NAJA AND THE BUFFALO CHILDREN

 
A neighbouring farmer came each morning with milk for the ashram and gave it to Naja who was the cook for Meher Baba and the women mandali. The farmer was a simple, devout and humble man who loved his three buffaloes as though they were his children. He knew and accepted Baba as the Lord, and he always addressed Naja respectfully as 'Mummy'.

One day he announced sorrowfully to Naja that one of his buffalo 'children' was ill. Naja, eager to help, offered him dhuni ash, saying that he should apply it to the forehead of the buffalo. She explained that because the ash was from the dhuni ordered by the Lord, it was therefore most beneficial. The farmer accepted it very happily, and Naja felt confident that his 'child' would recover.

A few days later, when Naja asked about the buffalo, the farmer quietly said, 'Mummy, she has died.' Naja was shocked and distressed for the farmer, but he appeared unperturbed, saying, 'Don't worry Mummy that she has died. It is not for you to worry.'

Again a few days passed, and the farmer said that another of his 'children' was ill. This time Naja hesitated in offering him dhuni ash, concerned now over the outcome, but the farmer again accepted it happily. Naja prayed that the poor farmer would not lose another buffalo. But he did, and while Naja was really upset and concerned, he accepted the loss with quiet equanimity.

When later his third 'child' became ill, Naja was most reluctant to give him some dhuni ash. But he asked for it, and she gave it, yet she feared that another loss would surely destroy the farmer's simple faith in his Lord.

In time the third buffalo did die, and Naja, loving soul that she was, felt most distressed for the farmer. But that simple devout man quietly assured her, 'Don't worry Mummy. It is all right,' and looking towards the ashram with a benign smile, 'I know where my 'children' have gone.'