Sheikh Chilli's Kheer Story
Sheikh Chilli was extremely foolish and always said foolish things. His mother was very upset by his foolishness. One day, Sheikh Chilli asked his mother how people die? His mother, pondering how to explain to this fool, said that when people die, their eyes close. Hearing this, Sheikh Chilli thought, "I'll die and see for myself." Thinking about death, Sheikh Chilli went outside the village, dug a pit, and lay down with his eyes closed.
Two thieves passed by at night. One said to the other, "If we had one more companion, it would be great. One of us could keep watch in front of the house, another behind, and the third could easily steal inside."
Sheikh Chilli, lying in the pit, heard the thieves' conversation and suddenly said, "Brothers, I am already dead, but if I were alive, I would certainly help you." Hearing Sheikh Chilli's words, both thieves understood that this man was absolutely foolish. One thief said to Sheikh Chilli, "Brother, why such a hurry to die? Come out of this hole for a while and help us. You can die later." Sheikh Chilli, lying in the pit, started feeling hungry and cold. He thought, "Let me help the thieves."
The two thieves and Sheikh Chilli decided that one thief would stand in front of the house, another behind, while Sheikh Chilli would go inside to steal.
Sheikh Chilli was very hungry. Instead of stealing, he started looking for food and drink inside the house. He found rice, sugar, and milk in the kitchen. He thought, "Why not make rice kheer?" With that thought, Sheikh Chilli began making rice kheer. In the same kitchen, an old woman was sleeping, shivering from the cold. As soon as Sheikh Chilli lit the stove to cook, the heat from the fire began to reach the old woman. Feeling the warmth of the stove, the old woman stretched out her hands to get comfortable.
Sheikh Chilli thought the old woman was reaching out for the kheer, so he said, "Old woman, I'm making kheer, so I'll eat some myself. Don't worry, I'll give you some too." As the stove's heat continued to reach the old woman, she stretched out her hands further, trying to get comfortable. Sheikh Chilli mistook this for the old woman wanting more kheer, and without thinking, he placed a hot spoonful of kheer onto her hand. The old woman's hand was burned, and she screamed, waking up and grabbing Sheikh Chilli.
When caught, Sheikh Chilli said, "What's the point of catching me? The real thieves are outside. I was making rice kheer because I was hungry." In this way, Sheikh Chilli not only got caught himself but also got the thieves caught.
The lesson from this story is - Staying in the company of bad people always results in loss, just as Sheikh Chilli, by listening to the thieves, was also considered a thief and caught by people. Similarly, those who associate with fools always suffer, as when Sheikh Chilli joined the thieves, their entire plan fell apart.
