6 - Only if I Could Die...

There lived a woodcutter who was very poor. He had a wife and three little children. He used to cut wood the whole day, still he could not arrange the food of two times for them. He was very tired of his poverty.

One day he was bringing the wood load from forest and thinking that even today he will not be able to arrange enough food for his family. What was the use of such life in which one has to see his family sleeping hungry everyday. If I die now I will not have a chance to see my family suffering from hunger and misery.

And after saying this he pushed his wood load by the side of the road and sat down under a tree tired, dissatisfied and abusing himself that "Why this death doesn't come to me, so that I am free from all these worries?" He sat there only a few moments that he saw a dark complexioned man coming towards him. Since there was nobody on that road before, he got surprised to see him as where did he appear from? And why was he coming to him? He came and stood in front of the woodcutter.

The woodcutter asked - "Who are you and what do you want from me?" He said - "I am Death. You called me that is why I have come to you. Tell me what can I do for you?"

Hearing the name of the Death, the woodcutter got scared and started trembling with fear. He did not want to die in reality. Those words came out of his mouth in great grief and despair, but otherwise he loved his family very much. He thought if he died then they will not be able to get even this much food what they were getting today. Who will then take care of them?

So he gathered himself and said to Death - "Mr Death, I am very thankful to you that you came on my call. In fact I was very tired that is why I remembered you. Please just help me to keep this load on my head, that is all. I will be very grateful to you."

Death said - "Is that all you remembered me for? No problem." And he kept the load on woodcutter's head instantly and went away. After that day he never remembered his Death.

[When people are very sad, they often remember their Death that "If only I could die..". But nobody wants to die. When it comes to them they are frightened and wish for living. The Death is not a solution of their sorrows. They should still remember God and try to face all kinds of situations in life. It is believed that once in a 24 hour-day everybody's speech proves true. Keeping this in mind, a person should always speak good, wishful and sweet words, lest his bad words come true and he has to repent for his speech.]