Winter

Sham S. Misri

Long  long ago, in a far off village in England, there lived an old couple. They were very poor. They lived in a cottage. The cottage had a small wooden door which was not fixed.The couple had also  made a Machan -temporary dwelling of grass with tree branches on the tree trunks.

The old man would earn little money by his hard work to meet his day to day expenses.  The old man saved some money out of his earnings for the winter, he would collect the extra money in a jar. One day a  beggar came to their  door. The old woman saw him coming to their door. She asked him his name. The beggar replied  'Winter.'

“Come, here is the money, my husband ,the old poor man  has saved  for you.” said the old woman. The beggar took the money and left. After the day’s work the old husband returned to his cottage. He wanted to add his that days saving to his jar of money that he was trying to save for winter. But alas to his dismay there was nothing. The old woman had parted away the money to the beggar. Now there was nothing left in the house.

The old couple then left  the cottage. While leaving, the old woman took the small door with her. They then camped out in a tree in which they had put some grass to keep the place warm. The small door they were carrying was kept as a standing wall which acted as a door on the tree. When the night fell the robbers came and camped  underneath the tree. The old couple got terrified when they heard the robbers fighting. The robbers quarreled  over the division of their booty.  They wanted to have a change for £1. One robber said, “He will have change if he goes to the devil for it.”  By accident the poor couple pushed the door. Down fell the door. The robbers thought it is the devil, and ran, leaving the money there. The old man and woman seized  it, and returned to their cottage.