Sunday Parable :

The father and two daughters

By Prof. Sunanda MAHENDRA

The farmer in that once-upon-a-time had two daughters. He and his wife looked after them until they reached the marriageable age. The marriages were arranged selecting suitable husbands from the farmer communities in two distant places. The elder daughter was given in marriage to a young farmer in the Northern of the country. The younger daughter was given in marriage to a farmer in the Southern province off the country. This happened in two different seasons of the year.

The old farmer and his wife stayed at home praying for their daughters' welfare and longing to see them now and then. One fine morning mother told the father: "Why don't you go and see daughters?

Tell them they are always in my dreams."

So the Father left for his elder child's home at early hours of the morning. By noon he could reach the destination, but he could see his daughter in sunken spirits.

"How are you dear. I am so happy to see you, but I see something wrong with you. Anything wrong?" Asked the Father.

"Oh how nice of you to have come to see us Father? But look at the sky and our crops. We can't cultivate our crops properly."

"So tell me what can I do for you, dear?"

"Oh Father, please pray that we get rains from the sky. If we don't get the rain in time we will have to suffer so much."

"I will pray for you, for sure. Don't you worry now." Father said and inquired about her husband.

"He has gone out with the other farmers to discuss this calamity."

"Will he be back soon?"

"I don't think so."

"Your mother has dreamt of you and she wanted me to know about you."

"How nice of her to think of like that. Please ask her to pray for rains."

"Definitely, dear." Having stayed for sometime at the elder daughter's place, the Father got up to visit the younger daughter who lived in the South. He had to leave his elder child early to see the younger one. It was a long way, and nevertheless he could reach the younger daughter towards evening. Again to his dismay, he did not find the younger daughter in a good mood.

"Hello dear, your mother and I always remember you. But tell me why do you look so put out?" asked the Father.

"Oh Father can't you see our crops have failed and we suffer so much from heavy rains. Can't the God understand that we need sunshine as well as rains for cultivation. God is so unkind. He only gives us heavy rains and not sunshine."

"So what can I do for you my dear?"

"Please pray for bright sunshine as we need the blessings of the sun."

The Father who was an elderly man knew all about the necessities in the life of a farmer.

"Yes, I understand." Said the Father buried in a dilemma. He was nonplussed.

"The elder daughter wants rains, because her crops are spoiled by hot sun. The younger daughter wants sun as her crops are spoiled by rains. How am I going to pray the god? For both rain and sunshine?"

The Father was silent for a long time before he left the place. He saw his son-in-law coming home in heavy rains.

But he knew that the young farmer, like his wife, would want him to pray for sun. He needed to leave and in a little while he told the daughter: "Don't worry. You will have a good sunshine in a day or two."

On his way home he was murmuring to himself:

"I need not pray for my daughters. They should face the laws of the nature. So let them face the timely necessities of rain and sun."