Mother Admits Her Fault

Sham S. Misri

 There was a couple. For a long time they had no child. One day an old saint with shrunken eyes and matt hair entered their house and asked for food. The couple entertained the saint well. Before leaving the house, the saint told the lady of the house to show her hand to him. After observing the lines of her hand, the saint told her that she will be blessed with a son. The saint was a fortune teller. The saint cautioned them that the boy be given good moral teachings which would be useful in the betterment of the child. With these words the saint left the house.

After some time the couple was blessed with a child. The child grew into a boy, but, the mother forgot what the saint had advised her.

The boy fell in a bad company. He was getting the things of his friends and somewhere, but the mother never bothered to tell him where from he got them.

And, one day the young boy was caught in a daring act of theft, and was fated to be put to death for it. He expressed his desire to see his Mother, and to speak with her before he was led to execution.  This was granted. When his Mother came to him he said: “I want to whisper to you,” and when she brought her ear near him, he nearly bit it off. All the bystanders were horrified, and asked him what he could mean by such brutal and inhuman conduct. “It is to punish her,” he said. “When I was young I began with stealing little things, and brought them home to Mother. Instead of rebuking and punishing me, she laughed and said: ‘It will not be noticed.’ It is because of her that I am here today.” 

  “He is right,” said the mother, the fortune teller had said: Train your child well and give him moral teaching.”