The Woodcutter and the Snake

Sham S. Misri
Somebody killed a snake, but he did not cut or burn the body, he simply beat it.  But snakes, if they are not completely destroyed, can revive themselves by air.  So again this snake came back to life.  One day a wood cutter saw that snake looking badly beaten, and he took pity.  He took the snake home and gave him some milk.  And one day, when the snake was strong, he raised himself and hissed at the woodcutter.  The woodcutter thought, “Oh, I gave you milk and brought you back to life, and now you are trying to attack me?”  So he cut him into pieces.

Rasool Lonun Soun ( Gold)

Sham S. Misri

There was a man. He was very simple in living and thoughts. His name was Rasool Lone. One day when he was walking on the road side two ladies met him. Both were sad, depressed and gloomy. They told him, “O brother, Do you have any silver with you?  We will make
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Achilles Heel

Sham S. Misri

When Achilles mother gave birth to a child, she wanted to make him immortal. He was fed on the intestines of lions and wild boars and the marrow of bears, and named him Achilles [lipless] - because he had not applied his lips to a breast. In Greek mythology, Achilles was very handsome of the heroes who fought against Troy.

Achilles was the mightiest of the Greeks who fought in the Trojan War. When Achilles was a boy, a saint visited their house. He prophesied that the city of Troy could not be taken without his help. The mother knew that, if her son went to Troy, he would die an early death. So, she sent him outside the house to be hidden. He was disguised as a young girl. During his stay he had an affair with landlord’s daughter, and she had a son, by him. Achilles' disguise did not remain a secret for long.  He was decorated with arms and armor.  Achilles was fascinated by the swords and shields. Achilles then went willingly to Troy. He had many of his friends with him, and was also accompanied by his tutor and some close friends. At Troy, Achilles distinguished himself as an undefeatable warrior. He captured twenty-three towns in Trojan territory, including some important town. He took many women as a war-prize. Later on these women were taken away from Achilles. He became enraged and refused to fight for the Greeks any further. The war went badly, and the Greeks offered many prizes and awards to their greatest warrior; Achilles still refused to fight in person, but he agreed to allow his friend to fight in his place, wearing his armor. The next day, his friend was killed and stripped of the armor by the Trojan hero who mistook him for Achilles.

Achilles was overwhelmed with grief for his friend and was full of rage at the murderer. His mother obtained magnificent new armor for him and he returned to the fighting and killed the murderer. He desecrated the body, dragging it behind his chariot before the walls of Troy, and refused to allow it to receive funeral rites.

Achilles' days were now numbered. He continued fighting heroically, killing many of the Trojans and their allies. Finally Achilles was wounded in the heel with an arrow; Achilles died of the wound. After his death, it was decided to award Achilles' divinely-wrought armor to the bravest of the Greeks.

 During his lifetime, Achilles is also said to have had a number of romantic episodes.        

Legends state that Achilles was safe in all of his body except for his heel. As he died because of a small wound on his heel, the term Achilles' heel has come to mean a person's principal weakness. An Achilles' heel is somebody's weak spot. Achilles was a mighty warrior who was killed by arrow wound in to the foot.

Khosh Pourich Houne

Sham S. Misri

Khoshpur and Damhal are the two villages of Brang in the valley of Kashmir. The two villages lie side by side to each other. The River Brang that flows there separates the two villages. The two villages are connected by a bridge.

          It is said that in the village of Khoshpur, there lived a short and stout dog (a bitch). This bitch would visit the houses of both the villages, and the people would give her some food to eat. This way she would fill her belly. One morning, a woman of village Khoshpur came out with a big bowl of cooked food in her hand, and began to call the bitch by uttering the words kooch, kooch. That time the bitch was in Damhal village. Hearing this call, the bitch would come running and running for the food. When the bitch would reach the Damhal Bridge, again she would hear a call of kooch, kooch from the bridge. There also, a woman would come out with a bowl of food in her hand and was calling kooch kooch. The bitch turned, and began to run back towards the bridge. Now again, from the village of Khoshpur, there was a call of kooch kooch for the bitch. The bitch turned back again and came towards Khoshpur.

Then again from the Damhal side there was a call of kooch kooch.  When the bitch listens the call from Khoshpur side she moves to that side, and when she hears the call from the Damhal side she moves to that side. All along this time, while she ran from one village to another village, she got tired, she was dead tired. She fell on the ground with froth coming out of her mouth, and she died.

When somebody hopes to get something from several places, but will not stick to one place, and that too will undergo a loss;

 We say, “Amis Gaye Khosh Purich Houne.”

Which translates as: “She has become a bitch of Khoshpur.”

Clever Monkey and the Monster

Sham S.Misri

Long back a monster lived in a lake. Whenever any animal came to drink water, the monster would come out of the lake, catch him, and draw him down by force.

A group of monkeys once came to the lake to drink water. The monkeys were all thirsty. From the group of monkeys one monkey was very clever. He saw that from the many animals that went to the lake   none returned. He was suspicious and worried. He gave strict orders that no one was to drink water from the lake until he gave the word. So, the monkeys now waited by the waters of the lake, impatient, but thirsty.

The monster was very greedy and wanted to eat the monkeys. He popped up from the lake and said in a low and gentle voice “Why do you not drink? I live in this lake and I tell you that the water is pure, cool, and sweet. Drink! my friends, drink.”

“No, replied the clever monkey “your wishes will not be fulfilled. What do you mean?” asked the monster.

“You won’t be able to catch us. We will drink the water of the lake and yet not fall into your clutches.”

“How will you do that?” said the monster “You will see,” replied the clever monkey. The monkeys then plucked reeds from the marshes and drank the water through the reeds. Thus was the monster frustrated.

Akis gom zah; methar gam shethar; kawas gayam kukil.

Akis gom zah; methar gam shethar; kawas gayam kukil.

One became two; friends became enemies; the crow became a dove.

Sham S. Misri

In a village in Kashmir there lived two fast friends. They were friends from the very childhood. One friend belonged to a rich family and his name was Karim Haput, while the other belonged to a poor family and his name was Hassan Pacha. The two friends read together in the same school and would help each other in their studies. When they had to appear in the tenth class examination, Hassan Pacha, the poor boy managed to pass while his rich friend failed in the examination. Hassan Pacha, the poor friend felt very bad at the failure of Karim Haput, his rich friend. However, the Hasan Pacha, the poor boy moved to the city where he got some job with some minister. Karim Haput his rich friend stayed in the village and joined some business.

After many years, Karim Haput, the rich friend moved to the city in connection with some business. He knew his friend was living in the city. He searched for his old friend, Hasan Pacha, and finally found out where he lived. He went to his home and there he met the parents of Hassan Pacha. Hasan Pasha’s father would wit on the road side, keep a gunny bag beneath him on which he would keep some sheep legs to sell. By selling the legs of sheep and goats, he would earn some money to make his ends meet. Sine Hassan Pachas father was selling the sheep legs or goat legs he was given the name Pacha. Hassan Pachas old poor parents recognized Karim Haput, the old rich friend of their son. They asked Karim Haput to stay till their son would come from the duty. Karim Haput’s father was dealing in fur trade. It is said that Karim Haput’s father had killed some black animal which he called as “Bear”-in Kashmir Haput, hence the nick name Karim Haput. Now Karim Haput enquired about the welfare of his old friends old parents.

The old man’s reply to him was;

Akis gom zah;  methar gam shethar; kawas gayam kukil.

One became two; friends became enemies; the crow became a dove.

The meaning is that a staff was now "part and parcel" of him; that his teeth had deserted him; and that

His raven-black hair had turned grey

Woman’s Half Pomegranate

Sham S Misri

 Once Lord Buddha fixed a day for collections of charity. He sat under a tree and began receiving gifts.  One King came and gave him deeds of lands, houses, and valuable properties. Then a Prince came with rich and valuable gifts. Wealthy merchants also .came and Buddha accepted all their gifts by extending his right hand in token thereof.
Then an old, shriveled woman came and said to him, “Lord, I heard about your appeal for charity only this morning. I am a poor old woman and have nothing. I was eating this pomegranate, and had eaten half when I heard the news. I had nothing else to give but this half pomegranate. So I brought it along. Please, Lord, accept this.”
She looked at him appealingly. Buddha at once came down himself and accepted the gift with both hands, in deep gratitude.
The kings and princes , and all who were there were immensely surprised. “O Blessed one,” asked one king , “why did you receive her gift with both hands, coming down yourself from your dais, when you took our gifts merely by extending your right hand?”
”Buddha replied, “she gave her all. The rest of you merely gave a fraction of what you have.”