Kitabı oku: «A car-planter», sayfa 2

AN ELEPHANT OR AN ANT?

Elnur was going back home with his little brother Elmir from the Zoo. His brother asked him on the way:

– Elnur, I wonder, the elephant is stronger or the ant?

– Even babies know this!.. – Elnur laughed ironically.

– Then tell me, which of them is stronger, tell me! – Elmir insisted.

– Of course, an elephant! Didn’t you see, how huge is it?! – Elnur said with assurance.

– No, you are not right!.. – Elmir objected to him.

Elnur stopped:

– What? Do you think that the ant is striong?..

– Of course, the ant is!.. – Elmir said.– Don’t you know it?

Elnur got angry and gave a slap on his brother’s head.

– Are you out of your mind? How can you compare such a huge animal with the little ant? Do you know how the elephant is strong? It can uproot even big trees in the forests with its trunk. But the ant cannot carry even the little grain.

– I say that the ant is stronger than elephant!-Elmir insisted on his mind.

Elnur flew into a rage:

– But the ant is not even the size of an elephant’s claw!

– So what? The case is not in size!..

– Well, in what is the case then?..

– I don’t know. – Elmir could not explain him the reason. – But dad always says so.

– What does dad say?..

– He says that the ant is stronger than the elephant.

– Do you believe him? He thinks that you are naive.

– No, he was serious.

– What makes you think so?

– Don’t you believe me? Ask Gulnar… – Gulnar was their elder sister. – She heard when daddy said it.

Elnur faltered for a while. He knew that his father was always right. If his father said… Elnur did not want to give up so easily.

– We shall clear it up!

In the evening when their father came home from work the boys came up to him. Elnur nudged his brother. He was afraid that his father would think he was so illiterate though he was in the third form and did not know which animal was stronger.

But Elmir was not ashamed:

– Daddy, is the elephant stronger or the ant?

Father said:

– My dear boys, of course, an elephant is the strongest animal in the world…

– You see, I was right! – Elnur said to his brother joyfully…

– But there is something else… – their father added smiling, – If an elephant weighing five tons can barely lift a load weighing a ton and a half load, an ant weighing fif ty milligrams can easily carry a dead worm weighing five hundred milligrams. This is ten times more than the ant’s weight. And this approach reveals that the ant is stronger than the elephant.

EXPERIENCE OF LIFE

Asker’s grandfather was more than eighty years old. He was said: “He had seen the whole world”! .. But he was aware of everything though he was illiterate man and could not read and write. Even the knowledgeable people of the village came to him for advice.

Asgar did not need to go anywhere for advice. His grandfather was always near him. His grandfather always told him when they watered the trees in the garden: “My son, the soil has its own invisible veins. If you want to see the use of water for trees, you have to break the veins of the ground, spade the bottom of the trees and fill them with water. Othervise the water will evaporate quickly”.

Sometimes Asgar slept under the walnut tree when it was getting dark. His grandfather shook and woke him at once:

– Sonny, you must not sleep under the walnut tree when it is getting dark.

– Why, granddad? – Asger asked him in surprise.

– Because the walnut tree receives oxygen like a human and release carbon in the evening. Breathing becomes difficult for the man who sleeps under walnut tree.

Asgar’s grandfather was such a wise man. He knew much more about nature. Sometimes looking at the hens and chickens under the attic and the sparrows rummaged in the dust, he said: “It is going to rain soon!..” And it really rained every time. Sometimes looking at the twittering birds around, he said: “The weather will be fine today!” And it really became fine…

One day the teacher showed an interesting practical lesson on nature study. Asgar decided to examine his grandfather’s knowledge with it.

He took a candle and burnt it. He put it on the floor near the open door. The trembling f lame of the candle tilted to the inside. Asger showed it his grandfather and said as his teacher did it:

– Granddad, look and remember it very well.

– I see, my son. – Grandfather smiled a little.

Asger climbed up the chair. This time he rose the burning candle high.

– Granddad, in which direction is the flame tilting?..

Asgar thought that he was going to astonish his grandfather.

– It is tilting to the outside.

This time Asger asked as his teacher:

– Can you explain the reason, granddad?

– I can, my sonny, I can, – Grandfather stroked his mustache with his hand and smiled cunningly. – İt was all the matter of the air. The stream of the cold air from outside is heavy and it enters the room from below. That’s why it tilts the flame when the candle is on the floor. But the hot air inside the room is light and that’s why it goes out from above. When you rise the candle, the hot air tilts its flame to the outside. Am I right, my son?..

– Wow! Yes, you are! – Asgar was surprised. – Granddad, but you said that you did not go to school!..

– Of course, I never went to school!..

– But how do you know all about it?

– I have learnt all these things from life. The life itself is a school for people – for those who give much attention to it.

TWO SOCKS

Every day when I came home from work, I lied down on the sofa and called my little daughter to me.

– Where are you, my girl?

– I am coming, daddy. – She immediately ran to me wherever she was.

I stretched my legs and she took off my socks with great effort in order to let my feet have a rest. Then she asked me:

– Well, daddy, can your feet breath well now?

– Yes, my dear, thank you very much! May your hands be healthy!

– May your feet be healthy,too!

My daughter finished her work, but did not go away. I knew what she wanted , but İ asked her just to make sure:

– What are you waiting for, dear?

– Don’t you give me my one manat, daddy? – She asked.

– Your manat? – I asked as if İ did not understand her question.

– I am waiting for that what you have to give me. Do you think I take off your socks free of charge?

I jokingly agreed with her from the very beginning. She had to take off my socks every day after work and I had to give her one manat for it. She was going to buy a notebook for her with collected money.

One day I gave my daughter money but she did not go away.

– What are you waiting for now, my dear? – I asked her.

– Daddy, don’t your feet feel cold with a pair of socks? It is very cold in winter.

I thought how this little girl took care of me. I was touched with her words.

– Sometimes they feel cold, my clever daughter.– I said and embraced her.

– Daddy, why don’t you put on two socks together?

– Do you think it will be better for my feet?

– Of course, daddy. Your feet will not feel cold then. – My daughter was happy that I believed her words.

I sleeked down her hair and said:

– Then I will put on two socks tomorrow, my dear.

– All right, daddy, you will. – She smiled cunningly. And don’t forget my two manats.

– Two manats? Why? – I was surprised.

– Since tomorrow I will take off two pair of your socks, daddy. That’s why you will have to give me two manats instead of one.

I DO NOT WANT YOU TO GET OLD

Mother came from market. She took the old mincing machine and put it on the kitchen table in order to mince the meat. Tural and Aytan who were playing long ago in the room came to the kitchen. Mother asked:

– What is the matter? Why do you come to the kitchen?

– We are looking at you, – Tural said.

– We are looking at you, – Aytan repeated her brother’s words as a parrot.

Tural was older than Aytan. He was five years old. Ay-tan was three.

– It will be good if you go and play with your toys. You have nothing to do here.

The children stepped aside, but did not leave the kitchen. The mincing machine was wrong. Mother often opened and cleaned it, controlling the mincing meat. Sometimes she made effort and stopped for a while as the blade of the mincing machine was wrong. The next time when mother stopped, Tural said kindly:

– Mom, let me help you.

– Mom, let me help you. – Aytan again repeated her brother’s words.

– How do you want to help me? – Mother said. – It will be good if you don’t go round me.

The children were offended.

– Mom, we are not going round you.

– Don’t you see I am busy with this machine?!

– Tell dad to buy a new mincing machine for you. The electric one. Tural said.

– As my aunt’s electric machine!.. – Aytan added.

– I have said. But your dad says that he has no money.

– Mom, I will grow very soon and buy it for you. – Tural said with the manner of a young man.

Mother smiled.

– Oh, my son, I will be very old when you grow up.

– As my granny?.. – Aytan asked.

– Yes, as your granny!

Aytan did not know what to say. So, she turned to her brother in order to learn his opinion.

Tural was embarrassed. He was thinking something. Suddenly he rose his head and said:

– Then I don’t want to grow up very soon, mom!

– Why, my son?

– I don’t want you to get old. – He said it so seriously as if he was going to cry.

– I will be old granny, my son! What ‘s wrong with that?..

– We have already had granny, mom. – Aytan said outpacing her brother this time.

– She is right, mom! – Tural affirmed his sister’s words.

Mother almost burst into tears and hugged her children.

WHAT WAS THE MAGPIE LOOKING FOR?

The cattle, sheep and lambs were grazing in the field. Father was lying on his felt cloak on the grass. He had been watching his son İlgar out of the corner of his eye.

Ilgar was collecting flowers and running after the butterflies in the field. Suddenly he stopped as soon as he saw the magpie on the back of the black cow.The motley magpie was jumping up and down and pecking something on the cow’s back. Then it flew away and disappeared in the sky. Not long after the magpie appeared again. This time the bird perched on the other cow’s back and began to look for something. It flew away again. But Ilgar did not know what the magpie carried in its beak.

The third time when the magpie appeared in the field Il-gar threw the bunch of the flower to the bird and whistled. He wanted to frighten the bird. But the magpie was busy in pecking. The bird paid no attention to him.

Ilgar got angry. He run after the magpie. The bird took no heed to him as if he was playing with it. When Ilgar approached the magpie it flew and sat on the back of other cows and sheep.

Ilgar’s father was watching them and smiling secretly. At last he saw that his son would frighten the cattle, so he called him:

– Ilgar!…

– What’s the matter, dad?! – Ilgar stopped and looked at his father screwing his eyes.

– Don’t torment the magpie, sonny!

– But it is pecking and hurting the cows.

– It does not hurt the cattle. The magpie is looking for another thing on cows’ bodies.

– What is it looking for? – Ilgar asked coming nearer to his father slowly.

– The magpie is looking for wool and hair on their bodies.

İlgar was surprised:

– Wool and hair? Why would the bird do that?

– The birds need it. They know that animals shed hair in spring. So, they carry their wool and hair to their nests for making them warmer. They also like warm and comfortable place for sleeping.

Everything was clear to Ilgar now.

THE BEETLE AND APPLE SAPWOOD

The beetles and other insects were flying, running and fussing around in order to collect food for the winter. Even the activation of dung beetles, known among people as the “weather information bureau”, was the best guarantee that the weather would be pleasant in the near future. The small soft balls made of manure were heavier and bigger than the beetles themselves. It was very difficult for beetles to pull those heavy balls out of the endless pits, lift them upward slopes, roll them from dung- hills, throw them over various stones and clods, all kinds of brushwood and at last take them to the holes. But all these difficulties did not cause them to loss courage. The most dangerous thing for them was their meeting with beetles, in other words, unexpected attacks of the pirates. The robbed ones returned and repeated the same thing again. The manure balls were very important for beetles. The baby beetles, born in the fetus, which were put by mother beetles inside the manure balls, could be fed from the first days of their lives.

Suddenly one of the branches of the apple-tree shook and a big apple fell down with a thud. The apple hurt its f lank. İt started to moan. The apple rolled and stopped near the beetles. The white thin apple sapwood went out of the apple. It turned head and saw the beetles around.

– Hey! Who are you? What are you doing there? – The white thin apple sapwood asked them with a low tender voice.

Mother beetles knew apple sapwood very well. That was why they paid no attention to it. But the baby beetle which was interested in everything, asked the apple sapwood with astonishment:

– Can I come and see you, baby? – The baby beetle quickly flew to it without waiting for reply.

– Wow! You have wings! – The apple sapwood said with astonishment.

– Of course! – The baby beetle boasted.

– Ugh! How badly you smell! – The apple sapwood rumpled its face.

– You will also smell badly if you live inside the manure briquette!.. – The baby beetle justified itself.

– There are so many beautiful trees in the garden. Why do you rummage in the manure briquette with such horrible smell?..

– My mother says that manure briquette is our fate. We cannot live another life.

– You are a crazy one! Your mother deceives you! – The apple sapwood laughed.

– It means that I can also live inside this apple as you?..

– Of course! – The apple sapwood said. – It depends just on your will.

At that moment, the gardener stopped as soon as he saw the big red apple on the grass. The baby beetle ran away immediately. The apple sapwood hid inside the hole on the red apple. The gardener picked the apple, cleaned it and went away.

The baby beetle came to its mother in a bad mood.

– Stop idleness! – Mother beetle cried.

– Mom,how long are we going to rummage in the manure briquette?.. – The baby beetle murmured.

– What can we do, my darling?! – Mother was surprised.

– Look around! There are so many beautiful fragrant plants and trees in the garden. Are we worse than the rest ones?

Mother beetle understood that the apple sapwоod had already filled its head with nonsense.

– Don’t pay attention to everything, my dear. You know nothing about this world yet. I had also much dream when I was young… – Mother said.

But the baby beetle did not remember mother’s words at all…

THE RABBIT STUBBORNNESS

The lion commissioned the rabbit to rule over the forest when he went somewhere. The rabbit was embittered on the wolf.

As soon as the rabbit seized power, she convened meeting and gathered animals together on the pretext of a serious event. Suddenly she looked at the wolf sourly and asked:

– Where is your cap?..

The wolf was surprised. He looked at the rabbit and asked:

– What cap, sister rabbit? What do you mean?..

The rabbit:

– I shall show you now what cap I ask!..

The rabbit suddenly jumped over the wolf. She started to kick and beat the wolf heartily.

The next morning the rabbit called all animals again. She again called the wolf and asked:

– Tell me, where is your cap?..

The wolf again had a blank look at the rabbit. He did not know what to say. The rabbit began to shout loudly:

– I ask you where is your cap!..

The wolf remembered the yesterday’s blows and began to toady upon the rabbit:

– Oh! What do you say, dear sister rabbit? I have never had a cap on my head!..

The rabbit shivered with rage and again began to kick and beat the wolf in front of everyone.

It was repeated for some days. At last the lion returned the forest. The wolf complained to the lion about the rabbits

– Your majesty! You know that I have never had a cap at all. What is the matter? What does the rabbit want from me?..

The lion was surprised hearing the wolf’s complaint. He called the rabbit and asked her:

– What is the matter, sister rabbit?

The rabbit admitted the truth when they were alone together:

Your majesty! I was embittered by the wolf very much. I did not know how to take vengeance on him. And I found a pretext for it.

The lion approved the rabbit’s idea. He howled with laughter:

– Remember it, the next time you will ask him another thing.

– What?.. – The rabbit asked.

– Ask him to bring a bowl of water for you… If he brings hot water, you will say that you wanted the cold one. If he brings cold water then you will say you wanted the hot one.

The next time when the lion was apsent the rabbit did the same thing what the lion advised her. She called the wolf and sent him for water in front of the animals.

She drank the water and got angry:

– What is this? I asked you to bring hot water for me.

The wolf was aware of the talk of the lion and the rabbit. That was why he immediately gave the rabbit the hot water bowl which he had hid behind him.

The rabbit did not expect it from the wolf. She became more angry, when she failed:

– Heyy! No! No! Tell me where is your cap? – She again began to kick and beat the wolf.

THE STROKE OF A BLIND MAN

Once a beggar was standing near the bridge. Suddenly someone put paper money (a banknote) into his palm. The beggar’s eyes sparkled as soon as he saw the money. It was for the first time, he got such a big sum of money. He could not stand in his place from happiness. “Probably the man was mistaken. What if he returns and takes back the money?”

He ran down another beggar and hurt his foot when he went to the other side of the bridge.

– Are you blind? Don’t you see me on your way? – The sufferer began to shout. He had been out of luck that day. That was why he was as angry as a dog. On the other hand, he did not like appearance of the newcomer in his area.

The new beggar understood that there was no need to apologize. So, he thought a little bit and answered:

– Oh, yes, you are right, brother. I am blind.

– What? Are you blind? – The sufferer was sorry to be rude with him. But he saw that the beggar did not look like a blind one.

– Yes, I am blind. – The newcomer approved. I am in need of an honest one. – He thought: “One can think of nothing better” and added: – Someone gave me paper money. But I do not know how much it is?

– I am that very honest man and I shall tell you how much it is.

– Who are you?

– I am a beggar as you, but I can see.

– Won’t you deceive me? Won’t you run away?

– No, I will not. Don’t you know that the beggar never gives gift to another one?

– If so, then swear on your honor.

– Let me be a blind as you, if I deceive you.

The eyes of the sufferer sparkled as soon as he saw the money. He had never had such a big sum since he began to solicit alms.

The owner of the money saw that the sufferer was examining the money attentively. That was why he asked:

– What is the matter, brother? Why don’t you say any word?

The sufferer made a step back instead of answer and ran away.

– Heyy, stop, where do you take my money? – The first beggar shouted as soon as he understood his aim.

But the sufferer did not stop. He started running He thought that the owner of the money was blind and he was unable to reach him. So, he will be calmed very soon.

But the owner of the money did not keep up with him. He started to follow him shouting:

– Stop immediately. If you do not stop, I will throw a stone and hurt your right leg. Then you will cry and I will take my money back.

But the second beggar did not pay attention to him.

The owner of the money picked up the stone and threw it to him. The stone hurt the right leg of the beggar. But the beggar neither shouted nor cried. He continued running with a pain in his leg.

The owner of the money again warned him:

– Stop! If you do not stop, I will throw a stone and hurt your left leg. Then you will cry and I will take my money back.

The beggar again did not listen to him. The owner of the money picked up the stone and threw it to him. The stone hurt the left leg of the beggar. But the beggar neither shouted nor cried. He continued running with a pain in his leg.

The owner of the money warned him again:

– I will hurt your head with the stone if you do not stop immediately.

The beggar who tried to steal his money understood that he had to accept a situation. He found himself in a no-win situation. That was why he stopped and gave the money to its owner and said:

– For God’s sake, take your money and do not hurt me. Your strike is unlike to the bland man’s strike.