Sheikh Chilli's Tales of Employment
Sheikh Chilli secured a job with a wealthy man. The merchant tasked him with tending his camels. Sheikh Chilli would daily lead the camels to the forest, grazing them and returning them home in the evening. One day, while grazing the camels in the forest, he left them to graze and fell asleep beneath a tree. During his slumber, someone led the camels away, taking them by their ropes. Upon awakening and finding the camels missing, Sheikh Chilli was panicked. He vowed to return to the merchant's house only after recovering all the camels. He began searching the forest for them, but he could not even recall the camels' names. Meanwhile, he encountered some villagers from the merchant's village. Showing them the camels' dung, Sheikh Chilli instructed them to tell his employer that the owners of that dung should return with their camels.
Sheikh Chilli was renowned for his foolishness, a trait that often led to quick temper. One day, while walking, some boys began teasing him, one calling him "great fool," the other "long live!" The boys would hide in houses, leaving Sheikh Chilli fuming. One day, a young boy inadvertently climbed onto Sheikh Chilli's hand. In a fit of anger, Sheikh Chilli threw the boy into a well. Returning home, he confessed to his wife. Sheikh Chilli's wife, after his sleep, retrieved the boy from the well. The boy had suffered from the cold and the time spent in the water. She took the child to her brother and explained the entire incident.
Sheikh Chilli's brother-in-law told his sister, "Your account is well presented. However, what will we do when the child's parents find him? Sheikh Chilli's wife replied, "Look, brother, if we return this child in this condition, there will be unnecessary commotion and further complications. So, until the child recovers, keep him with you. If the child's parents find him, I will manage the situation." Sheikh Chilli's wife returned home and threw a baby goat into the very well into which he had earlier thrown the boy.
The next morning, the boy's parents arrived at Sheikh Chilli's house, searching for him. Sheikh Chilli was walking in his courtyard. The father asked Sheikh Chilli if he had seen their son. "Yes," Sheikh Chilli replied, "that imp mocked me yesterday, so I threw him into the well across the street." The boy's parents rushed to the well. A village man was swiftly lowered into the well. "There is no boy here," the man called up, "but there is a baby goat." He retrieved the baby goat and brought it up. The parents were distraught at not finding their child. They searched other parts of the town. After the child recovered somewhat, Sheikh Chilli's brother-in-law returned him to his home. Sheikh Chilli remained troubled for weeks about the mistake, wondering how a baby goat could be in the well instead of the boy.
Time passed, and Sheikh Chilli found work with another rich man. He was responsible for looking after the man's property. One day, while travelling to the market in a carriage with his employer, Sheikh Chilli sat in the back. A b gust of wind blew the merchant's silk handkerchief out of the carriage. The merchant didn't notice, but Sheikh Chilli saw it. Sheikh Chilli witnessed the handkerchief falling but did not pick it up or inform the merchant.
The merchant stopped at a shop and, needing the handkerchief, searched his pockets. When he couldn't find it, he questioned Sheikh Chilli. Sheikh Chilli replied that the handkerchief had fallen near the marketplace.
The merchant reprimanded Sheikh Chilli, "You fool! Why didn't you pick it up?" Sheikh Chilli, with folded hands, replied, "Your honour, you did not order me to." Angered, the merchant said, "Take care that anything falling from our carriage or belonging to us is promptly retrieved." Sheikh Chilli promised to do so, ensuring no future complaints. The next day, while out with the merchant, the merchant's horse dropped dung. Sheikh Chilli immediately dismounted, collected the dung in his garment, and kept it with him.
When they reached home, a guest had arrived. While the merchant and the guest conversed, Sheikh Chilli, in his honesty, presented the bundled dung to the merchant. He respectfully stated, "Sir, with your permission, I have retrieved the fallen material from the horse." Sheikh Chilli untied the cloth on the table before the guest. The guest laughed heartily. The merchant was furious upon seeing the horse dung. Sheikh Chilli discreetly stepped back, understanding the situation.
Later, Sheikh Chilli took the merchant's horse to the river to water it. He noticed that the water was shallow and muddy, and suggested taking the horse further downstream to a deeper area. He led the horse further downstream, where the river was swift and deep. Sheikh Chilli began watering the horse, releasing the rope. As the current grew ber, Sheikh Chilli panicked and rushed towards the riverbank. The horse was swept away in the swift current. Sheikh Chilli shouted "The horse is gone! The horse is gone!" He frantically ran to his employer. Out of breath, he told his employer the entire story. Believing Sheikh Chilli, the merchant drew his sword and accompanied him to the river bank.
The merchant thought that the horse was nearby. Upon reaching the riverbank, Sheikh Chilli said, "You don't need to carry this sword sir, I can handle it." "It will only cause you further hardship." The merchant handed him the sword. At the riverbank, Sheikh Chilli indicated the area of the river where the horse was swept away. "Sir, the horse is gone," he said. Instead of a stone, he threw the sword into the river to mark the spot. The merchant, unable to tolerate Sheikh Chilli's foolishness, slapped him twice. He scolded him for losing his horse and throwing away his prized sword to indicate the location.
The moral of this story is—Human beings need their own discernment. Individuals acting without thinking can harm both themselves and others.
