The Magic Of Mushkil Gusha

The magic of Mushkil Gusha

A long time ago in the royal city of Isfahan, there was an old woodcutter who lived alone with his young daughter. Every day, the woodcutter went out to the desert togather camel-thorn bushes, and then sold them in the marketplace as firewood. In this way, he earned barely enough for the two of them. One morning, the woodcutter's daughter said, Father, we always haveenough to eat. But just once, it would be nice to have something special. Do you think you could buy us some date cakes? I think I could do that, my dear, said the woodcutter. I'll just gather someextra wood today. So the woodcutter walked farther that day to gather more thorn bushes. But he took longer than he meant to. and when he got back with the wood, darkness had fallen. It was too late togo to the marketplace. What's more, when he reached his house, he found that his daughter had already bolted the front door and gone to bed. Knock as he would, there was no answer. So he had to sleepoutside on the doorstep. Next morning, the woodcutter awoke while it was still dark. He told himself, I might as well go out right now and get another big load of wood. Then
I can sell twice as muchand buy even more date cakes. So he left his load and went back to the desert to gather more bushes. But again he took longer than he meant to, and when he got back, it was dark and the door wasbolted. So again he had to sleep on the doorstep. He awoke once more before dawn. There's no sense wasting a day, he said. I'll go back out for one more big load. How many date cakes we'll have then! Butyet again he took too long, and yet again the door was bolted when he got back. The woodcutter sank to the doorstep and wept. What's wrong, old man? He looked up to see a dervish in a long green robeand a tall green cap. Holy sir, for three days I have gone out to gather thorn bushes, and for three days I have come home too late to get into my house. And in all that time, I've had nothing to eat....