty are inside the heart of a man. But being ignorant, he searches for them in the outer world. Instead of wandering here and there, look within yourself and you will find them.”

This gave an immense satisfaction to Deenu. He thanked the fish and walked home a wiser man. He changed the way in which he saw this world as well as himself. From that day, Deenu never felt restless.

He took his best to carry this massage to the rest of his fellow human beings. All his friends accepted him as their master and consulted him to overcome their mental problems. He led them properly.