The story of Sharfu

He was a woodcutter. All his life, he had gone into the forests, cut wood, sold it, and with the earnings from his hard labor, he built a small house a short distance from the forest. In that house lived the woodcutter, his wife Nadi, and their young son Sharfo. The three lived a peaceful and comfortable life. Only the woodcutter worked to earn money. His wife managed the household, and Sharfo stayed at home doing small chores.

As time passed, the woodcutter grew old. Age weakened him, and he often fell ill. Still, he was not too worried, because he believed that Sharfo was no longer a child and could now take responsibility for the household. Nadi also shared this belief and felt no fear for the future.

One morning, the woodcutter woke up feeling unusually weak. He realized that going to the forest and cutting wood was no longer easy for him. Sharfo noticed that his father had not gone out early, as he usually did, and found him lying on the cot. Understanding his son’s thoughts, the woodcutter called him close and said lovingly, “Sharfo, my son, now you must take responsibility for this house. I am old and often sick.

Sharfo listened quietly as his father explained the work of cutting wood and selling it in the city. He handed Sharfo the axe and called it their family’s legacy. Sharfo accepted the responsibility with enthusiasm. His parents felt happy and hopeful as Sharfo left for the forest early the next morning.

Sharfo reached the forest before sunrise. As he prepared to cut the first tree branch, he noticed a bird’s nest with baby chicks. He froze. If he cut the branch, the nest would be destroyed, and the baby birds would die. He lowered his axe and whispered that he could not commit such cruelty. Confused and troubled, he returned home without cutting any wood.

When his father heard the reason, he became angry and scolded Sharfo, saying a woodcutter’s job was to cut trees, not worry about birds. Nadi tried to calm him, reminding him that Sharfo was still young.

A few days later, Sharfo was sent again. This time, he noticed trees bearing wild fruit that people cooked and ate. Cutting those trees would harm many people. Once again, he returned empty-handed. His father’s anger grew stronger, but his mother pleaded for patience.

On the third attempt, Sharfo was sent to cut very old trees. Seeing them, he thought about how they had given shade to travelers for many years. Cutting them felt like betrayal. On his way back, overwhelmed and determined, Sharfo threw the axe into a canal, deciding that he would never cut trees again. He thought of opening a shop in the market instead.

When he returned home and told his father, the woodcutter lost control and threw Sharfo out of the house. Nadi tried to stop him, but the woodcutter refused to listen. Sharfo left with nowhere to go. After walking for a long time, exhausted, he collapsed at the gate of a grand mansion and fainted.

Meanwhile, the woodcutter and Nadi were consumed with regret. They missed their son deeply and blamed themselves for their harshness. One day, a carriage stopped outside their house. A man stepped out and told them that Nadir Khan had invited them.

They had never heard the name before, but they went along. The carriage took them to a magnificent garden. As they stood in awe, they heard a familiar voice calling, “Father! Mother!” It was Sharfo, dressed well and looking happy.

Sharfo explained that when he collapsed at the mansion, Nadir Khan took him in. Learning of Sharfo’s love for trees and birds, Nadir Khan appointed him as the caretaker of his garden. Sharfo now planted trees and protected them with care.

Nadir Khan praised Sharfo, saying that his love for trees had been rewarded by the trees themselves. At Sharfo’s request, his parents came to live with him, and the family was reunited. From that day on, they lived peacefully, learning that kindness, compassion, and respect for nature never go unrewarded. learning that kindness, compassion, and respect for nature never go unrewarded