Sherani Folktales

A Tale of Saint Khwaja

It is said that one of the sons of the saint Khwaja went into the hills a-hunting. On the journey he was greatly fatigued, and became ill. So he asked a boulder to carry him home, and the boulder obeyed his orders. On his way home he met his father, who, seeing him upon the boulder, foretold that he would fall from it and die. As foretold, he fell from the boulder, which still lies there.

When his sister heard of this, she ran with tears in her eyes to the spot where her brother was lying, still alive, and asked what had happened. He replied,-" I am lying here according to my father's forecast, but, if he likes, he can bring me back to life again." On hearing this, she ran to her father, and besought him to revive her brother. He replied that, if he did as she wished, all the other dead would claim to return also. She returned to her brother and repeated what her father had said, t which he answered,-" If our father chose to bring to life all the dead bodies in the tombs, he would not find it impossible."

A third time she went to her father, and made the same request as before, but he foretold that as soon as she reached her brother again she would meet the same fate, (i.e. would die). She went back to her brother, and breathed her last. The tombs in which they were buried are still to be seen. The story is ended.

Source: Sir Lucas King., Sherani Folktales

Picture Credits: Sufi School

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