Valuable Tales

FAIRY TALE OF HONESTY

TEKİRDAĞ – TURKEY

Once upon a time, there was an honest, well-intentioned, generous sultan of a distant country. This Sultan would take care of problems of his people and always tried to protect them. But this Sultan had a problem. Sultan had no children to replace him. The biggest wish of Sultan was, to raise a Sultan who rules the country like himself.

He thougt for months. Finally announced to the people : “All children living in my country will be given a flower seed. Who ever sows this seed in the pot and takes care of it in the best way will be raised as the Sultan of this country to replace me” The next morning every part of the palace was full of children Each child was given a flower seed for competition of becoming Sultan. All the children immediately went to their homes and carefuly planted the seed in the pot. They waited for a long time for seeds to grow.

Days chased after days, weeks chased after weeks. All the children’s  flowers sprouted. It bloomed with fragrant and colorful flowers. Flower pots have begun to decorate the most beautiful corner of their home. There was a child among them who saw all these  beautiful flowers and was saddened about the seed  that  did not grow in his pot.

His mother tried to comfort him. She said ‘’You did your best, you tried to protect it, you loved it, but it didn’t want to sprout..

The boy said  “What am I supposed to say to our Sultan that day” sadly. “You will say what happened“ said his mother.  “You will say that the seed did not sprout.” After a while,the given time ran out and all the children went to the garden of the palace. They are carrying beautiful flowers in pots. When the boy saw these flowers, he got more upset and angry with himself. But there  was nothing he could do anymore. The Sultan looked at the flowers of the children filling the garden. He walked arround beetwen them. He came and stopped in front of the boy who had no flower in his pot.

The boy whose flower did not sprout was very excited and  embarrassed. He mermured ‘’I’m sorry’’ Sultan asked him “Why are there no flowers in your flowerpot?“ “I don’t know” said the boy.” “I took care of it but it didn’t want to grow up.” The Sultan asked “Are you very upset ?” “Yes, I am sorry” said the boy. “I wish my flower would look as beautiful as theirs.” The Sultan smiled at him. He took his hand brought him out for all children to see him. He said “Here he is”. “The boy who can become a Sultan after me.” Everyone was so suprised .  “But he didn’t manage to grow the plant” they murmured. The Sultan continued. “All the seeds that I gave were soaked in hot water. No flower could grow from any of them. Only this boy said the truth. He is the child who will replace me, rule my country in the most fair way. Finally I found my peace of mind. Because after me, my country will be in safe hands.

Questions

1. How the sultan behaved towards his people?
2. What was the biggest wish of the sultan?
3. What did the sultan give to children?
4. Why was the boy get so upset?
5. What did the boy’s mother say to her son?
6. What did the boy whose flower is not sprouted say to the sultan?
7. Why did the sultan choose the boy whose flower is not sprouted?
8. What is the moral of the study

SISTER FOX

BORODIANKA / UKRAINE

There was once a Fox who stole a chicken. She made off with it at a run, she ran and she ran, and before she knew it night was upon her. There was a hut just ahead, so she came inside, found some people there and said with a bow:

“Good evening, good people!”

“Good evening to you, Sister Fox!”

“Do let me in for the night!”

“But, Sister Fox, the hut is small and there isn’t enough room in it for you.”

“Never mind! I’ll curl up under the bench and cover myself with my tail, and that’s how l’ll spend the night.”

“Oh, all right, then.”

“Where can I put my chicken?”

“Under the stove.”

Sister Fox did as she was told. But she got up quietly in the middle of the night, ate up the chicken and hid the feathers.

The next day she was up early, scrubbed her face clean and wished her hosts a good morning.

“Where is my chicken?”

“Under the stove.”

“I looked, but it wasn’t there.”

And she sat down and began to cry.

“All I had was that chicken, and now it is gone! You must give me a goose in return for it.”

There was nothing to be done, so they gave her a goose, and Sister Fox put it in her sack and ran out away. She ran and she ran, and before she knew it night was upon her.

There was a hut just ahead, so she came inside, found some people there and said with a bow:

“Good evening, good people!”

“Good evening to you, Sister Fox!”

“Do let me in for the night!”

“But, Sister Fox, the hut is small and there isn’t enough room in it for you.”

“Never mind! I’ll curl up under the bench and cover myself with my tail, and that’s how l’ll spend the night.”

“Oh, all right, then.”

“Where can I put my goose?”

“In the barn, with the lambs.”

Sister Fox did as she was told. But she got up quietly in the middle of the night, ate up the goose and hid the feathers.

The next day she was up early, scrubbed her face clean and wished her hosts a good morning.

“Where is my goose?”

“In the barn.”

“I looked, but it wasn’t there.”

And she sat down and began to cry.

“All I had was that goose, and now it is gone! You must give me a lamb in return for it.”

There was nothing to be done, so they gave her a lamb, and Sister Fox put it in her sack and ran out away. She ran and she ran, and before she knew it night was upon her.

There was a hut just ahead, so she came inside, found some people there and said with a bow:

“Good evening, good people!”

“Good evening to you, Sister Fox!”

“Do let me in for the night!”

“But, Sister Fox, the hut is small and there isn’t enough room in it for you.”

“Never mind! I’ll curl up under the bench and cover myself with my tail, and that’s how l’ll spend the night.”

“Oh, all right, then.”

“Where can I put my lamb?”

“Leave it in the yard”

Sister Fox did as she was told. But she got up quietly in the middle of the night, ate up the lamb.

The next day she was up early, scrubbed her face clean and wished her hosts a good morning.

“Where is my lamb?”

And she sat down and began to cry.

“All I had  was that lamb, and now it is gone! ”

Said the master of the house:

“Who knows, perhaps my daughter-in-law let it out when she drove the bullocks to pasture!”

“Be that as it may, but you must give me your daughter-in-law in return for my lamb”, said Sister Fox.

At this they all began to cry: the man cried and his wife cried and their son cried and their son’s children cried, but Sister Fox seized the son’s wife and whisked her into the sack. She went out for a few moments, and the son let his wife out of the sack and put in a dog instead.

Sister Fox came back, she took the sack and carried it off with her. And as she walked along she said:

“A goose for the chicken, a lamb for the goose, and a young wife for the lamb!”

She shook the sack, and the dog inside it went “G-r-r!”

Said Sister Fox:

“The daughter-in-law is a nasty one. She growls like a dog! I think I’ll peep inside and take a look at her.”

She undid the sack, and lo!- out jumped the dog. Sister Fox ran away, and the dog ran after her. She ran deeper and deeper into the forest, and there was the dog at her heels! And the dog Bit her, and bit her, and bit her. But she got to her fox hole at last and hid there.

Remember: be honest and you will never be bitten.

Reading Comprehension Questions:

1. In Ukrainian Folk tales a fox stands for cunning and dishonest people. Is it the same in tales of your country?
2. Were people kind and helpful to the fox?
3. Who was cleverer than the fox?
4. Should dishonest people be punished?
5. How do you understand the words ” Be honest and you will never be bitten.”?

The Salt In The Dishes

MEDGIDIA / ROMANIA

There once was a king. And this king  had three daughters. Remaining a widower, he had thrown all his love at the girls. Growing up and seeing the diligence of their father to raise them before them, to teach them, and to guard them from all evils and hauntings, they also did their best to make him forget his sorrow. he had gripped their mother’s death.

One day, what happens to the emperor, that he only asks the eldest girl: – My daughter, how do you love me? – How can I love you, Dad? “I love you like honey,” she replied, after thinking that what could be sweeter in the world. That’s how much he cuts off her head, that’s how much she talks. -Live me, my girl; may God make me part of you.

And asking the middle girl, “But how do you love me, my daughter?” – Like sugar, Dad. That’s how much she cut off her head and that’s how much she answered. “God bless you, my girl.” Let me enjoy you.

Stunned, these girls were flattering and knew how to show their love to their father more than they had.

The emperor rejoices greatly when he hears from his eldest daughters how much they love him. He thought that love could be nothing but sweet as honey and sugar. And looking at the youngest girl, who is standing aside and shyly, he also asks her: – How do you love me, my girl? “Like salt in the dishes, Dad!” she replied with a serene face, smiling with natural love and lowering her eyes, ashamed that she spoke too. She was ashamed, poor thing, to see that her father had noticed her, too, like a little girl.

When their sisters heard her father’s answer, they began to laugh and turned their faces away from her. And their father frowned and, full ofupset, said, “Come on,let’s get along.”Can’t you hear your older sisters with what kind of love they love me? How come you didn’t go after them to tell me how much sweet love you have for your father? Is that why I work to raise you and teach you how others are not in the world like you? Get away from me with all your salt!When the little girl of the emperor heard the anger of her father falling on her head, she entered the bottom of the earth in upset because her father was angry and, daring, said:

– Forgive me, Dad, for not wanting to upset you. I reckoned with my mind that the love I have for you is, if not superior to that of my sisters, but no less than honey and sugar. “Listen, listen,” his father interrupted; and do you still have the cheek to touch your older sisters? Get away from me, shameless girl, so I don’t hear your name again! He closed her mouth and left her crying. The sisters wanted to caress her, but with touching words that did her more harm than good.

The little girl of the emperor, if she saw that the sisters did not spare her either, put her hope in God and decided to go where the mercy of the God would take her. So she took a row of old and bad clothes from his parent’s  house and wandered from village to village, to the court of another emperor. Once there, she was standing at the gate. A woman saw her and if she came to her, she asked her what she wanted; she replied that she was a poor, fatherless girl and would like to get involved if she could find a place.

It was then that the waitress’s helper came out and he wanted to put another one in. He looked at her keen eye with piercing eyes, and it seemed good to him to take her to work. The emperor’s daughter was also asked what pay she required, and she replied that she did not ask for any money, except to serve for a while, and if her service was worthy of any pay, to give her as much as she would.

The waitress was glad to see that she answered so politely, and took her to be her help. He told her what he was going to do and handed her a bunch of keys from several of his possessions. The girl was good and smart. She began to dig through the pantry and the lockers from which she had the keys and to put everything in order.

And because she had taken his hand to knead, to boil the sweets, and to other delicacies that were in the king’s chambers, the secrets of the court were left in her care. And how could he not know how to do all this? Well, she wasn’t the emperor’s daughter? And no quarrel arose from anyone, for she shared all the secrets with balance and justice, so that no one would find any bias.

Where should she talk in vain, or with strangers who came to take her secrets and merchandise? Wherever a word came out of her mouth without restraint, or when she heard such a word from someone, that she was ashamed and found words polite enough to shut her mouth wide. She did not sit idly by with the servants or maids of the court, but when she found some time to rest, she read the book. They were all shy of her, and no one could find any deed to give them the right to hang a ponytail on her tail.

The news of the worthiness and humility of the helmswoman’s help immediately reached the queen’s ears. She wanted to see her. And if she appeared to the queen, the queen’s daughter knew how to show herself and speak with a pure heart, without pretense and without much boldness. The Empress fell in love with her. She suspected that the helper’s helper couldn’t be stupid.

And as I told you, the empress took the girl and made her, a servant girl, a help for the waitress. Where the empress was going, the girl was going as well. When the empress was working, she was working too. Then, the things her hands created, were pearls, not something else. The empress liked her very much, especially for the way she spoke. It is no need to say more, she become inseparable from the empress, who loved her as her own child.

The emperor was also impressed by this approach of the empress to the girl. This emperor had a boy, his only child. He and the empress loved him so much, that they were looking at him like he was their sun.

One day, when the emperor went to the war, he took his son with him, so that he could get used to the war. There, we don’t know what happened, but they brought the wounded son home.

You should have seen the empress weeping and mourning. She turned nights in to days, starring her wounded son. When she got so tired that she couldn’t resist staying on her feet, the empress put her servant girls, as a man of faith, to take care of her son, then when one, when another, they were not absent from the sick man’s bed.

The girl’s gentle and wise words, her sweet caresses, her humility made the sick man feel something he had never felt before, and even more the way she gently touched his wounds and took care of him, made him love her as his sister because it seemed to ease his pain as she grabs his wounds.

One afternoon, after he recovered, while he was talking to his mother, he said: -I have something to tell you, mom, it’s time for me to get married. -I agree, it’s better to marry young. I should start looking for a good girl, an emperor’s daughter. -She’s already found, mom. -And who is she? Do I know her? -I hope you won’t mind, mom. My heart is stolen by your servant girl. I love her with all my heart. From all the king’s and lord’s girls I have met, none of them made me feel what I feel for this servant girl. She conquered my heart.

Even if the empress still resisted his decision, she couldn’t convince her son to give up to this marriage. So the king and the queen betrothed their son to the queen’s daughter and decided to marry her.

When they began to make invitations  at the wedding, the fiancée of the king’s son prayed to heaven, to the earth, that at the wedding she might also invite over the king, her father; but she refrained from telling anyone that she was the daughter of that emperor. The in-laws agreed to do the will and  invited to the wedding that emperor.

On the day of the wedding, all the guests came to the wedding. The joys began and lasted all day, like kings, of! What to say? In the evening a royal table was spread, with all kinds of food, drinks, pies and other goodies, to lick your fingers when you ate them.

The bride had told the cooks what dishes to cook. But with her hand she cooked all those dishes aside just for a guest. Then she gave the order to a faithful servant to take good care that, bringing to the table the dishes she had cooked, she would place them before the lustful king after her prayer. But be careful not to put them in front of someone else, because there is a danger of death. The faithful servant did as he was told.

After all the guests were seated at the table, they began to eat and rejoice as much as they could say. The coveted emperor, that is, the bride’s father, ate and did not eat much. Ever since he had come, he had been looking at the bride and his heart seemed to be saying something to him, but he couldn’t believe his eyes. Passed by, he looked like a child, and not realizing how she had gotten to marry an emperor’s son, she did not dare say anything to anyone. You could see that the toil and trouble the poor girl had suffered had changed her as her father knew her.

And, indulging in the appetite with which the diners ate, he would have wanted to eat and rejoice; but after tasting the food once or twice, he stopped. The servant who brought her the pieces picked them up whole, untouched. This emperor wondered how all the diners eagerly ate some food that had no taste for him. He dared and asked the neighbor on the right. He replied that he had not eaten such good food if he did not remember. The emperor also tasted the neighbor’s plate, and saw that the dishes were good. He did the same to his neighbor on the left. He left her mouth watering after the good food she had tasted from her neighbors; hunger makes him want to swallow too; but who could eat the food that was brought to him? Be patient, be patient; out of shame he sometimes took from the food brought to him, so as not to make fun of the diners, but nothing beyond. At last he could not stop, and rising, he said in a loud voice:

– All right, emperor, You called me to your son’s wedding to make fun of me ? – Dear me, your highness! How could something like that go trough your mind? As the whole assembly sees, I honor you as all other emperors, without distinction. – Forgive me, Emperor, the dishes of all the diners are good to eat, not only mine. The emperor’s father-in-law was angry and ordered the cooks to come and find out what they had done, and the guilty to be put to death.

Do you know what it was? The bride had cooked all the dishes for her father without salt, but only with honey and sugar. Even the skewer in front of him was full of crushed sugar, and in vain the poor emperor took the knife from the skewer that he thought was salty and put it in the dishes, they, instead of making better food, became even sweeter as they were, even older.

Then the bride stood up and said to the father-in-law, “I have cooked the dishes for the angry emperor, and here is what I did: This emperor is my father.” We were three sisters in our parental home. Dad asked us one day how we love him. My older sisters, one replied that she loved him like honey, another like sugar. I told him I loved him like salt in food.  I thought there could be no more love than this! Dad got mad at me and kicked me out of the house. God did not let me perish, and through work, honor, and diligence, I came where you see me. Now I wanted to prove to my father that, without honey and sugar, the man could live, but not without salt, that’s why I cooked his dishes without salt. Judge with your emperor mind who was right.

All the diners found the way they drove the girl out of her parents’ house unjust. Then the girl’s father confessed that he did not know how to appreciate his daughter’s spirit and asked for forgiveness. The girl, too, kissed his hand and asked for his forgiveness if her deed upset him. And they set out on a journey of joy and gladness. The girl’s father rejoiced, not rejoiced, but my father-in-law knew that he rejoiced and was proud that he had acquired such a daughter-in-law, of good vine, wise and industrious.

I was also at the wedding with that bald man who swarms among you, honest boyars. Many sticks, my God, fell from that table, and as they fell, they still fell on the bald man’s head.

And I rode on a saddle, and you said so yourself.

And I rode on a short spoon, long live whoever listens.

And I rode on a spindle, to live also who said.

A Reward for Honesty

Włynkówko/Poland

Once upon a time, in a small village far away, lived Vincent. Vincent was an honest man a skilled painter. He painted walls, boats, and houses and did his work with honesty and diligence.

– Vincent ! I have a fence to be painted. It has to be done soon. Or it will rust !

– Alright ! I will start right away.

– But… but there is a problem. I cannot pay you more than two pieces of copper. I understand i sit too less, but this is all I have ! If the fence gets rusted the nit would cost me more !

– I understand your trouble madam. And to paint is my duty. One must never say no to work !

Vincent was a very poor man. There were nights when he would go to bed hungry ! No matter what, he never asked for more from his customers.  He would work hard all day and be satisfied with whatever he earned. One fine day, a rich businessman came for a visit. He and his family had planned for a short stay in the village. The Businessman entered the village in the most expensive cart ! And many more carts followed him. They were full of fruits and clothes. The villagers stood in awe as the entire procession passed right in front of them.  The following day, the Businessman called for Vincent. As Vincent walked to the Businessman’s house, he met his friend, Tom.

– Hey, Vincent ! Where are you going ?

– Hello, Tom. I am going to the Businessman’s house. He has some work for me.

– Is it ? Listen, he is a very wealthy man. This is a good opportunity. You  must charge him more than what you usually charge others. It’s only fair ! And I am sure he won’t mind paying you !

– No, Tom. It’s not fair. I can’t charge him more than what I charge others ! That’s cheating ! If he likes my work then he can decide to pay me more. But I have to be honest and tell him the right price.

– I am your friend, Vincent. And I respect your honesty. But honesty alone cannot feed you. You work so hard but people in this village will never have enough money to pay you. Take my advice. You should ask for at least five pieces of gold for the work he has for you.

– Five pieces of gold ? No ! I have never charged five pieced of gold to anyone !  I understand your concern, my friend. And thank you for earing about me.  But I have been doing just fine with whatever I earn.

– Well… I did my part. It’s up to you now.

Vincent waved goodbye to his friend and walked ahead. He understood that Tom only wanted the best for him. As Vincent entered the gate of the Businessman’s  house, he was mesmerised. It was nothing less than a palace !

– Oh, hello ! You must be Vincent – The Painter !

– Yes, I am, Sir. You had some work for me ?

– Oh, yes ! The caretaker for my boat has gone out. He will be back only by tomorrow afternoon. But I need to get the boat painted. Will you be able to paint it by tonight ?

– Yes, I can ! Where is the boat ? I will get started right away.

– Oh, but you never told me how much it will cost me.

– I charge four pieces of copper to paint a boat. I cannot charge you less than that.

– HAHA ! Four pieces of copper ? That’s it ? Well. I would never pay you a penny less than what you charge.  You can have your four pieces of copper right away. The boat is near the river. Call me when it’s done.

Vincent took the money. He went to the market and bought paint. And without wasting another minute he walked towards the river. As he was about to begin, he saw that the boat had a big hole right in the center !

– Oh ! This can be dangerous ! I should fill this up first.

Vincent filled up the hole and began to paint. He worked for hours without food. Finally, the boat was painted. He left and called the Businessman to see the boat.

– Oh ! This is wonderful ! You work well, Vincent. Here. Take these four pieces of silver. You deserve it. If I have anything else to paint, I will call you a tonce !

– You are a generous man, Sir. I shall take your leave now.

The next morning, the Businessman’s family went for a ride in the boat. The Businessman waved goodbye to them at the river and went back home.  As he reached, he saw the boat’s caretaker walking towards him.

– Sir ! You are here a week early !

– Oh, yes. My family insisted to come see the village. They just left for their first trip in the boat.

– What ! No ! We have to call them back ! Right now !

– Why are you do worried ? I called the best rower to row them around the village ! Everything is going to be fine.

– You don’t understand, Sir. The boat has a hole right in the center !  Your family will drown ! I was going to repair it today !

– What ! No ! My wife ! My kids !

The Businessman and the Caretaker rushed to the river. But the boat was nowhere to be seen. They searched for hours !

– James ! Lily !

– Madam ! Can you hear us ?

But there was no response. The Businessman knelt there and cried.

– What have I done ! My family ! I should have never let them on that boat !

Just as he sat there blaming himself,  his wife and kids returned in the same boat.

– What happened, my dear ? Why are you crying ?

– You are all safe ! Oh, I was so worried ! There was a big hole in the boat ! I thought I have lost all of you !

– There was no hole in the boat, Sir. It’s as good as new !

– I am so glad you all safe. But I don’t understand how that is possible ? I know for a fact that there was a big hole right in the center of the boat. I didn’t get a chance to repair it before I left. Who repaired it ?

The Businessman thought for a while. He then understood what had happened and immediately sent to call Vincent the painter. Vincent came to the Businessman’s house.

– Vincent ! Take this, my friend !

– Whatis this ?

– This is your reward. A hundred pieces of gold.

– What ! Reward for what ?

– Reward for your honesty and hard work. You saved my family’s life, Vincent. You filled up the hole in the boat. That was not your job. And you didn’t even charge me more for that.

– But, Sir, a hundred pieces of gold is too much for filling a tiny hole in a boat.

– A hundred pieces of gold is nothing compared to the lives that you have saved, Vincent. Take it

Vincent could not believe his fate ! Till yesterday he was a painter who could earn just enough to survive. And today, he owned gold ! From that day on, Vincent never slept on an empty stomach. For, he had earned the reward for his honesty.

THE END

Mevlana and Haji Bektashi Veli

ISPARTA/TURKEY

A poor man once had earned some money in an immoral way and then bought himself a cow with that money. A long time afterwards, he regretted what he had done and decided to donate the cow to Haji Bektashi Veli’s dervish monastery to salve his conscience.

The man went to Haji Bektashi Veli and explained everything but Haji Bektashi Veli didn’t accept the cow as a donation because it was’t earned in a halal* (legitimate) way.

Therewith, the man went to mevlevi monastery to talk to Mevlana. He explained everything to Mevlana and Mevlana accepted his donation. The man told Mevlana that he went to Haji Bektashi Veli before and that he didn’t accept his donation because the cow wasn’t halal and asked Mevlana why he accepted the cow as a donation.

Mevlana explained:

“If I am like a vulture then Haji Bektashi Veli is like a hawk. He wouldn’t  feed on a carrion. That’s why he didn’t accept your donation but I did.

The man went to talk to Haji Bektashi Veli again to ask him why he did not accept the donation while Mevlana accepted it.

Haji Bektashi Veli clarified:

“ If my heart is like a small puddle then Mevlana’s heart  is like an ocean. That’s why my heart could be defiled with only one drop of stain but his immense heart would’t be affected from that one drop. That’s why he accepted your donation.”

Footnotes:

• Haji Bektash Veli or Haji Bektash Wali (1209 – 1271) was a Muslim mystic, saint, Sayyid, humanist, and philosopher from Khorasan who lived and taught in Anatolia.
• Mevlana Celaddiin-i Rumi is a 13th century Muslim saint and Anatolian mystic known throughout the world for his exquisite poems and words of wisdom, which have been translated into many languages.
• Halal (/həˈlɑːl/) is a word that translates to “permissible or lawful” into English. It is a broad term covering what is allowed in the context of Islamic law. The opposite of halal is haram, meaning “forbidden”.

Reading Comprehension Questions:

• Have you ever heard about Mevlana (Celaddiin-i Rumi) before?
• Have you ever heard about Haji Bektash Veli before?
• Have you ever heard about the term ‘halal’ before?
• Why didn’t Haji Bektashi Veli accept the man’s donation?
• What does Mevlana refer to by using the metaphor “If I am like a vulture then Haji Bektashi Veli is like a hawk.”?
• What does Haji Bektashi Veli refer to by using the metaphor “ If my heart is like a small puddle then Mevlana’s heart is like an ocean.”
• What’s the moral of the story?

References:

http://www.hikayelerimiz.com/mevlana-ve-haci-bektasi-veli/

https://www.mevlana.net/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haji_Bektash_Veli

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halal

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/what-is-halal-meat-the-big-questions-about-religious-slaughter-answered-9331519.html

THE OLD MAN’S DAUGHTER AND THE OLD WOMAN’S DAUGHTER

MEDGIDIA / ROMANIA

There were once an old man and an old woman; the old man had a daughter, and the old woman also a daughter. The old woman’s daughter was ugly, lazy, grumpy and bad at heart ; but, because she was a mommy’s girl , she would act like she’s holy, leaving all the weight on the old man’s daughter. The old man’s daughter however was beautiful, hardworking, and good at heart. God embellished her with all the good and beautiful gifts. But this good girl was forlorn by her sister made of bark, and also by her step-mother. Thank god that she was a patient and working girl ; cause if it was different it would have been woe betide her.

The old man’s daughter was uphill, the old man’s daughter was downhill; She was looking after twigs in the forest,she with her pouch behind the mill, she was finally,in all directions after working. As big as the day was, she wouldn’t let her legs rest; from a way she would come and would go to another.. Then the old woman and her precious daughter still ungrateful and unsatisfied remained. For the old woman, the old man’s daughter was the black sheep; while her daughter, a cut above the others.

When the two girls went to the village, the old man’s daughter did not get confused, but twisted a sieve full of spindles; and the old woman’s daughter was also blowing a spindle; and then, when the two girls came home late at night, the old woman’s daughter would jump over the fire and tell the old man’s daughter to give her the sieve with the spindles, so that she could hold it until she jumped too. Then the old woman’s daughter, as cunning as she was, would take the sieve and run home to the old woman and the old man, saying that she had spun those spindles. In vain did the old man’s daughter say back that this was the work of his hands; for at once the grandmother and her daughter seized her cheek, and she was to remain theirs at once. When Sundays and holidays came, the old woman’s daughter was adorned and smoothed on her head, as if the calves had licked her.

There was no game, there was no village in which the grandmother’s daughter would not go, and the old man’s daughter was severely stopped from all this. And then, when the old man came from where he was taken, the old woman’s mouth went like the honeycomb; that his daughter does not listen, that she is easygoing, that she is lazy, that she is kind of bad… that she is lazy, that she is dancing and to drive her away from home; to send her to work where she knows, because it’s not fair to keep her; because she can make her daughter the same too.

The old man, being a mouth-helmet, or whatever you want to call it, looked into her horns, and what she called him was holy. From the heart, the poor old man may have said something else; but now he had begun to sing at his house, and the cuckoo no longer had a passage; and then, let sin have made him overtake with his eyes; for the grandmother and her daughter filled him with lies.

One day, the old man, being very bitter about what his grandmother told him, called the girl and said:

– Dear father, here is what you keep telling me: that you don’t listen to her, that you are bad-mouthed and naughty and that there is no way to stay at my house; that’s why you go where God has directed you, so that there will be no more fuss at this house, because of you. But I advise you, as a father that I am to you, that, wherever it takes you, to be submissive, gentle and diligent; for you still took her to my house as you took her: there was also parental pity in the middle! but through strangers, God knows over what kind of seed you will meet; and they will not be able to endure as much as we have endured.

Then the poor girl, seeing that her grandmother and daughter want to drive her away in any way, kisses her father’s hand and, with tears in his eyes, she starts all over the world, leaving her parental home without any hope of returning!

And she walked on a road, until, by chance, a puppy came out in front of her, sick as if she had a weak head to count her ribs; and when he saw the girl, he said to her:

– Beautiful and hardworking girl, have mercy on me and take care of me, because I will treat you well!

Then the girl took pity on him and, taking the puppy, washed it and took good care of it. Then she left it there and looked for her way, satisfied in her soul that she could do a good deed.

She didn’t go very far, and only here she sees beautiful and flowery pear treer, but full of caterpillars everywhere. The pear tree, as he sees the girl, says:

– Beautiful and hard-working girl, take care of me and clean me of caterpillars, because I’ll treat you well!

The girl, as industrious as she was, cleans her pear tree of exits and caterpillars with great care and then goes on before looking for her future. And, as she goes on, all she sees is a muddy and deserted fountain. The fountain then says:

– Beautiful and hard-working girl, take care of me, because I’ll treat you well!

The girl cemented the well and takes good care of it; then she leaves it and looks for her way. And, as we go on, only here what comes out of a non-stick oven and more and more to dissipate. The oven, as he sees the girl, says:

– Beautiful and hardworking girl, stick me and take care of me, because maybe I’ll treat you well!

The girl, who knew that nobody died of hard working, rolled up her sleeves, kneaded clay and stoke the oven, cover it and took care of it, that you could bearly look at her. Then she washed her hands nicely and she set off.

As she walked day and night, I don’t know what she has done, she lost her way; with all these, she didn’t lose her faith in God, but went on until one day, in the morning, passing through a dark forest, bursts in to a very beautiful meadow, and in that green meadow sees a little house shaded by some flowing willows; and when approaching the house, suddenly an old women greets her gently and says:

-But what are you looking for in these place, my girl, and who are you? Who should I be, my aunt? I’m a poor girl, without mother and father, I think I say, only God knows how many things I have been through since my mother passed away. I’m looking for a job, but not knowing anyone and walking from place to place, I got lost. God brought me to your house and please give me a place to live.

-Poor girl, said the old woman. Indeed, God has brought you to me and saved you from danger. I am Holy Sunday. Work for me today and be sure you won’t leave my house unpaid.

-All right, old lady but I don’t know what I have to do. You should feed my sleeping children, then cook food and when I come back home from church, find them neither hot nor cold, but just good to eat.

And, as she says, the old woman goes to church, and the girl rolls up her sleeves and gets to work. First he makes the fiddler, then he goes outside and starts shouting: – Children, children, children! Come to your mother to take care of you! And when the girl looks, what should she see? The yard was full and the forest was littered with lots of dragons and all sorts of small and large jivines! But, strong in faith and with hope in God, the girl is not afraid; but he takes one by one and takes care of them as best he can. Then she began to cook, and when Holy Sunday came from the church and she saw the children playing beautifully and all the things well done, she was filled with joy; and after sitting down at the table, she told the girl to go up to the attic and choose a box from there, which she wanted, and to take it as a symbol; but not to open it up to his father’s house. The girl climbs into the attic and sees a lot of boxes there: some older and uglier, others newer and more beautiful. However, not being greedy, she chooses the oldest and ugliest of all. And when she goes downstairs, Holy Sunday frowns a little, but she can do nothing. But she blesses the girl, who takes her box behind her and returns to her parents’ house with joy, also on the road where she had come. When, on the way, the oven she took care of was full of raised and browned pies… And she eats some of the pies, and eats, well; then he takes a few more on the road and starts. When, later on, only the well she cared for was filled to the brim with water as clear as tears, sweet and cold as ice. And on the coil of the fountain were two silver cups, with which he drank until it cooled. Then she took the glasses with her and set off.

From there, on his way, she also meets the puppy, who was now strong and beautiful, and he wore a necklace of yellows around his neck, which he gave to the girl, as if satisfied because she had looked for hit in the disease. And from here, the girl, going forward, came home to her father. The old man, when he saw her, his eyes filled with tears and his heart filled with joy. The girl then takes out her silver necklace and glasses and gives them to her father; then opening the box together, innumerable studs of horses, herds of cattle, and flocks of sheep come out of it, so that the old man immediately rejuvenated himself, seeing so much wealth! And the grandmother was scalded and did not know what to do in spite of herself. The grandmother’s daughter then took her heart in her teeth and said: ‘Let it be, mother, that the world is not plundered with riches; I’m going to get you more.

And, as she says, she starts with spite, cracking and cracking. She walks as she goes, also on this road, where she had been the old man’s daughter; she also meets the weak and sick puppy; it also meets a tree full of caterpillars, the muddy and dry and abandoned fountain, the non-stick oven; but when the puppy, the tree, the fountain, and the oven asked her to take care of them, she answered them in spite and rude.

-How not!? That I don’t get my mother’s and father’s hands dirty anymore! Did you have many servants like me?

Then, knowing that it would be easier for someone to get milk from a barren cow than to be indebted to a lazy girl, they let her go in peace and did not ask for help. And going on, she arrived to Holy Sunday; but even here she behaved grumpily, naughtily and foolishly. Instead of making good and proper food and washing the children of Holy Sunday as the old man’s daughter did well, she scalded them all, screaming and running away mad with pain.             Then she burned them, so that no one could take them in his mouth… and when Holy Sunday came from the church, she put hier hands on her head from what she found at home.But Holy Sunday, gentle and forgiving, did not want to put his mind on such a lazy girl; but she told her to go up to the attic, to choose a chest there, which she liked, and to go to the payment of God. The girl then got up and chose her newest and most beautiful chest; for she liked to take as much and what was best and most beautiful, but she didn’t like to do a good job.Then, when he comes down from the attic with the box, she no longer goes to take his good day and the blessing of Holy Sunday, but begins as if from a deserted house and goes on; and she went so fast, for fear of not changing her mind on Holy Sunday to go after her, to reach her and take her box.

And when it reaches the oven, beautiful pies were in it! But when she approaches to take it of herself and to fulfill her desire, the fire burns her and she cannot take it. At the fountain, likewise: the silver glasses, no matter what, were, and the well filled with water to the brim; but when the girl wanted to put her hand on the glass and take water, the glasses immediately sank, the water in the well dried up instantly, and the thirsty girl dried up! When through the pear tree, there is no question, as if it were beaten with a shovel by many pears that he had, but do you think that the girl had the part to taste one? No, because her pear tree grew a thousand times taller than it was, if it had reached the branches in the clouds! And then… dig yourself, old lady’s daughter, into your teeth! Going forward, she still met the puppy; he still wore a yellow necklace around his neck; but when the girl wanted to take it, the puppy bit her, broke her fingers, and did not let her touch him. The girl was now bitting her little mommy’s and daddy’s fingers in spite and shame, but she had nothing to do. Finally, with what happened when she got home, to her mother, but here, too, their wealth did not tickle them. For, opening the chest, a lot of dragons came out of it and immediately ate the old lady, with the girl with everything, as if they were no longer in this world, and then the unseen dragons with the chest became .

And the old man remained in peace without the old lady and had innumerable riches: he married his daughter after a good and industrious man. The roosters were now singing on the pillars of the gates, in the doorway and on all sides; and the hens no longer crowed at the old man’s house, to do evil; then they didn’t have many days then. Only so much, that the old man remained bald and skinny for a long time, because of what his old lady had smoothed over his head and to look behind him with the little wooden shovel, if his corn was ripe.

THE FOSTER FATHER

BORODIANKA / UKRAINE

There once lived three brothers who lost their mother and father at an early age and had nothing, neither a house nor a farm. One day they set out from home to look for work. They walked and they walked, and they met an old man with a long white beard. “Where are you going, my children?” the old man asked. “ If only we could find a good man to take us on we would work really hard for him and treat him like our own father,” the brothers replied. ” If that is what you wish I will be as a father to you,” said the old man. “I will take care of you and do my best to make you happy if you live the ways of honesty and respectability.”

The brothers went with the old man, they crossed dark forests and wide fields and came to a pretty little house. It was surrounded with a cherry orchard and had flowers growing all around it. They saw a girl who was as pretty as a flower. The eldest brother took one look at her and said: I wish I could marry that girl and have a farm of my own!” “Very well, if that is what you wish, my son!” said the old man.  Only mind, never must you stray from the path of honesty and respectability.” They went matchmaking, the eldest brother married the girl and become a farmer.

And the old man and the two younger brothers went on. By and by they came to a new house with a mill and pond beside it. There was a pretty girl in the garden, and the middle brother took one look at her and said: “I wish I could marry that girl and have the mill for my own. I would work there and be very happy.” “Very well, my son, if that is what you want!” the old man said. They went matchmaking, the middle brother married the girl and became a miller.  “Be happy, my son, but never stray from the path of honesty and respectability!” said the old man, and he and the youngest of the three brothers went on.

By and by they came to a poor little hut, and saw a girl dressed in rags but as pretty as a star at dawn. “I wish I had that girl for a wife!” said the youngest brother. “We would work together and share what we earned with those poorer than ourselves.” “Very well, if that is what you want, my son!” the old man said. “Only mind, never stay from the path of honesty and respectability!” He married off the third brother and went on his way.

Several years went by, and the eldest brother became so rich that he built himself several houses and saved up some money besides, and all he thought about was how to make more and more. But he was a miser at heart and never gave the needy a thought.

The middle brother stopped working, hired others to do his work for him, and spent the days lolling in bed and gorging himself on food and drink.

But as for the younger brother, he lived a very modest life, respected people and was always ready to share whatever he had with others.

Now, the old man with the   white beard dressed himself in rags and went to see the eldest brother first. Finding him in his front yard , he said with a bow: “Please, kind sir, won’t you give an old man something to eat?” “Stop pretending , you’re not so old that you can’t work and make a living!” said the eldest brother and sent the old man away empty-handed. Off went the old man, and when he had gone a mile or so, he glanced at his foster son’s house and farm, and they burst into flames and went to the ground.

The old man did not stop but went to see the middle brother, who had not only the mill but a rich farm besides. Finding him in his front yard , he said with a bow: “Please, kind sir, let a poor man have a handful of flour! I am hungry and sick.” “I haven’t enough for myself even! “said the middle brother.” There’s a lot of beggars like you! Do you expect me to feed you all?” Off went the old man, and when he had gone only a little distance, stopped and glanced back, and the house and the mill  caught fire and went up in smoke.

The old man now went to see the youngest brother who lived very modestly and whose hut was small and poor but neat and clean.

“Please kind sir, do give me some bread to eat!” said the old man.

“Go into the house, Grandpa, and you’ll be fed and given some food to take along with you”, said the youngest brother with respect. The old man went inside, and, seeing him dressed in rags, the youngest brother’s wife brought out some clothes for him to wear. As he was putting them on, she and her husband noticed that he had a wound on his chest, and after giving him food and drink, they asked him about it.

“I won’t hide from you that I don’t think I will live much longer,” said the old man.

“Can’t anything be done?” they asked.

“It can. Almost anyone could help me, but none will.”

“Why won’t they? Tell us what to do and we’ll do it,” the youngest brother offered.

“Well, you’d have to burn down your house with everything in it and sprinkle my wound with the ashes. Nothing else will help,” said the old man. “And who would want to save my life at such a cost to himself!”

The youngest brother fell silent. He thought for a long time and then turned to his wife. “We can always build a new house, but once a man is dead he won’t come back to life again,” he said. They carried their children out of the house, and the youngest brother stopped and looked back at it. The thought of losing it pained him, but such was his respect and compassion for the old man that he lit the straw-thatched roof. The house caught fire at once and was swallowed by flame, but no sooner had it burnt down than another, far bigger and richer, appeared in its place.

The old man smiled. “I can see, my son, that you are the only one of your brothers who knows the meaning of honesty and respectability,” he said. “May good fortune be always with you!” The youngest brother now saw that the man he had thought a beggar was his foster father. He rushed to him, but the old man vanished and was seen no more.

Reading Comprehension Questions:

1. Why did three brothers left their home?
2. Whom did they meet?
3. What did the eldest brother want to be?
4. What did the middle brother want to be?
5. What did the youngest brother want to do?
6. Did all the brothers follow the path of honesty and respectability? Why or why not?
7. What is the moral of the story?

STORY ABOUT “RESPECT” 

Włynkówko/Poland

Once upon a time, an old man spread rumors that his neighbor was a thief. As a result, the young man was arrested. Days later the young man was proven innocent. After being released, the man felt humiliated as he walked to his home. He sued the old man for wrongly accusing him.

In court, the old man told the judge, they were just comments, didnt harm anyone.. The judge, before passing sentence on the case, told the old man, write all the things you said about him on a piece of paper. Cut them up and on the way home, throw the pieces of paper out. Tomorrow, come back to hear the sentence.

The next day, the judge told the old man, before receiving the sentence, you will have to go out and gather all the pieces of paper that you threw out yesterday. The old man said, I cant do that! The wind must have spread them and I wont know where to find them.

The judge then replied, the same way, simple comments may destroy the honor of a man to such an extent that one is not able to fix it. The old man realized his mistake and asked for forgiveness.

Questions:

1. What were the rumors about the man?
2. Who said the rumors about the man?
3. What did the judge tell the old man to do?
4. Why the old man could not collect the pieces of paper?
5. What did the old man understand in the court?

Ants and The Sultan

Tekirdag / TURKEY

Once upon a time, there was a sultan. His name was Kanuni Sultan Suleyman. He always went to the backyard to rest and he watched trees, birds and sea when he had time left from his from government duties. One day, when the sea and trees were more beautiful than the  other days, he realized some trees’ leaves were wrinkled.

He went to a tree and investigated the tree’s leaves. A little time later, sultan understood why the trees’ leaves were wrinkled. Ants surrounded their beautiful leaves. A solution came to his mind, he was going to use pesticides on the trees. Hence trees would be saved from ants and would breathe a sigh of relief.

But after a minute of thinking, he understood this idea was not that good. Because ants were also living beings and they had the right to survive, ants would die if he would use pesticides on the trees. When Kanuni realized that he could not get out of the dilemma on his own, he called his mentor to consult. He went to his mentor’s room. But his mentor was not in his room. He saw a piece of paper and  wrote the question he had in mind on it in a literary language, then left the paper on his mentor’s lectern.

A few hours later, his mentor came to the room and saw the handwritten paper on the lectern. He took the feather and started to wrote something under the paper on which his student wrote the question and left the paper on the lectern.

Kanuni came to his mentor’s room once again. His mentor was still not in his room, but he saw that something other than his own writing was written on the paper that he had left on the lectern earlier. He took the paper and started reading curiously. A smile appeared on his face when he read the text. On the top of the paper there was the question he wrote to his mentor:

When the ants surround the fruit trees

If I slay the ants are there any sins?

His mentor answered the question as follows:

Tomorrow, when you arrive at the Hakk’s Divan

The ants would get back at (you) the Sultan

Notes: Hakk’s Divan: The God’s Place. It symbolizes the belief of life after death; heaven or hell.

Reading Comprehension Questions:

1. Why were the leaves of trees wrinkled?
2. What was the first solution of Sultan for wrinkled leaves?
3. Why was the first solution unusable?
4. Why did the Sultan go to his Mentor’s room?
5. What did the Sultan ask his Mentor?
6. What did the Mentor answered the Sultan?
7. What is the moral of this story?

UKRAINIAN FOLK TALE SIRKO

There was once a man who had a dog named Sirko. The dog was very, very old, and one day his master drove him out of the house. Sirko went to the fields, and he felt very sad and unhappy.

“I served my master for so many years,” said he to himself, “and now that I am old and weak he has driven me out of the house.”

He wandered on when all of a sudden, he saw a Wolf.

“What are you doing here?” asked the Wolf.

“There’s nothing else I can do, for my master has driven me out of the house,” Sirko replied.

“I can help you if you like,” the Wolf said. “If you do as I say, your master will take you back again and will love and tolerate you.”

“Please, help me, my dear friend!” Sirko cried. “I will find a way to repay you for your kindness.”

“Well, listen to me. Your master and mistress will soon go out to the fields to harvest, and the mistress will leave her baby to sleep there while she is helping her husband. You must stay close to the baby so I’ll know where he is. I’ll come running up and carry him off, and you must run after me and try to take him away. Then I’ll pretend I’m frightened and leave the baby.”

The time to harvest came, and the master and mistress went to the field. The mistress left her baby, joined her husband and set to work. Then the Wolf ran up. He seized up the baby and ran off with it across the field. Sirko ran after him, and his master cried:

“Catch him, Sirko!”

Sirko caught up with the Wolf, snatched the baby away from him, and brought it back to his master.

Evening came, the master and mistress went home, and they took Sirko with them. They went into the house, and the master said to his wife:

“Make us an extra dish of dumplings for Sirko and don’t spare the fat!”

The mistress set the dumplings on the table, and the master filled a dish for Sirko. And he blew on them lest Sirko burn himself while he ate.

“Here, Sirko, eat your fill! This is to thank you for saving our baby.”

“This is all the Wolf’s doing,” said Sirko to himself. “I must repay.” Sirko went out into the field, found the Wolf there and said to him “Come to our vegetable garden on Sunday. My master is going to marry off his eldest daughter. I will let you into the house and repay you for your kindness.”

The Wolf waited till Sunday and went where Sirko had told him to. Now, it was on that very day that the wedding was held. Sirko went outside, took the Wolf into the house and hid him under the table. Then he seized a big piece of meat from the table and gave it to the Wolf. The guests wanted to beat Sirko, but the master stopped them.

“Do not touch Sirko!” he said. “He is a very respectful dog. He has done me a great service, and I will always be kind to him.”

And Sirko took some of the best pieces from the table and gave them to the Wolf. So well did he feast him that the Wolf could not stop himself and said:

“I’m going to sing!”

“Please don’t or you’ll get into trouble,” Sirko begged.

“I can’t help myself, I’m going to sing and that’s the end of it!” The Wolf let out a terrific howl from under the table! The guests jumped up in fright, and some of them wanted to beat up the Wolf. Then Sirko jumped on top of him and made as though he was about to kill him.

“Don’t touch the Wolf or you’ll hurt Sirko!” the master said. “And don’t worry, he’ll teach him a good lesson!” Sirko took the Wolf to the field and said:

“You did me a kindness once.  Now my master tolerates me and takes care of me, and I have paid you back for it!” They bade each other goodbye and went their ways.

Reading Comprehension Questions

1. Why didn’t the master tolerate his dog anymore?
2. Whom did the dog met in the fields?
3. Why was the wolf sympathetic?
4. How did the wolf make the master change his mind about Sirko?
5. Was the dog thankful?
6. Do you tolerate those who are weak and old?

The Adoptive Mother- The story About Tolerance

By Emilia Plugaru

The turkey, a rather confused bird, but with a warm and good heart, every morning takes its flock of chicks to the yard of the nearby school.

The chicks of the turkey are four young puppies, three ducklings, five chicks out of their natural eggs and a chicken hen black as the bottom of the cauldron, which chirps, chirps incessantly, probably afraid not to stay in the herd.

From this gathering only the hen’s egg had not been hatched by her. His mother, when the poor man came into the world, it is not known why she began to beat him with the clone in the head and shout like a desperate woman:

– Câr-r-r-r! Câr-r-r-r! Câr-r-r-r! Get him, get him out of here! Don’t you see ?! This is not mine! Mine are all golden, beautiful, but he’s black as hell! If you don’t take it out of my eyes, I’ll kill him! “Where does so much hatred for a poor chick come from, black that’s right, but no blacker than his real mother?” The housewife, seeing that the joke was thickening, took the chick and, thinking too much about it, brought it and placed it next to the other turkey chicks. The turkey looked at him for a long time, turned a little, then, making room for him, covered him with her wing. Only then did the poor hen understood what the warmth of a protective wing meant.

Every morning, after the owner feeds the chickens with a mash, the turkey takes them to the school yard. In summer there is a lot of musty grass and there is enough space for all the birds around. In the shade of an old oak, on a blanket of green grass edged with knotweed, mallow and fragrant romances, the sun’s rays seem less hot. The ducks swim among the white flowers, the chicks nibble on round mallow coils, the turkeys are full, barely touching a blade of grass, and only the hen is diligently poking at the oak root.

-“Piu, piu, piu!” He shouted at his brothers. Come quickly! I found a worm!

Surprised by the news, the turkey stretches its neck anxiously, rotates its head in all directions. The chicks stare petrified, scared without knowing what will happen. Sudden alarm!

– Ciu! Ciu! Ciu! Cried the turkey.

As per the order, four buds, three ducks, five turkey chicks and one chicken are made with knotweed, rosemary flowers, tall grass. Up above, a hungry eagle rotates. Just on the patch of grass where a lot of chickens were, delicious food for him, now – nothing. Where did they disappear? Puzzled, the eagle continues to whirl. The turkey screamed even more desperately.

– Come on! Come on, ugly bird! The housewife runs in a heartbeat. The eagle is devastated. Leaves. Immediately from the green carpet appear four buds, three duckling, five turkey and one hen.

Only in the evening does the turkey gather its young and go home. The day would end as best it could if, on his return, the one who wanted to kill his own baby would not get in his way. The hen remembers the poor chubby chicken and whenever she sees him she rushes towards him with mad rage. Poor chicken. Each time he hides behind his adoptive mother. Usually the turkey does not pay any attention to the brood, but this time it is not willing to be patient. So far, so good. Her patience is over. The hen feels the danger, wants to give back, but there is no escape. Big, grumpy, the adoptive mother starts angrily on the silly’s bell.

– Stop! Crazy woman! Stop it! The mistress runs to separate them. Did you get it ?!

The turkey walks away obediently. She takes her children to bed. The chicks nestle neatly under their mother’s broad wings. They stay there all night and… who knows, maybe they are dreaming of the green carpet near the oak, the rosemary flowers, or maybe they are dreaming of the sky, the sun that tomorrow morning will rise and warm with the same warmth all the creatures, good or bad of this tormented and old Earth…

Questions:

1. Why do you think Yhe hen rejected the chick?
2. How do you explain the behaviour of the turkey?

3.Is the eagle a real threat?

4. Why do you think the hen and the turkey started a fight?

A Pinch of Injustice

ISPARTA / TURKEY

An emperor,who was very lawful and loved by his people, was traveling his country with his men.

During their travel, they came to a deserted and mountainous land.  There wasn’t even a small shepherd’s hut in sight. Meanwhile, the cook of the palace came into the emperor’s presence and complained with sadness:

“My dear Sultan, I am with you to make you the most beautiful dishes, but there is not even a pinch of salt left in our food load. Without salt, meals and even breads are tasteless! What am I going to do now?”

The Sultan answered:

“Go to the nearest village. Find a merchant who sells salt there. But pay only the right price; don’t give a penny extra!”

The cook looked at the emperor  in astonishment and could not prevent his words:

“My Sultan! You who have more treasures in this world than anyone else. What will happen if you pay a few pennies more for salt?  Those extra pennies would’t  diminish anything from your immense treasure.”

The emperor’s answer was like the summary of his sense of  justice that has ruled the country since he took the throne:

“How do you think great injustices happen? It is these small injustices that cause greater ones that everybody complains about in the world. Little things are like drops of water that eventually fill a lake pit. When the world was first established, injustice was like a small pinch. People enhanced injustice by saying, “What comes out of minor injustices?”

Those extra pennies that I will pay for the salt would not affect my treasure  so much  for now, but if I don’t act carefully and justly while spending my countries’ treasure and spend it unfairly, little by little, our country’s treasure would  perish. Therefore, one should neither be unfair nor consent to injustice, whether it is small or big. Now go get the salt at the right price and come!”

The end.

Reading Comprehension Questions:

• What’s missing in the cooks’ food load?
• How does the meals taste without salt according to the story?
• How much money does the Sultan tell to pay for the salt?
• Why does the cook looked at the emperor in astonishment?
• How does great injustices happen according to the Sultan?
• What’s the moral of the story?

References:

http://fikretozturkilkokulu.meb.k12.tr/icerikler/adalet-ile-ilgili-hikyeler_6685998.html

UKRAINIAN FOLK TALEABOUT JUSTICE

THE GREEDY OLD WOMAN AND THE LIME TREE

Once upon a time there lived an old man and an old woman who were very poor. One day the old woman said: Why don’t you go to the forest, old man, and cut down a lime tree for us to use for firewood?” Very well,” said the old man, and he took an axe and went to the forest. He found a lime tree and was about to chop it down, but the lime tree said in a human voice: “Please, old man, don’t chop me down, and I’ll do you a good turn some day!” The old man was so frightened that he dropped his axe.

He went home and told the old woman what had happened, and she said: “What a fool you are, husband! Go back at once and tell the lime tree that you want a horse and a cart. Haven’t we had enough of walking!” The old man went back to the forest. He came up to the lime tree and said: “Lime tree, lime tree, my old woman wants you to give us a horse and a cart.” “Very well, you will have them! Go home now,” said the lime tree. The old man went home, and he saw a cart with a horse harnessed to it. “See that, old man?” said the old woman. “Now you and I are as good as anyone. Except for our hut. Our hut is so old! Go and ask the lime tree to give us a new one.”

Back went the old man to the forest and he asked the lime tree to give them a hut. Very well, you will have it!” said the lime tree. “Go home now.” The old man went home, and he could hardly believe his own eyes, for where once was their old hut stood a fine new one. The two old people were as happy as children. The old man was overjoyed. “We don’t need anything now!” he said. “That’s what you think!” said his wife. “Go back again and ask the lime tree for some money.”

Back went the old man to the forest and asked the lime tree for some money. “Very well, you will have it!” said the lime tree. “Go home now.” The old man went home, and he found his wife at the table busy counting bills and coins. “We’re rich now, old man!” the old woman said. “But rich people must be feared.  We have nothing to wish for now but for everyone fears us and all the people in the village to work for us!” said she.

Back went the old man to the forest, and he begged the lime tree to do as the old woman asked. The lime tree was silent for a while and then said: “Go home, old man, and I’ll do one last and right thing for you!” The old man went home, and there stood their old hut with his wife beside it. Their rich new house was gone and everything else with it. That is how the lime tree punished them for the old woman’s greed and for her wanting to make others slave for her.

Reading comprehension Questions

1. What was the old man going to do in the forest?
2. Why was the old man frightened?
3. What did the old woman want the Lime tree give her?
4. Did the Lime tree do the right thing?
5. What is the moral of the story?

         Ion Roată and Cuza-Vodă

  by Ion Creangă

Among the leading peasants who took part, together with the nobles, the bishops and the metropolitan of the country at the Ad Hoc meetings, in Moldova, in 1857, was also Old Ion Roată, an honest and decent man, as are all the romanian peasants everywhere. But old Ion Roată after all the things he had seen and he had been through he didn’t believe in the words of the nobles and when he had something to tell, he was telling the truth directly, no matter who was the person he was talking to, when something bothered him. That’s the peasant: that’s all he knows. So old Ion Roată, being a peasant, as I told you, although he had the honour to be among the nobles, he was always  a sincere and direct man.

At Ad Hoc meetings in Moldova there were all kind of nobles, reacher, poorer, older, younger, trained in schools or not as each of them could. Among them was old Alecu Florescu, nicknamed Tololoiu, Grigore Cuza and a few others who respecting the ancestral customs, in all the holidays listened with reverance from the begining until the end the church service, priests and bishops singing in the pew; and on important days they shared a piece of bread with the orphans, the widows and others in need as they had learned from their parents. As much as they knew, they did in in their time, in the past, may God forgive them and rest them, wherever they may be, that they have a good heart.

But let’s go back to the ad hoc Couch. Here, as in all such assemblies, much was said; and it was a natural thing to do, being in the present time fighting with the past, for the most just cause of the Romanian nation: the Union, the holy Union!

The youngest boyars, raised as children abroad, only in French and German, were murmurs of the past and the most talkative at the same time. Old-fashioned speech, dress, and grasp were no longer taken into account. And because of this, some, in their ignition, called the old ones: obsolete rusts, rusts, undead, and whatever else came to mind, as was their growth; yes, are you learning?

There was no question that the longing of some old men was great. Sometimes, when they got angry, they would give the young people a slap in the face, calling them: bonjords, duels, trousers, foolish people and arrogant beaks, renounced by the law, spoilers of language and customs. The old boyars with the youth of the Ad-hoc Divan of Moldova were in such a state of ideas, although both were for the “Union”. Only so much, that the old people wanted “Union” with some reserve, and the young people “Union” without account, as it was done.

All like all, but some of the young boyars had a great fight with the cousin Alecu Forăscu, who, one or two, scolded them, rebuking them: they do not speak Romanian, as their parents did, but they spoke the ancestral language, if not nobody understands them anymore; rather, “walk with the screws, pull our stumps”; rather, “man makes a small friendship with someone, and there is still an agreement between the parties, and not so with his eyes closed”, because, “if you don’t have a book, you don’t have a party”, a short account; for, since you have been alienated from the law, and from the tongue, and from the heart, and even from the love of the villagers; “That time is not far, as far as I can see. Ask the poor bastards of the villagers to tell them if they still know who owns them. They are like no one’s dogs, poor people! great in the village to them, if it horrifies them and makes them worse than cattle! Indeed, “woe to the country where the children end up setting it up”; that “a lot of talk, man’s poverty”, and, if that’s the way it is for them, do what they know, that he better go home, that his horses will rain in his back and his cattle will be with their teeth to the stars, because of the servants, who care little for the work of the master; and more and more of these naughty people. Let the elders enchant you and let them judge you, in their law, that you don’t need another priest… And here’s the boyar Alecu Forăscu.

Now comes another. One day, as a young boyar speaks nicely, here and old Ion Roată jumps with his mouth:

– You are kind enough to talk more, my lord, not to ask us too; for I, one, tell you the truth, that I understand nothing, my sins!

Some boyar then greets old man Ion Roată, saying in a commanding and malicious voice:

“But what great need do you have to understand, you peasant?” Shut up, if you came here; c-then we’ll go home, and helbet! don’t get anything back from what I know… Listen to impudence! You… with eighty thousand jaws of estate, and he a squirrel with a patch of earth, and look what a mouth he makes with me!

Old Ion Roata, feeling hit to the soul, then responds in a weeping voice:

“Well, my lord, if you weren’t happy to spice up some of what you said, why did you bring us here to make fun of us?” Well, my lord! You are strong, you are good to me, like the laughter I found, and I know very well that it will not be soft when I return home, where my needs are waiting for me. But don’t be upset, take the palms of these peasants of ours, pierced by the brick and full of weeds, as you can see, they keep you so bitter for a long time and make you sniff well. And more than that: any Venetian in this country is chosen by you, and you look at him carelessly as he does not suck, and you are silent and embrace him! Only we,  the working cattle, are dear to you like salt in your eyes,right!

Don’t take it out of peasants, hungry men and cattle! God forbid, and don’t forgive yourself, lords, but it really is: you have always learned to take fire with our most working hands… and forsaken too!

“May it be your purpose, old Ioane, that you spoke out of pain,” replied Lady Alecu Forascu; and I’m glad you’re with me. Better a poor horse than no horse at all.

At these words, many of the boyars felt touched; the one in question  remained scalded. And the Colonel Alexandru Cuza shook hands with old man Ion Roată.

Finally, after many stormy debates in the ad hoc Divan, the “Union” was approved, and then the deputies each returned to their homes.

A few years later, passing Cuza-voda to Bucharest, he stopped at Agiud, where he was greeted by a lot of people, like a ruler.

Among the crowded world, with work, without work, here is a paper fluttering over the heads of the crowd, on top of a stick. Cuza-voda, understanding that he must be a troubled soul, signals to open the way for him. When an old peasant falls to his knees before the ruler, kissing his hands, with tears in his eyes, and giving him a piece of paper written on all sides.

– Hey, hey! old man Ion Roată, my old friend and companion from the Ad-hoc Divan, something unthinkable! Get up, old John, and tell me, without shyness, what pain you have. Did anyone want to hurt you?

Old Ion Roata, seeing that, after so many years, Colonel Alexandru Cuza had not forgotten him and that he had received him so kindly, he began to cry with laughter and ask him to read his paper.

Voda, being ready to leave, and seeing that old Wheel’s paper contained much polology, said gently:

– Say, old man Ion, from your mouth what you have to say, that I’d better understand!

Then old Ion Roată coming to himself, begins to mourn as follows:

“My lord!” Ever since the “ad-hoc” sin, I have not had a good day with my neighbour, the boyar, the owner of a very large estate, which your majesty knows. I did not think, you wretched man, that he, such a great boyar, rotten rich and learned, should put his mind to one like me, from some contemptuous words which I said to them then, in -a trouble. May God give him health and well-being, but bitterly he has struck me in wealth and honor! Believe me, Your Majesty, I have not been so dry, even among those like me. But, since I got home, chase and persecution on my head, from the boyar, in every way.

First and foremost, he deliberately made the boyar boys look for my cause and bring me to the woodcut. And they, as men without judgment and jealousy, did all the satanic forms, either directly or through others, how to give my calves at least one step on the boyar estate; and then, under the word that they had done corruption, that he might kill them without mercy! And today shoot the pigs; tomorrow, cows and oxen; the day after tomorrow, the little ones; Another day take the sheep back with the heap and take them to the yard. You can imagine, Your Majesty, what a great plague was on my head!

Seeing for a while that the robberies did not cease, I took my heart in my teeth and went to the boyar to mourn. And the boyar, instead of a kind word, spat right in my face, in front of his servants and other people who were in the yard at the time, so that I thought the sky fell on me with shame! He even threatened me that another time, if I stepped on my foot in the boyar’s yard, he would order me to lie down on the stairs and be whipped! And with this ordinance, Your Majesty, in a few years he has perfectly tempered me, and raised my honor, which for me was the most precious thing!

Cuza-voda stood motionless and looked intently at old man Ion Roata, as he spoke. And when he had finished speaking, the voda put two napoleon coins in his hand, saying kindly:

– Hold, little Ioane, this little gift from me, and meet your need, from today to tomorrow, as the Most High enlightened you! And leave the boyar to the judgment of God, for “He does not beat with a whip.”

Old Man Ion Roata’s eyes filled with tears again, and, kissing voda’s hand, as a sign of gratitude, he said with a sigh:

“But what about the shame  he did to me,  your majesty ?”

“Shame on you, that’s all, old John,” said Cuza-voda, kissing him on one cheek and the other in front of the crowd gathered there. Go and tell your villagers, old Ioane, that, where the boyar spat on you, the ruler of the country kissed you and erased your shame.

Questions:

1. How important was that at the union of the countries in one big country, Romania, not only the rich were present, but also the poor?

2.Would you say that Old Ion Roată offended the boyars?

3. How did the boyar, who was the neighbour of Ion Roată, treated the peasant?
4. What exactly did the boyar do against Ion Roată?
5. Why was Ion roată upset and cpmplained to Cuza Vodă?
6. How did Cuza erased the shame and did justice to Old Ion Roată?

STORY ABOUT DILIGENCE 

TEKIRDAG

Once upon a time, there was a family that lived alone in time. This family was so poor so poor that they even wore a pair of shoes in turn. The three siblings lived with their father in the house a little further from the village because their mother died. Their father always advised their children to be hardworking and to have a job. One day, his father called his children to his side. ‘’There is something that I have been hiding from you. You know, my age is very advanced now. I don’t know what life will bring. So I will share my legacy with you.’’

All the kids are taken aback. We need a bite of bread, we have nothing but this house. This house is already about to be demolished. First, they could not understand this situation. The little boy said that my father made a joke and they laughed with the middle sibling. Their elder brother told them to be quiet and turned to his father and “What inheritance, Father!”said. The man said ‘’I have a treasure hidden from you. Whoever comes to me with a good job, if he shows his hard work, I will give the treasure to him” he said.

Their father gave the three food bags he had prepared beforehand to their children and divided all his little money into three and put them in their pockets and “Come on, your way” said.The children took their food on their backs and fell on the road. They traveled over hill and dale.

They have come to a triple crossroads. Everyone has gone one way. The younger brother did not take a job or two. He said that ‘’Working is not for me. Anyway, when I inherited my father’s inheritance, I wouldn’t need to work” he thought and had racing thoughts in his mind. He gave the three or five cents that his father put in his pocket to a few people, and these are my employees, he deceived his father ‘’because I have a lot of work ‘’ and made a plan to inherit it. The middle brother is dressed like the rich with the three or five cents he put in his father’s pocket, saying that I will not need to work when I receive the inheritance. The oldest brother, on the other hand, started to buy fruit with the money given by his father and sell it in the market, bought more fruit with the money he earned, sold them, and continued like this and became one of the most respected merchants of that city.

One day they came up before their father.The older brother and the little brother were very impatient. The older brother was excited to see his father rather than the inheritance. Since the older brother was already very rich, he didn’t care about the legacy. Their father came and they started by kissing their father’s hand to explain how rich they were. His father listened to them all. And he said that ‘’I was a poor peasant, my greatest wealth was what I had experienced. Who follows my words and takes my advice that I tell you to be hardworking, anyway, he does not need inheritance. It was my greatest legacy. Now everyone goes their own way. The little and middle brothers are surprised, they wasted the last of their money in the hope that they will get the inheritance. The older boy understood the situation from their anxiety. They arrived in the city, taking his father and brothers with him. Since the eldest brother is very rich, they started to work together by putting their siblings at the head of the business. His brothers were firmly attached to their affairs and followed their father’s advice. They lived a happy and peaceful life.

Iancu’s Diligence

by Virgil Stoenescu

Teacher Basil Dragosescu entered the classroom, eagerly awaited by the students.

-We will do the Romanian lesson first. After that, you will share the compositions you have assigned. I will now control, as usual, the homework. And the teacher went over the bench, making the appropriate remarks.

In front of the student Caragiale  he stopped at the clarity of his form of expression.

-Listen, Caragiale! Clarify us! Why did you write the same idea in so many forms?

“You see,” replied Caragiale, “I try to express my ideas in as few words as possible.”

-Did the  you try to express the same idea in many forms?

-Yes! And I write it down until I think it’s good. That’s what I did now. The first form was like this “He who learns well has many joys”. Then I began to shorten until I came to “He who learns rejoices.”

-Not bad! Short and clear.

Then the teacher addressed the students:

-Did you hear, boys? Those who learn are happy! Learn! because your parents work hard and sweat so you can learn to read.

The teacher also notices in Iancu’s notebook copied texts, words or expressions underlined here and there. He rejoiced, then headed for the chair.

-I will start with the student Caragiale Luca Ion. Written in a page and a half more than others wrote in six. Now I’m not surprised how he succeeded. It’s the fruit of his efforts. And the punctuation is ok! And the spelling is correct, and the shape is very neat. Well done, Caragiale!

The teacher Basil Drăgoșescu handed the notebook to the student Caragiale Luca Ion, on the page of which he had written with a red pencil a ten as big as the wheel of a chariot.

Ion Luca Caragiale is a famous Romanian playwright.

Questions:

1. Why do you think that the student Caragiale wrote his ideas many times?
2. Does it take a lot time to write ideas so as to make them shorter?
3. How much time does it take for you to write an essay?
4. Does hard work get repaid in the end?

A COCK AND TWO MICE

There once lived two young mice, Hurry and Scurry by name, and a cock named Silver Throat. The two mice spent all their time dancing and singing, while the cock always got up before dawn, woke everyone with his song and set to work.

One day he was sweeping the yard and found a wheat stalk.

«Come , Hurry , come , Scurry, see what I have found!» he called.

The mice, who had been playing games in the yard, came running.

«The stalk has to be threshed,» said they.

«Who is going to do it?” asked the cock.

«Not me!» said Hurry.

«Not me!»  said Scurry.

«Well, then, I`ll do it myself,» said the cock.

«He set to work, and Hurry and Scurry went back to their games again.

Silver Throat threshed the stalk and called to the mice:

«Come, Hurry, come, Scurry, look at the grain!»

The mice came running.

«The grain must be taken to the mill and ground into flour,» said they.

«Who is going to take it there?»  Silver Throat asked.

«Not mе!»   Cried  Hurry.

«Not me!»   Cried  Scurry.

«Well, then, I`ll do it myself,»  Silver Throat said, and he threw the bag of grain over his shoulder and set out for the mill.

And the mice went on hopping and shipping  about and playing leapfrog.

By and be Silver Throat came home and he called to the mice:

«Come, Hurry , come, Scurry! I`ve brought the flour.»

The mice came running.

«Now,  the dough has to be mixed and the pies baked,»  said they.

«Who`s going to do it?»  Silver Throat asked.

«Not me!»  piped Hurry

«Not me!»  piped Scurry.

Silver Throat thought it over.

«Well, then, I`ll have to do it,»  he said.

He mixed the dough, brought some wood, lit the oven, and when it was nice and hot, put the pies into it.

And the mice went on dancing and singing.

When the pies were baked, Silver Throat took them out of the oven and set the, on the table.

The mice did not wait to be called but came running.

«Oh, how hungry I am!»  said Hurry.

«Oh. How hungry I am!»  said Scurry.

And they seated themselves at the table.

«Wait, wait, not so fast!»  Silver Throat said. «First tell me who found the wheat stalk.»

«You did,»  said the mice.

«And who threshed it?»

«You did,»  they said in a smaller voice.

«And who mixed the dough and lit the oven and baked the pies?»

«You did,»  they said in a very, very small voice indeed.

«And what were you doing all this time?»

The mice were silent, for they did not know what to say. They climbed down from the table , and Silver Throat did not stop them. They were lazy mice who deserved nothing so nice as a pie!

Reading Comprehension Questions

1.What did the cock do in the morning?

2. Did the mice help the cock to do the chores?
3. Who spent time dancing and singing?

4.Who did everything to bake the pies?

5. Did the mice eat the pies? Why or why not?
6. What is the moral of the tale?

The Three Cris Brothers

Three brothers had long lived in a hut on the mountain.

They were the sons of a widow: the widow Criş.

One was called White, for he had skins as white as milk foam. The other: Black, because his eyes were dark and his face was dark. And the last one: Fast, because he had a stormy nature and was quick to get  angry.

The three of them were on the hunt. They roamed the woods, though like a brush, fighting the beasts. And then they received dishes in the plain in exchange for furs.

Only one day it happened that the brothers stopped at a well in the plain. A girl was just drawing water. The lads asked for the bucket to drink and cool off.

The girl raised the bucket and kissed them. The boys looked her in the eye. And she was so beautiful that they suddenly fell in love with her.

Her baby face was white, her hair was silky, black, shiny, and her eyes were sparkling. And the word was sweet to them. When she said:

“Here, the mighty ones, are the drinks!…”

The brothers left. But the thought remained there, at Florica, old Novac’s daughter, the fear of the legions in the plain.

And after a while the boys returned. Then again and again they stopped there at the well with clear, cold water under the white-shelled birches.

As I told you before, everyone loved the girl. But they consulted with their mother. Who can give better advice than a mother? And she taught them thus:

“Ask the girl first… You are beautiful, strong.” But only one is dear to her. She’s going to want him as her husband. The others will be good brothers. Then the chosen one will ask Florica to his father, old Novac …

“The advice is good, dear mother,” said the brothers. We didn’t know what to do. That’s why we haven’t been in the valley for a long time … But tomorrow we’ll go to the girl and ask her …

The brothers could not wait to spend the night. At dawn they go to the valley, to the plain. But what to see? As they approach the plain,  they see smoke rising from the villages:They hear more and more moans. And for some time now they have been meeting fugitives who are going up the mountain, to shelter.

– What is it? … What happened? the brothers ask.

The fugitives recount what happened that night. Three wicked giants rushed, as it is their custom, across the plain at the rising of the full moon, with large torches in their hands, burning food and drying springs. By witchcraft charms they took the hand of the holders, and the cattle, and the sheep, leaving people dying of hunger. Then they took copper, gold, and iron from the earth. They locked them all up in mountains, under three large stone locks. It could not  be crushed , as far as is known, by other than unparalleled heroes. And those heroes, after the curse of the three giants, should then change into waters … Beware of the saint from such misery!

“And no one could fight, defeat the giants?” Novac, the mighty, where is he? the brothers still speak in astonishment.

“Novac used to fight,” the fugitives replied. This time, his daughter, Florica, had delighted the old man, announcing that he would marry … He said that he had chosen, as a husband, one of the Cris brothers, the sons of a mountain widow. Maybe you know her? … Novac was happy. Forgetting that it was a full moon that night, he drank a glass of wine or two … He slept hard. The giants struck him in his sleep, cutting him off. The girl was taken captive. Maybe she’ll be the wife of one of them …

These words pierce the hearts of the three wicked, burning them like fire.

But they do not mourn. They wonder only with their eyes. And they answer themselves:

– We will go to fight, to defeat the giants, if necessary even with the price of life …

In the distance  the giants could be heard spending time on the tops of their three mountains, with shouts and merriment. They had been playing and partying for several days. They then went to bed and slept until the moon was full again. They then set out again around the world to burn, kill and plunder.

The lads go without fear, they go a long way, to reach them. And behold, for some time now I have seen an old man, who was still knocking on an anvil.

“What are you doing here, old man?” the brothers wondered.

“Eh, I make good axes,” says old man. And he would do even better if you would bring me from the bear king his brass rod, his iron shoes, and his golden crown. I could then learn some heroes to defeat the giants, if they wanted to …

– We bring all this to you quickly, brothers hurry, to give us advice …

“Of course, I’ll give you, he smiles.”

And he teaches the boys to walk in the woods and gather resin from certain fir trees. He then makes a honeycomb out of the resin, which resembles that of honey, but much heavier and much larger. With it, the firemen set off into a neighboring forest. I reach the bear king, who stands tall among the advisers. They bow before him, spreading their combs, and say to him,

“The fame of your glorified power has spread throughout the world. That’s why we worship and bring you this honeycomb …”

“Taste it! … Taste it!” Says the emperor.

And he secretly beckons the courtiers to grab the lads at the end of the meal.

Then he claws and snout appeared in the honeycomb, biting greedily.

But as he thrusts his snout and claws, he sticks to the resin. He wants to murmur, to command the counselors; but, glued as it is, he can do nothing but kick.

The other bears, believing that the emperor was calling them to the table, pile up.

But as  they bite, everyone is stuck, powerless.

That way, the tricks can easily beat them all. And they took the king’s staff of brass. They snatch his iron shoes and gold crown. They return with them to the old man.

He makes a fire from the fir trees from which the lads had gathered the resin. And in the hieratic he makes three axes, beating them on the anvil. One gold for White; another of iron, for his little brothers, Black; and for Fast, another of brass.

“In three days it’s a full moon,” says old man. The giants will light their torches again. But the axes are enchanted. You seek and strike the torches first. After that you will easily defeat them …

The old man then shows them the way to the three mountains. The brothers with the axes in hand, set off again.

They go for two days, two nights … And on the third day they arrive in front of a valley, at the foot of the three mountains.

The land was burned, desolate. Only in the valley could you see a rose, with flowers like the blood of tomatoes and a dizzying scent.

“What do you say, let’s sleep here by the rose?” says White.

– And I say let’s rest; to seize new powers. A hard fight awaits us! … I think I thought you very well, he added quickly.

And – as they are toil – the brothers go to bed at once. They go to sleep. In a dream, Florica, Novac’s child, appears to tustrei, who, with a pale and sad face, says to them:

«The giants took me as a handmaid, my dear ones. One wanted me to be his wife, on the wedding night, to get rid of him, I threw myself from the top of the mountain. And in the place where I fell, the red rose grew. You take revenge on me and take away the cursed giants. »

The lads are waking up. And  they see the moon just rising in the sky. The giants who slept in a fortress on the foundation of the three mountains, waking up, all go out. They light torches, hitting big stones with each other.

The three heroes climbed the rocks.

They approach the giants, who, perched on the mountains, are advised where the roast begins. The lads suddenly signal and rush. The axes made by the old man are enchanted. They hit them in the torches. And the flames, from the torches, jump into the cheeks of the three giants. And they blind them.

The giants scream in pain and reach out to catch the strong.

The fight begins. The axes of the mighty strike only in living cams.

“Spare us, lads!” Cried the giants. And we will fill you with riches.

“We do not spare you!” Replied the brave. You didn’t crucify Florica either, her father, Novac, or any man who fell into your clutches.

And they rush even harder to the giants. Like mountain eagles. They fight day after day, without a line … They fight hard. The giants fall. Their bones crack. And they perish, struck by the three axes.

When the news of the victory of the Cris brothers is heard, the people fleeing through the mountains gather again. They are eager to build new hearths, to start life from scratch. They are happy. But all the joy is in vain. For the riches: the brass, the iron and the gold, as well as the hand of the holders and the water of the springs are hidden, locked in the three mountains.

Only the giants could undo the padlocks.

Then the boys remember: that three strong men can break those locks, if they will willingly turn into waters.

They decide, without delay, to be the ones. And to bring again the abundance of the earth upon the earth, that the waters might be dried up from the giant, and give to the riches that were hidden from them.

Shaking hands as if for parting, the three heroes raised their axes.

First Fast quickly strucks the lock of a mountain secret. The lad turned into water. Water poured down on the stone gates; he shot them down in an instant.

Black then hit the padlock of another mountain.

He turned into water: a dark water, hitting the mountain hard, shattering the other stone gates.

The last padlock is hit by White. And the water in which the big brothers change is tearing down the last gates; he discovers the wealth hidden by giants.

There was so much gold, copper, and iron there, in the mountains, that for ever and ever they were taken out by men, to make plows, hammers, or ornaments. And they didn’t end today.

Treasures are still in full swing.

And from that time the stormy waters, carried by three rivers, scattered the abundance, watering the mountains and fields.

People give them glory when the fruit fills the field, the garden or the orchard …

Girls gather on the banks; throw flowers in the water. The lads begin to sing. They get caught in a big chorus.

I don’t know if there is in the world more caressed rivers, such as the three Cris rivers : Fast, White and Black! … I don’t know if there are so many other heroes who deserve such honor! …

Questions:

1. How are described the three brothers?
2. How did they feel when they found out that Florica was kidnapped by giants?
3. How were they advised to win the battle with the giants?
4. Why do you think they sacrificed their lives?
5. How can the three rivers help the people who live close to them?

DERVISH SPOONS

ISPARTA

One day they asked a dervish:

What difference is there between those who only speak of love and those who experience it?

The dervish said “let me show you the difference.”

And then, he first invited those who do not feel love in their hearts to dinner. They all took their place at the table. Then came the hot soups in plates, followed by the one meter long spoons called dervish spoons.

Dervish explained to his guests how they are supposed to eat:

“You will grab the ends of these spoons and eat like that.”

The guests tried to drink their soup as the dervish told them. However, as the spoons were long, they both burned themselves and could not bring a drop in their mouths by spilling the hot soup. In the end they couldn’t even have a sip of their soup and left the table hungrily.

Later, the dervish invited those who really feel love in their hearts to dinner.

People with bright faces and smiling eyes came and sat at the table. Then came the hot soups in plates, followed by the one meter long spoons called dervish spoons.

The dervish told them the same things:

“You will grab the ends of these spoons and eat like that.”

Each of them dipped their long spoon into the soup, then fed the other guest who is right in front of them. Thus, they were all able to drink the soup and left the table full and contently.

Dervish explained to those who asked him about the difference between people who only speak of love and those who experience it;

You see! Whoever  thinks about only himself will be doomed to hunger and loneliness in the table of life. And whoever helps others, will leave the table of life full and contently. Please always remember this:

“In life, the giver is always profitable, not the recipient. If you help and share things with others, you will have a happy life.”

The end.

Footnotes:

• Dervish in Islam can refer broadly to members of a Sufi fraternity who chose or accepted material poverty. Their focus is on the universal values of love and service, deserting the illusions of ego to reach God.

Reading Comprehension Questions:

• How long are the dervish spoons?
• How will the guests use the spoons?
• Why couldn’t the first guests of the dervish drink the soup?
• How did the second guests of the dervish manage to drink the soup?
• How did the dervish explain the difference between people who only speak of love and those who experience it?
• What’s the moral of the story?

References:

http://www.serkanozkan.com.tr/OykuDetay.aspx?id=88

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dervish

Nibbly-Quibbly The Goat

UKRAINE

Once upon a time there lived an Old Man and an Old Woman.

One day the Old Man went to a fair and he bought a Goat. He took the Goat home and early the next morning told his son to take it out to graze. The youth grazed the Goat till evening and then drove it home. He drove it straight to the gate, and the Old Man stood there in his red boots and said:

“Tell me, little Goat, tell me, Nibbly-Quibbly, have you had enough to eat and to drink?”

“No, Grandpa, I have not drunk or eaten,” the Goat replied.

“As I ran by a tree with a hop and a skip,
I whisked off a leaf and nibbled the tip.
As I ran by a brook with a skip and a hop,
I scooped up some water and had a drop!
And that was all that I ate and all that I drank.”

The Old Man was very angry with his son for not having looked after the Goat properly and turned him out of the house.

On the next day he himself went to graze the Goat. He grazed it all day long, and when evening came he drove it out onto the road and himself ran on ahead and stood by the gate of his house in his red boots.

Said the Old Man:

“Tell me, little Goat, tell me, Nibbly-Quibbly, have you had enough to eat and to drink?”

“No, Grandpa, I have not drunk or eaten,” the Goat replied.

“As I ran by a tree with a hop and a skip,
I whisked off a leaf and nibbled the tip.
As I ran by a brook with a skip and a hop,
I scooped up some water and had a drop!
And that was all that I ate and all that I drank.”

The Old Man was very angry with the Goat. He went to a blacksmith’s and had his knife sharpened, and he was about to kill the Goat, but the Goat tore itself loose and ran off to the forest. It saw a Rabbit’s hut there, came inside and hid on the stove.

By and by the Rabbit ran in and saw that there was someone in his hut.

“Who is there in my hut?” he called.

And the Goat called back:

“I am Nibbly-Quibbly the Goat

With a torn skin and coat.

To the fair I was brought

And for three kopecks bought.

I will frighten you off with a bleat,

I will stamp-stamp on you with my feet,

With my horns I will pierce you and crush you,

With my tail away I will brush you

And that will be the end of you!”

The Rabbit was very frightened. He ran out of the hut, sat down under an oak tree and began to cry.

By and by a Bear came lumbering up.

“Why are crying, Runny-Bunny?” he asked.

“How can I help it, Grumbly-Rumbly! A terrible beast is sitting in my hut.”

“I am going to drive him out!” said the Bear, and off he made for the hut.

“Who is sitting in this hut?” he called.

And the Goat called back:

“I am Nibbly-Quibbly the Goat

With a torn skin and coat.

To the fair I was brought

And for three kopecks bought.

I will frighten you off with a bleat,

I will stamp-stamp on you with my feet,

With my horns I will pierce you and crush you,

With my tail away I will brush you

And that will be the end of you!”

The Bear was very frightened, and out he ran from the hut!

“I’m afraid I cannot help you, Runny-Bunny,” he said.

So the Rabbit sat down under the oak tree again and he cried and cried.

By and by a Wolf came lolloping up.

“Why are you crying, Runny-Bunny?” he asked.

“How can I help it! A terrible beast is sitting in my house.”

“I am going to drive him out!” said the Wolf.

“I don’t believe it. The Bear tried, and he couldn’t, so how can you?”

“Well, just see if I don’t!”

And off the Wolf made for the hut.

“Who is sitting in this hut?” he called

“I am Nibbly-Quibbly the Goat

With a torn skin and coat.

To the fair I was brought

And for three kopecks bought.

I will frighten you off with a bleat,

I will stamp-stamp on you with my feet,

With my horns I will pierce you and crush you,

With my tail away I will brush you

And that will be the end of you!”

The Wolf was very frightened, and out he ran from the hut!

“I’m afraid I cannot help you, Runny-Bunny,” he said.

So the Rabbit sat down under the oak tree again and he cried and cried.

By and by a Crayfish came crawling up.

“Why are you crying, Runny-Bunny?” he asked.

“How can I help it! A terrible beast is sitting in my hut.”

“I am going to drive him out!”

“I don’t believe it! The Bear tried and he couldn’t, the Wolf tried and he couldn’t, so how can you?”

“Well, just see if I don’t!”

And off the Crayfish made for the hut.

“Who is sitting in this hut?” he called

And the Goat called back:

“I am Nibbly-Quibbly the Goat”

With a torn skin and coat.

To the fair I was bought

And  for  three kopecks bought.

I will frighten you off with  a bleat

I will stamp-stamp on you with my fett.

With my horns I will pierce you and crush you,

With my tail away I will brush you,

And that will be the end of you!

But this did not stop  the Crayfish. On  and  on he  crawled, and  he  crawled up  onto the  stove and said:

“By  all feared am I,

And you’ll  soon know why

I snap -and you leap

I nip -and you  weep!”

And he nipped the Goat hard with his claws.

The Goat gave a bleat, jumped from the stove, and away it ran as fast as its legs could carry it!

And Runny-Bunny was overjoyed. He came into the hut and thanked the Crayfish over and over again. And he lives in his hut to this day.

Reading Comprehension Questions:

1. Is the Goat kind and helpful?
2. Whose house does she come into?
3. Who tries to help the Rabbit?
4. Who manages to help the Rabbit?
5. Can only big and strong people be helpful?
6. Can you tell us how you help other people.