Man in search of God

Some years ago I listened to an Armanian folktale. It reminds me of the follies of mankind, and the miserable state of the man.

There was a poor man who worked hard from morn till night. But he found that his living condition was not at all satisfactory. He remained poor. One fine day he decided that he should go in search of God to complain about his living condition and beg a favour.

On his way, he met a wolf.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going in search of God.”

“Why?”

“I have something to complain.”

“If that’s so can you do me a favour?” asked the wolf.

“Tell me.”

“Please tell God that you met a half starving wolf who finds his life disgusting as he cannot find a prey. Also ask him why he has created a half starving wolf if he cannot provide him with food.”

“Will do.” The man said and resumed the journey. Next he met a beautiful maid.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to see God.”

“Can you please tell him of a certain complaint I want to lodge?”

“Tell me soon.”

“Tell him though he had made me beautiful I’m very unhappy. Ask him how come he cannot make his creation happy.”

“I will certainly tell him. Then he continued to walk ahead. Soon he met a tree which seemed all dried up and dying even though it grew by the side of a river.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?” Asked the tree, seeing the man.

“I’m going in search of God.”

“Can you help me lodge a complaint in my favour.”

“Yes certainly. So tell me.”

“Please tell him that I am kept dry both in the summer and winter, though I live by the side of a river. Tell him that my leaves do not turn green. How long have I to live in this condition being one of his creations.”

The man listened and agreed to tell God about his complaint. Finally after a long journey he met God, seated beneath the ledge of a cliff. The God wanted to know why the man had travelled such a long distance to meet him. The man began to speak softly.

“Oh god I want to know why there is injustice in this world. I work so hard from morn till evening, but I don’t earn enough to live. But then there are a good lot of people who never toil as hard as I do. But they earn such a lot to fill their bellies.”

“What more have you got to say?” Asked the god. Then the man told the god all what he heard from the wolf, the maid and the tree.

“Go back, and observe yourself, what other have told you. So I have given you the gift of luck and go back. Listen to me carefully.” Saying that he should rediscover to himself the gift of luck in each of the creations of God, he met on his way. God also gave some more hints to the man for his rediscovery.

On his return he met the dry, parched tree. “What did God say?” Asked the tree.

The man said: “There lies a pot of gold that is hidden beneath your trunk. This prevents your growth, despite the fact that you are living by the side of a river.”

The tree then said: “Why don’t you dig up and remove the pot of gold that prevents my growth. You can be a rich man as well.”

“No,” said the man, “the god said that there is a gift of luck waiting for me. I may go soon to get it.”

He moved away from the tree. Then he met the beautiful maid. What did God tell you about my complaint?

“God said that you will soon meet a kind hearted young man who will bring happiness to you.”

“Are you not that kind hearted man?” Asked the beautiful maid.

“I have nothing to wait here, for there is a gift of luck waiting for me. I must go home soon.”

Then the man moved off from the beautiful maid. The man then came across the half starving wolf who stood by the side of the road until the man returned.

“What did God say about my complaint?” Asked the wolf.

“Do you know what God said about you?”

“No. Please tell me.”

“God said that a wolf of your calbire is created by God never to starve. There is enough food for wolves. The wolf, he said, is a man eater.”

“Then I got to eat you.” Said the wolf.

“Oh please don’t do that.”

“Why, you are my timely prey, aren’t you?”

“Please help me go home, there is a gift of luck waiting there.”

The storyteller asked me a question.

“Do you think that the wolf ate up the man?”

“No.” I said.

The storyteller laughed at me.