good-deeds

vuhrayehn chour khuhmeh

When an endeavor is hopeless or will have a negative impact, one uses this saying to indicate that the effort should be renounced or one should give up hope to achieve it.

There are other sayings that have the same meaning such as vuhrahn keedz kahsseh – draw a line or x over it; and, vuhrahss kuhreh – write it (off) on me.

pahree martoun seeduh yehv dzohvoun ahntountuh, yehrgooshsnahl mehz hamar chahpehn ahveli khorh yehn

There was and there wasn’t a poor man who worked for a fisherman. By working from early morning to late afternoon, he was able to earn six fish a day, He sold four and kept two to feed his wife and himself. It was a meager life, but he earned enough to live without begging.

One day, the fisherman caught a colorful, small fish. He told his helper to put the fish away safely. The poor helper looked at the fish and began to reflect,

“This young fish must be scared. It surely has feelings of sorrow and joy and love of family like us humans. How sad it is that we brutally catch such small creatures for our selfish needs.”

The fish began to speak to the poor man with a human voice.

“Brother Man, I was happily playing with my friends and forgot to be careful. The fisherman caught me in his net. My parents and young friends are certainly in anxiety, praying I am not caught by the cruel fisherman. But alas, I am out of the water, suffering and dying. Please have mercy on me. Throw me back into the cool, refreshing waters of the river so I can grow up for the pleasure of my parents.”
The little fish gasped for its last breath.

The poor man felt sorry for the little fish. He threw the fish back into the river and said,

“Go my littler friend and play again with the other fish. I don’t want your anxious parents waiting in vain for you.”

The fisherman, saw the poor man throw the fish back into the river, became upset.

“I work so hard to catch the fish and you throw it back again into the water. I don’t want you to work for me anymore. Go away and never come back again.”

The poor man returned home saddened and depressed. Deep in his thoughts of self pity, he was stopped by a human-like monster with a young cow. The poor man was frightened by the monster’s ugly mien.

“Hello,” said the Monster. “Why are you looking so sad.”

The poor man told his story. He was depressed because he did not know how he would earn a living. He was even more discouraged about telling his frail wife.

“I might be able to help you,” said the Monster. “I will let you borrow my cow for three years. She will give you ample supply of nutritious milk everyday so that you and your wife never go hungry. There is
one condition. After the three years are up, I will come and ask you some questions. If you can answer them, the cow will be yours for the keeping. If you cannot answer the questions, you and your wife will belong to me. I will do whatever I want with you. Will you accept my offer?”

The poor man thought about his desperate condition. “I’ll take the cow, Sir,” he said. “My wife and I can live for three years and then we will see if I can answer your questions.” He took the cow and went back to his modest home.

The three years passed quickly. The cow supplied plenty of milk as promised.

The poor man and his sat were worried thinking that the Monster would soon arrive. They did not have the confidence that they would answer his questions. As the fateful day approached, they were
in deep anxiety about their fate.

One evening, a handsome youth approached their home. He knocked on the door. They were at first afraid he was the Monster. To their relief, he turned out to be a very gentle young man looking for a place to stay the night. They warned him, however, that something terrible might occur during the night. They told the young man, “We borrowed a wonderful cow from a Monster for three years. The three year period is over tonight. The Monster will come to our door and ask us questions. If we answer the questions correctly, the cow will belong to us and the Monster will go away. If we can’t answer the questions, the Monster will take us as his servant for the rest of our lives. You must not stay here so that no harm comes to you.”

The youth insisted he would share their destiny saying, “Whatever happens to you, will happen to me too.”

At midnight, there was a loud knock at the door. “Who is there,” said the poor man.

It is me, the Monster. Three years are over, now you must answer my questions.”

The poor man said to his wife, “I am afraid we will not be able to answer his questions.”

The young man spoke to the couple, “Please don’t fret, I’ll answer the questions of the Monster.”
He went to the door.

The Monster getting impatient called out, “I am waiting for you.”

The youth replied from behind the closed door, “And I am here ready to answer your questions.”

The Monster said, “Where are you from?”

“From over the Sea.”

“How did you get here?”

“Riding a lame flea.”

“Then the Sea must have been very small.”

“Not at all. Even an eagle couldn’t fly over it.”

“Then the eagle must have been a fledgling.”

“Not at all. The shadow of his wings covers a whole city!”

“Then the city must be very small.”

“Not at all. A hare couldn’t run from one end of it to another.”

“Then that hare must be a very small one.”

“Not at all. Its hide would be large enough to make a fur coat for a grown-up man, and a warm cap as well.”

“Then the man must be a dwarf.”

“Not at all. If a cock were to crow at his feet, the sound of the cock’s crowing would not reach the man’s ears, he is so tall.”

“Then the man must be deaf.”

“Not at all. He could hear a deer grazing on a blade of grass, far away in the mountains.”

The Monster was confounded. He didn’t know what questions to ask ask. He stood at the door in silence, then disappeared into the dark night.

The poor man and his wife were amazed.

When dawn came, the young man prepared to leave.

“Please stay with us,” said the couple. “You saved our lives. Let us serve you with hospitality and thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me. I must be on my way,” replied the young man.

“Then please tell us who you are,” pleaded the poor man.

“Do you remember the proverb, ‘Do good, and even if you throw it into the water, it will return to you one day?” I am that little talking fish that you showed kindness to and threw back into the river!”

Before the couple had time to fully understand his words, he vanished.