Sheikh Chilli’s new master used to load him with lots of work. He was supposed to take care of the cattle in the day, prepare food and play with the master’s son. By night, Sheikh used to become so exhausted that he would fall into bed and sleep immediately. One day, the master asked Sheikh […]
Once, Sheikh Chilli fell unconscious in the street during his visit to his in-laws’ house. He had come to pick up Fawzia. He was brought home and looked after. The family was very happy when he regained consciousness. As advised by his mother, Sheikh bent and touched all elders’ feet. When he remembered the box
Once, Lallan told Sheikh that the nearby mango garden had a lot of mangoes. Sheikh went to steal the mangoes upon Lallan’s suggestion. The gardener saw Sheikh on a mango tree and as a punishment, he burnt fire under the tree. To save himself, Sheikh jumped down and ran, with the gardener chasing him with
Sheikh was very fond of children. One day, he played with a rich man’s son, Ahmad, in the garden. Ahmad liked playing with Sheikh and asked his father to take Sheikh with them. Ahmad’s father hired Sheikh to play with his son every day. He offered a good salary to Sheikh, too. But soon, Ahmad
One day, Sheikh Chilli’s mother took Sheikh to a maulvi (religious scholar), to benefit from his advice. The maulvi talked to Sheikh about Allah’s greatness and how all creations, big and small, belonged to Allah. Sheikh pondered over the maulvi’s sayings and understood that all things belong to Allah. Next morning, he roamed around in
Sheikh found a job as a cook’s assistant in a wealthy household. He worked hard the whole day. But the head cook gave him a small quantity of food to eat at night. So one night, it was past midnight, when Sheikh woke up, as he was feeling very hungry. He got up and went
Sheikh Chilli’s village was once visited by a Patwari (village accountant). Sheikh was fascinated by the Patwari, as well as his spectacles! He was impressed by the way he would read his papers through his spectacles and talk to people looking over the rim. Next day, his mother sent some sweets with Sheikh for the
One day, Sheikh was going to a nearby town. On the way to the town, Sheikh saw that an old man was carrying a large bundle of clothes. As Sheikh passed him, the old man asked, “Son, if you help me carry my luggage to the town I will pay you thirty rupees.” Sheikh happily
Sheikh Chilli’s father-in-law once complained about Sheikh’s strange behaviour when he had run away from their place just as his wife entered his room. Sheikh’s mother and her brother decided to set things right. She instructed Sheikh to stay quiet when he met his in-laws. “Say no word”, she said. Her brother repeated, “Say no
Sheikh Chilli used to work with a tailor-master, once. The master was very strict and stingy as well. He would get good food from home, but never share it with Sheikh. But, when Sheikh would get something from home, the master would immediately ask him to share. Sheikh wanted to teach his master a lesson.
Sheikh Chilli’s in-laws invited him to come and meet Fawzia’s grandmother. So, Sheikh’s mother sent him to their house with a number of instructions for behaving well and not doing anything silly. Sheikh carried a pot of ghee as a gift for his in-laws. He reached the area without any difficulty, but as he entered
It was Eid. Sheikh’s in-laws invited him and Fawzia to the festival. Everyone was very happy. Sheikh and Fawzia loved each other a lot. Fawzia’s mother had prepared several delicacies. Sheikh ate a hearty meal. He praised each and every food dish, a lot. Fawzia’s uncle, who belonged to Varanasi, had brought special ‘Banarasi Paan’
An elephant strayed into Sheikh Chilli’s village, one night. Next morning, some children saw huge footprints of the elephant while playing. They had never seen anything like that before. All they had seen were hoof-marks of some cattle. It was beyond their imagination that any living being could leave such huge footprints. Some were even
Sheikh was fooled by the thieves who were hiding in the mango tree. Thinking that it was a talking tree, poor Sheikh would buy food and deliver to the tree, every day. If anyone asked him why he was carrying so much food to the forest, Sheikh would say it was for the junior Nawab
One day, for one of his innumerable silly activities, Sheikh Chilli’s mother scolded him quite severely. Sheikh felt sad that everyone called him a fool. He could not help being what he was. Dejected, he left home. He went through a small forest. Two thieves, who had robbed the house of a wealthy man, were