SWALLOW AND SPARROW

Swallow and sparrow became close friends. They started walking around in together. Other swallows said nothing at the beginning about this circumstance. However, the things changed when the swallow started bringing the sparrow to its nest. Nest of the swallow was under the eaves of an empty wooden house and there were many nests of swallow next to it. Going there from and thereto made swallows disturbed.

Swallows held a meeting and they appointed a spokesman. This spokesman told about this circumstance with it in a suitable time and said it not to bring this sparrow to its nest.

Although the swallow showed some obstinacy, it finally was obliged to obey by this requirement.
One night the sparrow suddenly wakened while it was sleeping. Tree on which it built up its nest among its branches was swinging. It flied away and had a look-see round the environment. Thereupon, it recognised that it was an earthquake.

Its close friend, the swallow, came to its mind. It arrived at its nest and it weakened its close friend. It said the swallow to weaken other swallows and the wooden house may be fallen onto the ground. The swallow fulfilled what it said. Once the last swallow flied away there, the wooden house was fallen onto the ground. Later, swallows set up new nests under eaves of another house and they did make no rejection for the sparrow to go from and to the nest of the swallow for the reason that they were owed their life to it.

KIRLANGIÇ İLE SERÇE

Kırlangıç ile serçe dost olmuşlar. Birlikte gezip dolaşmaya başlamışlar. Diğer kırlangıçlar önceleri bu duruma ses çıkarmamışlar. Fakat kırlangıç serçeyi yuvasına getirmeye başlayınca işler değişmiş. Kırlangıcın yuvası ahşap, boş bir evin saçak altındaymış ve burada pek çok kırlangıç yuvası varmış. Serçenin gelip gitmesi, kırlangıçları rahatsız etmiş.

Kırlangıçlar toplanıp bir sözcü seçmişler. Sözcü uygun bir zamanda kırlangıca konuyu açmış ve serçeyi yuvasına getirmemesini söylemiş.

Kırlangıç biraz direttiyse de sonunda genel isteğe boyun eğmek zorunda kalmış. Bir gece serçe yuvasında uyurken aniden uyanmış. Dalları arasına yuva kurduğu ağaç sallanıyormuş. Uçup çevreyi şöyle bir kolaçan etmiş. O zaman bunun bir yer sarsıntısı olduğunu anlamış.

Aklına dostu kırlangıç gelmiş. Kırlangıcın yuvasına gitmiş, onu uyandırmış. Kırlangıca diğer kırlangıçları uyandırmasını, ahşap evin sarsıntıdan yıkılabileceğini söylemiş. Kırlangıç söyleneni yapmış. Son kırlangıç da kaçınca ahşap ev yıkılmış. Daha sonra kırlangıçlar başka bir evin saçak altına yeni yuvalar yapmışlar ve yaşamlarını borçlu oldukları dost serçenin kırlangıcın yuvasına gelip gitmesine karşı çıkmamışlar.

POOR AHMET

Ahmet’s mother and father were poor. They were living in a small house with only one room. Since his father’s lungs were ill, he compulsorily retired. Ahmet finished primary school in difficulty by selling pretzel out of school time. Later by the help of his neighbour he started to work in a restaurant to do the washing up. Ahmet had taken the first step to realize his dreams. He had met the wonderful meals which he formerly used to see behind the restaurant windows. Now he had full three courses a day. He had kept Uncle Veli, who was cooking in the restaurant, observing. He would learn cooking from him and he would be a cook himself, too but Ahmet would work not in somebody else’s restaurant but in his own one.

Ahmet opened a restaurant in the city centre after he had done his military service. Because his meals were very delicious, the restaurant was full of customers. He was earning well. Sometimes poor people used to come to the restaurant and eat free meal.

The waiters working in the restaurant and the customers couldn’t find any sense of Ahmet’s going and leaving two plates of meals to an empty table during lunch times. How would they know that they were Ahmet’s present to his mother and father, whom the poverty had finished years ago? They also wouldn’t be able to hear that while putting the plates on the table Ahmet was murmuring “you aren’t going stay hungry any more from now on mummy and daddy. Have your meals and get yourself very full.”

FAKİR AHMET

Annesi, babası fakirdi Ahmet’in. Tek göz odalı bir gecekonduda oturuyorlardı. Babasının ciğerleri hasta olduğundan zorunlu emekliye ayrılmıştı. Ahmet okul olmadığı zamanlar simit satarak zorlukla ilkokulu bitirdi. Daha sonra komşusunun yardımıyla bir lokantaya bulaşıkçı olarak girdi. Ahmet hayalini gerçekleştirmek için ilk adımını atmıştı. Eskiden lokantaların camları arkasında gördüğü o güzelim yemeklere kavuşmuştu. Artık günde üç öğün karnı doyuyordu. Lokantada yemek pişiren Veli dayıyı göz hapsine almıştı. Ondan yemek yapmayı öğrenecek ve kendi de bir aşçı olacaktı ama Ahmet başkasının lokantasında değil kendi lokantasında görevini yerine getirecekti.

Ahmet askerden geldikten sonra şehrin mevki yerinde lokanta açtı. Yaptığı yemekler çok lezzetli olduğu için lokanta müşterilerle dolup taşıyordu. Kazancı yerindeydi. Ara sıra muhtaç insanlar lokantaya gelirdi ve bedava yemek yerlerdi.

Lokantada çalışan garsonlar ve müşteriler Ahmet’in öğle vakitleri boş bir masaya giderek masanın üstüne iki tabak yemek bırakmasına bir anlam veremezlerdi. Onlar ne bileceklerdi yıllar önce sefaletin bitirdiği anne ve babasına Ahmet’in armağanını. Hem onlar duyamazlardı ki, tabakları masanın üstüne bırakırken Ahmet’in “ Bundan sonra aç kalmayacaksınız anneciğim ve babacığım. Alın yemeklerinizi karnınızı bir güzel doyurun “ diye mırıldandığını.

RABBIT

There was a rabbit imagining itself like a lion. One day this rabbit convened all rabbits in the vicinity on a high hill and said them that it would frighten wolf, jackal, fox in the case they would pass through the rough path in the downstairs. Rabbits listened to it with no movement.

Ten minutes later, a wolf was passing through this path and it was suddenly surprised to see a rabbit shouting and running toward itself, and this circumstance caused it to frighten, and it urgently run away and disappeared there.

TAVŞAN

Tavşanın biri kendini aslan zannedermiş. Bir gün bu tavşan civardaki tavşanları yüksekçe bir tepeye toplayıp aşağıdaki patika yoldan kurt, çakal, tilki geçmesi halinde korkutup kaçıracağını söylemiş. Tavşanlar, onu sakin şekilde dinlemişler.

On dakika sonra bir kurt geçiyormuş ki, bir de ne görsün, bağırıp çağırarak üstüne doludizgin gelen tavşanı görünce ürkmüş ve son sürat oradan kaçmış.

FOX

There was a fox hanging wings on it and stealing hens from poultry-houses upper sides of which were uncovered. Once poultry-house owner recognised this circumstance, they covered upper-sides of them.

A fox never likes being hungry and remaining with no remedy. It learnt soil digging work from one mole and started entering into poultry-houses through underground. Poultry-house owners thought that mole was stealing the hens and always hoped to catch a mole.

TİLKİ

Tilkinin biri kanat takıp üstü açık kümeslerden tavuk çalarmış. Kümes sahipleri durumu fark edince kümeslerin üstünü kapatmışlar.

Tilki açlığı ve çaresizliği hiç sevmezmiş. Bir köstebekten toprak kazma işini öğrenip, yeraltından kümeslere girmeye başlamış. Kümes sahipleri tavukları çalanın köstebek olduğunu sanıp, hep bir köstebek yakalamayı ummuşlar.


JACKAL

One of the jackals found a rifle while it was walking in the jungle. It recognised there
were two cartridge in the rifle, and it immediately started robberies. Animals in
the jungle, properties of which were stolen and were under threat convened and
they arrived before lion.
The lion was informed about the circumstance and this made it very angry and thereafter, it followed the jackal around.

The lion seeing the jackal to walk some ahead has roared. The jackal
pointed its gun at it when it saw that the lion was approaching, and immediately before opening fire, the lion frightened and started running away. Thereupon, the jackal run after the lion, too. Just then, a river appeared in front of them. Both of them swam and crossed the river.The lion run a while and then suddenly stopped running. The jackal stopped as well. The lion turned back and walked over the jackal.

The jackal realized that wet rifle did not open fire and thrown the rifle out and it crossed back the river. The lion followed the jackal.The lion chased the jackal for a long time in the jungle, and it hit a fiston it as soon as caught it. The jackal escaped with great difficulty its life from the lion. From then, no body has seen it in the surrounding.

ÇAKAL

Çakalın biri ormanda gezerken bir tüfek bulmuş. Bakmış tüfekte iki fişek var, hemen soygunlara başlamış. Malı çalınan, tehdit edilen orman hayvanları toplanıp aslanın huzuruna çıkmışlar. Durumu öğrenen aslan çok kızmış, çakalın peşine düşmüş.

Çakalı ilerde giderken gören aslan kükremiş. Çakal aslanın geldiğini görünce tüfeğini doğrultmuş, tam ateş edecekken aslan korkmuş, kaçmaya başlamış. Çakal da aslanı kovalamış. Derken, önlerine bir ırmak çıkmış. Ikisi de yüzerek karşıya geçmiş. Aslan biraz daha koşmuş, sonra aniden duruvermiş. Çakal da durmuş. Aslan geri dönüp çakalın üstüne yürümüş.

Çakal ıslanan tüfeğin ateş etmediğini görünce tüfeği atıp ırmaktan karşıya geçmiş. Aslan da peşinden gelmiş. Aslan çakalı ormanda uzun süre kovalamış, yetiştiği yerde vurmuş. Çakal güçbela canını kurtarmış. Bir daha onu oralarda gören olmamış.

THE CITY ZOO 

The Woodcutter and the Bird 

Sylvia Smarter than the Teacher 

THE KOREAN CINDERELLA 

The Gingerbread Boy

THE SOLICITOR’S FIDELITY

It was snowing. There was a freezing cold outside. However, the room was more freezing than outside although the fire was burning. Neither Henry was speaking nor was Harvey saying a word as usual. Henry was looking out of the window. Snow-covered roofs seemed like cotton to him. It had been almost a month since their beloved father Peter died. Even at funeral, he and his twin, Harvey, said nothing to each other. They only wrote they were very sad due to the father’s death onto a piece of paper and gave it to each other. They were doing the same thing nearly for twenty years.

After their father’s death, the old family house became much more silent than it had been before. At least they were hearing their father’s voice when one of them spoke with him but now they were alone and there was no voice unless any neighbours or relatives came to visit them. They weren’t married and were in their forties. Everywhere in the house was full of small notes. Their only communication was these small notes. Henry felt much lonelier himself than it had been before while watching the snow. He was always the silent one but his twin Harvey could make people laugh even under sad circumstances. “I missed his laughter” thought he.

Suddenly, Harvey remembered their old school friend and family solicitor Arnold would come that evening. He put the book he was reading on his knees and looked at Henry. He was still looking outside. “He must be thinking about father” thought Harvey. He wanted to touch his shoulder and say he was sorry too but he couldn’t do that. He took a piece of paper from the drawing of his study table and wrote “Arnold is coming this evening” then left the paper on the coffee table near his twin. Henry took the note and wrote “Why?”. Harvey wrote “I don’t know. He said he would come this evening when I was in town today.” “Ok, see you in the evening; I will walk along the river.” “Ok, see you.”

After Henry left the house, Harvey came near the window and started to watch his twin walking along the river. He thought about himself, his twin and this old big house. There was always something they missed during those years passing without speaking. This was their close relation with each other. They knew this fact but they couldn’t dare to accept it and start everything from the beginning. Their childhood was wonderful. Their father, mother and they would spend the evenings in this big garden telling jokes and stories in summers. In winters they would gather near the fireplace. It seemed to him that centuries passed over those happy days. Then he turned back to his book when he couldn’t see Henry any longer along the river.

They waited for Arnold’s coming that evening after dinner. “He is late due to the snow in my opinion” wrote Harvey, “I suppose so” answered Henry.  Arnold came at about 9 o’clock. His clothes were covered with snow. He took off his hat and long black coat. His long fingers were faltering and his pale face was even paler than usual. His head had almost no hair and “his bald head must be as cold as a stone even with his hat” thought Harvey. Due to this thought, he smiled and Arnold thought it as a greeting.

“Hi, my friends! It is very cold and I’m almost freezing” said he and sat down near fireplace. They were both wondering about why he came because he didn’t usually come to their house unless there was something legal. After speaking about daily things and their father’s death, Arnold said he was here to tell them about their father’s will. “Did you know that he left a will?” asked he. “No” answered Henry and Harvey together then looked each other.

Arnold took the will out of his pocket and began to read. Their father was saying that he left ₤30,000 to one of them and they can live together in the family house as usual. But his only provision was that one of them would marry Angelica and unless either of them married Angelica all his money would go to Angelica, herself. “This is your father’s last words for you. Think about it deeply, I think. The sum of money he left is worth thinking about everything” said Arnold. “Ohh! It’s half past eleven. I should go before the snow starts again” continued he. He wore his coat and hat. “His bald was like saucer near the fireplace but now it will be stone again” thought Harvey.

“Think about it very deeply, my friends! See you soon, good night!” said Arnold and got on his car. Then drove fast and disappeared in the snow.

After Arnold’s departure, they sat and thought for a long time. Their only reason for not speaking during those years was Angelica. Beautiful and elegant Angelica. They had both been in love with her and on the other side Angelica was ready for marrying either of them. When two brothers learned that they both were in love with her, they had a bad quarrel and hadn’t said even a word to each other for nearly twenty years since that day. They stopped speaking, so neither of them learned that the other had decided not to marry Angelica. They didn’t spoke even with Angelica during those years unless necessary at such conditions as funerals, weddings or ritual ceremonies at church.

Angelica was full of rage. She didn’t marry anyone and couldn’t understand their silly behaviour to her. Their father Peter told the truth to her thinking that it can be helpful for her to understand their behaviour. However, Angelica couldn’t understand them and her love to them turned into grudge over the years. On the other side, the twins thought her not marrying anyone as she still loved either of them.

At 4 o’clock in the morning Henry spoke: “Why don’t we toss a coin for Angelica? Heads or tails?” “Tails,” said Harvey but it was heads. Henry would speak with Angelica, apologize and propose her. The next evening Henry woke up early and wore his smartest suit hoping that Angelica would say “yes’” to him. While he was looking at himself in the mirror, Harvey came near to him and said “I hope everything will be ok! See you!” “Thanks!” smiled Henry and went to Angelica’s house. He parked the car near the church and bought a bunch of red roses from the florist. Arnold was just leaving when he came to house. Arnold and Angelica was speaking and she was smiling.  “Why is he here? What can he and Angelica have in common?” thought Henry. He slowly came near the garden wall and tried to hear them. Arnold was saying “See you on Wednesday, we can talk about our wedding in detail.” “Which wedding? Whose? Their? His and Angelica’s?” said Henry. He was full of rage and threw the roses near the wall and left. It was written “ to my beloved Angelica” on the card.

Rainy Day Picnic

Ali Baba ve Kırk Haramiler