Family

On a bench in the garden sat an old woman with white hair, a soft face, and smiling eyes. She leaned on a thin, long staff, and at its end was a golden ball. Suddenly, Amīr, a student in first grade, came running. Great Anger and Agitation: Amīr sat on the bench like a bull and said to her: “Move away! There’s no place for you!” The old woman moved aside and saw on his red face the marks of anger. She saw his eyes flashing and tearing. The woman asked him: “What happened to you? Are you angry?” Amīr answered vehemently: “What business is it of yours?” The old woman was not affected by Amīr’s words. She said to him calmly: “I bet you got into an argument a few minutes ago, got angry, cried, and shouted at whom?” ...

Once there was a beautiful girl, pure as snow in heart. She was as fragile as glass. She lived in a small cottage with her parents in a high region atop one of the mountains, far from everything happening in real life. She enjoyed constant happiness with her family until one day an evil sorceress appeared. She wanted to destroy that happiness and began to work her magic in order to make evil dwell in that happy family. ...

We must all recognize that cooperation is an important value we should learn, acquire, and practice. Especially because this beautiful value can take the form of helping others or helping ourselves by others’ aid to us—all are different forms of cooperation and care in carrying it out. It may ward off some evils from us and, in its wake, send the wicked away. We have long heard that unity is strength and that the many prevail over individual courage alone, making those who cooperate together like a tightly knit building, each part supporting the other, as happened in our story today. ...

In the small, beautiful village with its wholesome air and flowing river, with its sweet waters and fish playing here and there under the waters, the old fisherman would go out every day with one of his daughters. They worked together, where he would fish and leave to his daughter who accompanied him the task of placing the fish in the vessel they collected inside. The father and his eldest daughter returned one day after catching as many fish as he could for that day. He left to his good wife the task of cleaning and preparing it for lunch. While they were sitting around the table, his daughter Layla, the youngest of his daughters, asked him how he caught those good fish. He answered her that he only puts bait in his hook or net and throws it to them in the water, waiting quietly while glorifying God. ...

In the beautiful forest with tall trees, clear sky, and vast fields here and there, all the rabbits lived in that forest in close huts, where they cared for each other, worked together every day, then the family gathered at night to exchange conversations, then everyone went to their hut for rest and sleep, so they could wake up early in the morning for work. That was the rhythm of the rabbit family’s life. One night, the beautiful family gathered, began playing and having fun, and the night filled with much dancing and singing. The old grandfather rabbit got up and went to the water well to bring some water. He lowered the bucket, moved the rope a little, and began raising the bucket, but he felt the bucket was light to carry much water. So he lowered it again, lengthening the rope a little, then raised it to drink some water, then placed the bucket on the well’s edge. ...

In the quiet, beautiful village overlooking a sweet river and many trees, the mother hen lived with Jamila, the daughter of the woodcutter. Her duties included caring for the animals in the barn and the birds too. The mother hen was brooding on her eggs. As she was accustomed and learned from the grandmother hen before her death, in order for the eggs to hatch and the chicks to come out, she must brood on them and warm them for a period of time, then wait for them to come out. ...

It is told that a large fish and her children were playing in a quiet blue sea when they saw ships sailing in the distance. The large fish said: Those are humans. The small one said: I wish I knew where they’re going. The mother said: On a journey for exploration. How I wish to undertake such a journey. I want to know other bays and seas. The mother said: Perhaps one day, but not now, my dear. You’re still small for exploration dangers. I’m not small as you think, Mother. The mother said: I mean when you grow bigger, the whole world will be under your command, and then you’ll discover whatever you desire. How will that be when I haven’t found anyone yet to help me get my chance of play and amusement? A crab heard part of the small fish’s conversation and asked her: What is the thing I hear you complaining about? ...

Mike was an eleven-year-old boy, the only son of his poor parents. His father worked in carpentry, while his mother was a housewife who didn’t work. Although Mike’s family wasn’t rich, it was a small, happy family. Mike’s school was a mile from his home, so he wished to have a small bike to go to school with it. With the approach of his birthday, when he would complete his eleventh year, he asked his father to buy him a bicycle to go to school. ...

Charity has great merit, for God Almighty has commanded us with it when desiring to prevent harm, heal the sick, and open the paths for all good. It extinguishes the Lord’s anger. The Exalted Lord says in His Holy Book: If a dead person wants to return to life again and wants to do something that brings him closer to God, he will give charity. Do you know the greatness of this good habit? ...

Once upon a time, there were two brothers who loved each other. They were always friends, accompanying each other in everything, and playing together all the time. But one day, they argued over one of their games, where both of them wanted the same game, and they disagreed over who would take it. From that day, the two brothers decided each to play alone. They had many toys, so they sat dividing those toys. However, they also disagreed over choosing the games, where they would choose the big games and leave the small ones, also arguing over who would take this game and who would take the other. ...