The Woodcutter

Once upon a time, in a small village, lived a woodcutter named Salim. He was very poor and stayed in a little hut with his wife.

The money he made by selling woods was hardly enough for their daily living.

The usual schedule of Salim included him reaching the forest early in the morning so he could select and cut enough trees before it was hot.

He would then come back to his hut and rest for a while before he could go to the market with the woods to sell them off. Most of the money made by him after selling the woods was spent in buying provisions for dinner.

One day, Salim left his hut as usual. He cut down a tree which took twice the time he takes.

“This is a unfortunate day! I selected the wrong and hard tree which took most of my time.“

Salim stacked the woods he had cut and moved ahead with his axe in hand.

“Just one more tree and I’m good to go. It’s already late and I need to hurry back. “ Salim thought.

After some searching Salim went near a tall glorious tree.

“This looks perfect and won’t take much time.”

With that, Salim put up his axe and hit hard on the trunk of the tree. When he pulled his axe back to hit it again, he heard a voice.

“Please don’t cut down this tree!“

Salim looked above to find a bird sitting on one of the branches of the tree.

“Don’t disturb me foolish bird. I’m trying to make my living. “ Salim said.

“By cutting off this tree, you will be destroying my abode. Please do not do that. “ The bird said.

“You will have to find another residence bird. Right now, I’m not in a position to stop my work. I’m already late and you are disturbing me. “

“I see you disturbed with your living and I can help you with that. “

Salim looked at the bird curious and asked, “How?”

“I’m a magical bird. I come here in the woods once a year to revive my powers through this tree. If you promise to now cut this down, I will make you rich so you will never have to work again. “ The bird explained.

Salim thought for a while and then said, “I will listen to you but if you don’t succeed in that, I will surely cut this tree down.”

The bird continued, “Go back to your hut and look in to the fireplace. Remove all the waste and down you will find a pot. Open it up and you will find treasure which will make you rich. “

Salim was exited and as was about to turn back, the bird said,” Wait. Before you do that, you will have to promise me a thing.”

“What is that glorious bird?”Salim asked.

“You will have to promise that you will come back to meet me this day of every year. “

“I have spent most of my time in this forest dear bird. I will surely come back to see you and thank you for what you did for me. “ Said he and left.

Salim was almost running on his way to home. When his wife saw Salim so tired and sweaty she got worried.

“What happened to you?”She asked. “Where are the woods?”

“We won’t need them. Come help me with a task. “ Salim said and reached the fireplace.

He removed all the ashes while his wife kept staring surprisingly.

“What are you doing?”She asked.

Salim said nothing and continued with his work. And finally after removing all the ashes, he could see a brass pot there.
It took all his strength to get the pot out. When he finally did, his wife was surprised and Salim was laughing with happiness.

Salim opened up the pot and both of them were astounded to see what it was filled with. It contained silver, gold and diamond jewellery and utensils.

“How did it get there Salim?”Salim’s wife asked and he narrated the complete story with her.

By the end both were speechless and kept staring at the jewellery.
In few days, Salim and his wife were living in a big and beautiful house with house maids and mens to help with.
They were now one of the riches people in the village.

Salim was thankful for what they got that the following day he visited the tree to thank the bird but it was no longer there.

“I will make sure that I come back here next year to thank the bird. “ And Salim left.

An year passed and this time Salim entered the forest on the carriage followed by six workers. As they neared the tree, Salim asked the carriage to stop as he didn’t want others to know their secrets.
He walked the distance to the tree and called the bird.

The bird came out of its need and sat on a branch.

“I see that you are a happier man now. “The bird said.

“It’s all because of you dear bird. I’m not sure how to thank you for all this. “ Salim said.

“You don’t need to kind man. Just make sure that you come and meet me every year. That would stand for your thankfulness. “The bird said.

The bird wished good luck to Salim and flew back while Salim returned to his house on the carriage; this time with no sweat or tiredness.
He remembered the days when he worked in the sun to get some woods. The days when no one would buy his wood and they had to sleep hungry.

Four years passed and with money and luxury came pride and arrogance. Salim would sit around the house all day and only instruct his workers to do his tasks.

The hardworking Salim was changed to a high profile bug tummy man.

One day, as Salim and his wife were having lavish dinner, his wife said, “You are to visit the woods tomorrow to meet the bird. “

“The bird, right. I think I won’t be go this time. “ Salim said.

“Why not?”Asked his wife.

“Tomorrow I’m visiting a land that I’m planning to buy. “ Salim said.

Few days passed and soon the family started to lose the money. The land that they were planning to buy was bought by someone else at a higher price.
The food stored were all spoiled and rotten. Somehow the money kept being spent on unknown items. To pay for the workers, Salim had to take debts. Soon all of them left.

Eventually, they had to sell the house to pay all the debts. And in the end they came back to the hut where they stayed previously.

Salim regretted and his wife blamed him for all the loss. Salim, once again became wood cutter and waited for the day that he could see the bird again.
Salim couldn’t sleep the night before he was to meet the bird.

He got up early and reached the woods. He had even forgotten to get his axe this time.
As he reached the tree, Salim shouted, “Bird, O Bird where are you! I had been waiting only for you. “

As soon as he said that, the bird flew again to sit on a branch of the tree.

“It is so comforting and peaceful to see you once again dear bird.”Salim said.

“I do not think you thought that way last year. “ The bird replied.

“Dear bird, please forgive me. I was taken aback by my pride and ego. Now I have learnt the lesson. Please help me. I cannot live like this forever. ”

“You learnt the lesson after you lost everything. The reason I asked you to meet me every year was, by coming to these trees, you will remember your roots and the luxury won’t take over you. There is nothing I can do for you. You should leave. “ The bird said.

“Please help me dear bird. I cannot live as a wood cutter forever. “ Salim said with teary eyes.

“Okay. But you will have to make the same promise once again to meet me on this day every year. “The bird said.

“I will do that. I will do that birdie. “ Salim replied.

“Then go home and search through your cupboard, you will find something there that will help you save your life. “ Said the bird and it flew away.

Salim walked back home smiling and informed his wife of his meet with the bird. Both of them searched the cupboard and in one of the corners behind the clothes, they found two gold necklaces.

Salim and his wife were taken aback when they saw how little they had this time. But instead of pointing out, they decided to make a living with the jewellery.
Salim sold off the jewellery and bought a grocery shop with the amount of money he got from them.
Though this time they weren’t living luxurious, but the grocery shop gave enough money to make a decent life that Salim wanted.

Also Salim made it a point that he visited the woods to meet the bird and sometimes with his wife.