Many birds were sticking to the old man like honey bees; on hands, legs and the head. The old man could not be seen. And time and again his voice could be heard that the small pieces of bread have finished. Now go and do not disturb me. And in a particular loving style he would scold them away
[Muhammad Wardoon, Lahore]
There used to be a squirrel and she had a baby. The name of the baby was gulu. Although gulu was very mischievous, he was not as naughty so as to hurt someone. And if he ever did such a thing he used to ask for forgiveness. The nest of Gulu was built on a Rosewood tree. A canal used to flow through it too. The people going from the village to the city used to drink cold water and move ahead.
One day Gulu was playing hide and seek with his friends on the tree. His eye fell upon the road coming from the city. A man was coming on his cycle with a big bag on it. Gulu and his partners quit playing and started looking at the man because they had never seen that man before on that road. That man was coming slowly from the city. Who can he be? Gulu thought. I know who he is, Said Gulu’s friend. He is a hawker who sells and comes to the village from the city to sell his things. The friend told. But how do you know that? asked Gulu. The friend said, I know that because the box that is normally lying on his bicycle has many interesting things in it. Yesterday a peanut fell from his box which I tasted. That was very delicious. Ok! so his box has things to be eaten in it. We shall search again today. Gulu said happily. The day was very warm. Upon reaching the canal the man parked his bicycle under the rosewood tree and went to the canal to drink water. Gulu was already in search of a chance. At once he jumped from one branch to another and ran down. His friends were a little coward. They kept on sitting.
At once Gulu’s foot slipped and instead of falling on the ground he ended up in the box that was lying on the bicycle. He was happy that he will find peanuts, walnuts, and other things to eat for free. But what was that? The shopkeeper had only brought red chilly from the city. Aa, choo! Gulu sneezed hard and fell out of the box. Aa choo... Aa choo... Gulu kept on sneezing. He was unable to understand that what was happening. He used to sneeze by opening his mouth and would fall 2 feet behind. Seeing his plight, his friends, who were sitting on the tree, started laughing loudly and they laughed so much that they lost control and fell from the tree right into the box, just like Gulu. Now everywhere on the road, Aachoo aachoo was happening. Seven squirrels were sneezing on the road. When the hawker came back after drinking water he started laughing after seeing so many squirrels sneezing on the road. He found this show of squirrels quite interesting. By laughing he developed a pain in his stomach. While laughing at once his foot slipped and he stumbled into the box. Chilies went into his nose too. Now the hawker was also sneezing along with the squirrels. Aachoo... Aachoo... aachoo. Many friends had stopped on the road and were seeing their show. By listening to their sneezing many animals of the jungle hung their heads out of trees to see their show. And they were laughing. It seemed as if there was a competition of sneezing going on the road.
Astonishing, But Love is an Important Factor
Aziz-ur-Rehman Aziz, Peshawar
Today I want to share an incident of such a man that will definitely astonish you once you read it. And it is indeed an astonishing thing. Dear Children! The person about whom I am going to talk to you about, I might tell you about him in the end too.... This person loved children of every age. And as a result, children used to express a lot of joy when they used to see him. And whenever the children used to see him, they used to express their joy by jumping around him and clapping. By seeing them happy people used to understand at once that the old man has arrived. He used to pat every child one by one and did not use to get tired of doing so. And yes, other than children, keeping hens was his favorite hobby. Whenever, he used to call the hens, they used to come to him wherever they were. They used to run madly towards him by spreading their wings in a dumbfounding manner. It used to look as if these hens are being chased by jackals or grey hounds.
Indeed, it was a very astonishing thing that children, cats and pet birds were attracted towards him. But before I tell you about the real thing, I will tell you about one or two incidents about how cats developed affection with him. It was winter. A small kitten came to him and hugged him and wrapped around his body. When he saw it, he sat down and started caressing the cat with his hand. On touching, he realized that there were many mites in the body of the cat. He at once sprayed a pesticide (DDT) on the body of the kitten. Only some time had passed that the kitten starting swaying like a drug addict. She started lurching here and there and then fell down and became unconscious. We asked that what he had done. It would die. He stood up at once. He warmed some water. Folded a sack and placed it under sun. He bathed the kitten under the sun with soap. And he had the kitten lie down on the sack. After a short while the kitten regained consciousness. Initially, it raised his head. Then it stood up and started walking straight. Now the most astonishing thing for you for which you are anxiously waiting: one day when I came home to have my lunch, I asked my mother as to where is the old man (my father). And then his voice attracted me towards him and then I started moving towards his voice towards the stairs. I did not know who he was talking to. But he was scolding them in a very loving way. And he used to say that just go and do not disturb me. Get lost! But when I was on the last step of the balcony, i went back at once. And was very anxious that what is happening. A large number of birds were stuck to his body like honey bees; on hands, thighs and on the head. Baba jee could not be seen at all. And again and again his voice was coming that the small pieces of bread had finished. Do not disturb me. And he would scold them in a peculiar loving way.
Children! Isn’t this very astonishing story? That birds get attracted to someone like this too. And if they get affiliated, they do so with love only. You should also love the birds around you too. And arrange for their water and grains on your roof. Like this they would get attached to you too. And they will reply to your love with love only.
The people who backbite against us correct us and they pay us tribute and they convert their good deeds to our good deeds. (Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jillani)
