Freaks of Luck
Mohsin, the young villager, was on his way to the town. The way passed through meadows and a desert. "Hello, young man, where are you going? What is your name?" asked another traveler from behind. "To the town. People call me Mohsin the Good. What about you?" "I too am on my way to the town. People call me Musa the Evil." "The people must be calling you so in-joke," commented Mohsin. The two became companions. When it was noon, both sat down under a tree to cook their food. "It is no use making two fires when one would do. It is no use opening the food-stocks of both of us when one's would do at a time," proposed Musa. "That is quite a sound proposal," said Mohsin.
So they began using the flour Mohsin carried to make their bread. The stock lasted two days. On the third day, while they were passing through the desert, Musa sat down to cook. But he took out from his bag, flour which was just enough for one. When slices of bread were ready, he began eating them. Mohsin waited for his companion to offer him a share. But Musa seemed to have completely forgotten him. Mohsin kept quiet. But, by the evening, he was very hungry. When Musa began eating his dinner, he said, "This time don't forget to give me a share, brother! Did we not share my food-stock?" "You have no share!" said Musa. The long walk and hunger made Mohsin miserable. The next day he again implored Musa for a piece of bread. But Musa said, "I'd give you a piece if you let me blind your right eye." "What will be your profit from such cruelty?" "Did I not tell you that my name is Musa the Evil? I like doing evil things." Mohsin endured his hunger for yet another day. Then he told his companion. "It is perhaps better to live with one eye than to die of starvation Take my right eye and give me bread." Musa gladly put out his right eye and gave him a small piece of bread. The next day, upon Mohsin requesting for bread again, Musa demanded his left eye. "It seems God wishes me to go fully blind. Do as you like," said Mohsin. Musa put out Mohsin's left eye and gave him another piece of bread. The blind Mohsin was groping his way through the desert when Musa relieved him of all his belongings and pushed him into a deep well.
Mohsin fell on the soft mud at the bottom of the well. He lamented his condition and sat calling god. Time passed. At night two Jinns visited the well. They sat on the round stone well and talked of many things. Mohsin understood that the two were in the habit of meeting there occasionally. "What have you been doing lately?" asked one Jinn. "I have possessed the princess and am very happy!" "Is it not strange that even the king cannot drive you out of her person?" "That is fun. There is not a single good exorcist in the land nowadays. Just sacrifice a black chicken between the girl's feet and I'd be obliged to run for my life. But no exorcist seems to know this much!" commented the first Jinn. "True, there is nobody who remembers the old good things. The leaves of this very tree leaning over the well are so beneficent! Plaster the eyes of the blind with a pair of them and he will get back his sight. But does anybody remember this old secret?" asked the second Jinn.
The Jinns departed before the daybreak. Some travelers who were passing by lowered a bucket into the well for water. There was no water, but the bucket brought out Mohsin! The travelers were surprised. They gave him food and offered to lead him to destination But he thanked them and requested to leave him there under the tree that leaned over the well. He then plucked a pair of leaves and covered his eyes with them. When he took them off after an hour, he could see again. He gathered a number of leaves from the trees and started for the town. He announced himself as a healer of the blind and proved his merit by curing many. The king heard of his miracle. He invited him to the palace and asked him if he can cure the princess of her affliction. "I have tried with a number of physicians and exorcists. All have failed," observed the king sadly. "Very well, give me a chance. I am confident of a good result," said Mohsin. The princess had been reduced to a skeleton, weeping and laughing in turn. Mohsin lost no time in securing a black chicken and sacrificing it between her feet. Soon she seemed to come back to her senses. After a long year, she stopped weeping or laughing in a mad manner and smiled at her father. "Young man, please do not leave us at once. Be with us as our most valued guest until such a time when the princess would have fully recovered," said the king. Mohsin lived there happily, comforts of a prince heaped upon him
He spent several hours every day in the company of the princess, trying his best to keep her in good humor. Six months passed. The princess looked as beautiful as a rose. "My lord, be pleased to grant me leave!" Mohsin told the king. "How can I do that, young man, when I hear that my daughter has set her heart upon you?" asked the king with a twinkle in his eyes. Mohsin blushed. No doubt, he too was finding it very painful to leave the princess. Mohsin was married to the princess. After a few months, the king died. As he had no son, Mohsin ascended the throne. One evening, riding through his capital, King Mohsin saw Musa wending his way through a crowd. At his bidding, his bodyguards let Musa to the palace. "How are you, Musal the Evil?" asked Mohsin and he added, "Indeed, I won't say that the people call you so in-joke!" Musa startled as if he saw a ghost. But Mohsin laughed and said, "I should not punish you even though you caused me great suffering. Had you not pushed me into the well, I could not have become the king that I am!"
With his head hung, Musa heard Mohsin's story and took leave of him. Straight he went into the desert and found out the well. He jumped into it and sat still, waiting for the Jinns. He expected, them to give out some other secrets by the knowledge of which he could profit as Mohsin has profited. The Jinns came and sat on the wall and began chitchat. "Why are you looking so sad?" asked one. "I had to leave the princess. I don't know how someone hit upon the right way to drive me away." grumbled the other. "I hope, nobody overheard us when we met here and discussed the situation last time," said the first Jinn. "Who knows if someone keeps on hearing us, hiding in the well?" said the second one and he threw his long hairy hand into the bottom of the well. To his great amazement, his snaky fingers found Musa and brought him out. With fearful laughter the Jinn tossed him: Musa went up circling and then fell to his death.
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