The Man Who Feared Everything

The Man Who Feared Everything

Once upon a time, there lived a humble couple. They lived happily. In their village, the men would gather in the evening to socialize and chat. However, the woman's husband never joined these gatherings. The wife wanted her husband to participate in the men's assembly.

One day, the woman sent her husband to the assembly after dinner. The man went to the gathering to avoid upsetting his wife. The men in the assembly began talking about a fierce bird of prey. After the stories about the bird, the men's assembly broke up. Everyone headed home.

The man started walking towards his house, but he was so affected by the stories that he walked fearfully. As he walked, he kept saying:

"What if this bird kidnaps me too?"

The man barely reached home with all his anxiety. When he arrived, he told his wife everything that had been discussed.

The woman, however, had caught the very bird mentioned in the assembly that evening! She immediately told her husband:

"I caught that bird. Tomorrow, take it to the assembly. Ask them, 'Is this the bird you were so afraid of?' Then, release the bird in front of everyone."

Although the man did not want to go to the assembly with the fierce bird, he did not want to disappoint his wife. The next day, after dinner, the man took the bird with him and went to the assembly. As his wife had instructed, he released the bird in front of the gathered men. Everyone was amazed by the man's courage.

After a while, the men in the assembly started talking about another animal that was causing trouble in the village. They told each other:

"There is a leopard (pars) that comes down to the village from its den at night. Be careful!"

After chatting a little longer, the men dispersed to their homes. This time, the man headed home, terrified of the leopard. As he walked on the road, he saw an animal soaking in the rain.

"This is our donkey! My wife must not have seen it go outside," he thought, hoisted the animal onto his shoulders, and carried it home.

The man was a strong, big person. He knocked on the door and called his wife:

"Wife, get up! Our donkey was left outside!"

His wife told him:

"Tie it in the stable and then go to bed."

The man tied the animal in the stable. The next morning, when the woman looked into the stable, she saw that her husband had tied up a leopard instead of the donkey! She spread the news to the villagers. The man's fame spread everywhere.

That evening, the woman sent her husband to the men's assembly again. The man reluctantly went to the gathering. This time, the conversation was about a lion that was troubling the village. One of them said:

"This lion is blocking people's paths. We must be careful!"

The men decided that evening to set up an ambush to catch the lion. Then they scattered to their homes.

The next day, everyone took a position for the ambush. This man climbed a tree for safety. The weather was very hot. The lion, feeling bothered by the heat, walked towards the base of the tree for shade.

The man in the tree fell onto the lion out of fear! The lion started to run away. Our hero, to keep from falling, grabbed onto the lion's ears!

Those who saw it were amazed:

"Do you see what he is doing? While we were waiting here to ambush the lion, he has made the lion his ride, holding onto its ears and riding away!"

The villagers praised the man to the skies. Then they surrounded the lion and caught it. The man's fame grew and spread. Soon, there was no one left who did not know him. His reputation even reached the Sultan's (Hükümdar) ears.

At that time, the Sultan was preparing for war. He was very distressed because his opponent was very powerful. Hearing the man's reputation, he wanted to take him into his army. He sent his soldiers to the village.

When the Sultan's soldiers came to the village and explained the situation, the man's world fell apart. How could he defy the Sultan's command! He explained the situation to his wife and said goodbye to her:

"Wife! You caught the bird. The leopard and the lion were just luck. I have no chance of survival now," he said, hugging his wife.

The man said goodbye to his wife and left the village. The Sultan welcomed him with a grand ceremony. The Sultan's only hope was this man. He took the man to the horses and said:

"Take whichever one you want."

The man chose a small colt.

In the past, before a battle, the heroes from both sides would come out to the field. The side whose hero won the fight was considered the winner of the war.

Our man's colt, upon seeing the crowd, shot forward like a bowstring. The opposing soldiers couldn't understand the situation. They saw a warrior rapidly charging towards them and began to scatter right and left in fear. Thus, the Sultan won the battle without fighting!

The man's luck was with him again. The Sultan gifted this man property, wealth, and gold. The man's self-confidence increased. He returned to his village a rich man. He became the Elder ($Ağa$) of his village. He managed his village well until the end of his life. He lived happily ever after with his wife.

They got their wishes, and we can climb onto the couch. 🛋️