There was one teacher with a very bad character who beat his students almost every day. The boys began to conspire with each other:
- Well, it’s completely unbearable! Let's come up with some way to get rid of this scourge.
Among the students there was one older, and he said:
- If you agree with what I say, then we will come up with something.
“As you say, we will do so,” the boys answered in one voice.
“Then we’ll do this,” he announced. “Tomorrow we’ll come to class, and everyone will say to the teacher: “Hello, teacher! Why do you look so bad, oh teacher? Maybe you’re unwell or is there some other reason?” Don't say anything more.
The next day the students went to the madrasah*, and each one said to the teacher:
- Good health to you, teacher! Are you feeling well, O teacher? You look bad today, sir.
- No no! I'm completely healthy! - answered the teacher.
But doubt crept into his heart.
The eldest of the students came later than everyone else. He respectfully opened the book in front of the teacher, but then suddenly quickly put it away. The teacher asks:
- Why did you put the book away?
- Master! - the boy sighed. “You often see that everyone cares only about their own well-being; you can’t find either justice or sympathy in anyone.” But I see, oh teacher, you are so sick! When I look at your emaciated, yellow face, my heart aches with pity. After all, besides you, I cannot have another teacher! When you get rid of the illness, then I will resume my teaching.
The teacher got up and went home in terrible confusion. He shouted to his wife:
- Open the door!
She happily came out, opened the door, looked, her husband was standing there, upset, pale.
- Why did you return from the madrasah so soon? - the wife was surprised.
- Are you blind? - the teacher yelled. “Don’t you see what’s happening to your husband?” Strangers even sympathize. And you... Truly you are evil, callous. You sit at home and never even think about asking me about your health.
“For mercy, in my opinion, you are quite healthy,” the wife was confused.
- Oh, evil woman! - exclaimed the teacher. “You’re still kidding me... But don’t rejoice in my grief!”
“Wait,” says the wife, “now I’ll bring you a mirror, look at your face for yourself.” You are quite healthy! Why are you needlessly tormenting yourself?
- Fail you yourself and ruin your mirror! - the teacher was fuming. - What are you like, you have such a mirror! I don’t need a mirror, I won’t look into it. You better go and prepare my bed as soon as possible, I’ll go to bed.
The wife stands there, surprised. And he gets even more angry and shouts:
- Don’t look at me, go and prepare your husband’s bed!
The wife made the bed for her husband and placed a rug in front of it. The teacher lay down and ordered to tell the students: “Today we will study not in the madrasah, but at my home.”
The boys were upset.
“As it was, it remains so,” they say. “Nothing has changed, we have never freed ourselves from bondage.” We need another trick, otherwise we won’t get rid of this evil man.
“Let’s do this,” suggested the older student. “When the lesson starts, make some noise.”
They raised a cry, made a terrible noise, and the senior student suddenly reproached his comrades:
- Shameless, why are you so noisy? Don't you understand that such noise gives the teacher a headache?
“He’s telling the truth,” the teacher admitted. - Go away, there is no need to make noise here.
The boys were delighted, ran away and played in the street for a long time.
Several days passed. The boys' mothers were alarmed:
- Stupid! Now is the time for you to comprehend science, and you all walk and play. When will you study?
“Is it our fault that the teacher got sick?” - the students made excuses. - Who should we work with now?
“Okay,” the women decided, “tomorrow we will go to the teacher and find out how his health is.” Let's find out if you're telling the truth.
The next day the women actually went to see the teacher. They came to his house, they looked, the teacher was lying covered with two or three blankets, he was sweating. And the poor guy moans and groans. The women look and shake their heads.
“Get well, teacher,” they say. “What kind of illness has attacked you?” We didn't know at all that you were sick.
“I didn’t know myself,” the teacher exhaled, “I didn’t even think that I was completely bad.” But that’s the trouble! If you knew about the disease from the very beginning, it would be easier to recover. Thank you, kind women, but it will be difficult for me to heal.
The women left, and the teacher still lay in bed and did not get up. A few more days passed, and the boys let it slip that the teacher fell ill because of their cunning. The mothers of the students began to consult:
“This unfortunate man will die, and we will be to blame.” Think about what treatment he needs now to get better.
Pity also awoke in the hearts of the boys.
“We need to heal our teacher,” they decided.
“Let’s go and see him one by one,” suggested the older boy. “Everyone who looks at him will say: “Oh teacher, you are healthy now, you look great.”
So they did. Each of the students visited the teacher and encouraged him:
- Teacher, are you probably already healthy or are you getting better?
After all the kids, the eldest student came, looked at the teacher and exclaimed:
- Teacher, now you look like a healthy person, but you need to move a little! After all, when a person gets better, it is not good if he sits in one place. Now you need to get up, go outside, take a walk.
The teacher got out of bed, and the student went outside with him. Passers-by rejoiced:
— The teacher rose to his feet again. He's recovered!
And everyone who met the teacher congratulated him on his recovery. The teacher was happy, and the student chuckled secretly.
The illnesses no longer tormented the venerable teacher, and having recovered, he became kinder to his students.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru