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A Cow and a Goat(Adopted)for Children |
There was a verdant pasture somewhere
Whose land was the very picture of beauty |
How can the beauty of that elegance be described
Brooks of sparkling water were running on every side |
Many were the pomegranate trees
And so were the shady pipal trees |
Cool breeze flowed everywhere
Birds were singing everywhere |
A goat arrived at a brook’s bank from somewhere
It came browsing from somewhere in the nearby land |
As she stopped and looked around
She noticed a cow standing by |
The goat first presented her compliments to the cow
Then respectfully started this conversation |
“How are you! Madam Cow”?
The cow replied, “Not too well |
“My life is a mere existence
My life is a complete agony |
My life is in danger, what can I say?
My luck is bad, what can I say? |
I am surprised at the state of affairs
I am cursing the evil people |
The poor ones like us are powerless
Misfortunes surround the ones like us |
None should nicely deal with Man
May God protect us from Man! |
He murmurs if my milk declines
He sells me if my weight declines |
He subdues us with cleverness!
Alluring, he always subjugates us! |
I nurse his children with milk
I give them new life with milk |
My goodness is repaid with evil
My prayer to God is for mercy!” |
Having heard the cow’s story like this
The goat replied, “This complaint is unjust |
Though truth is always bitter
I shall speak what is fair |
This pasture, and this cool breeze
This green grass and this shade |
Such comforts, were beyond our lot!
They were a far cry for us speechless poor! |
We owe these pleasures to Man
We owe all our happiness to Man |
We derive all our prosperity from him
What is better for us, freedom or bondage to him? |
Hundreds of dangers lurk in the wilderness
May God protect us from the wilderness! |
We are heavily indebted to him
Unjust is our complaint against him |
If you appreciate the life’s comforts
You would never complain against Man” |
Hearing all this the cow felt embarrassed
She was sorry for complaining against Man |
She mused over the good and the bad
And thoughtfully she said this |
“Small though is the body of the goat
Convincing is the advice of the goat!” |
Translated by: M.A.K. Khalil |
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