The Calf, the Lion and the Thief
Once upon a time, at the edge of an old forest where cool waters flowed, there lived a greedy thief. One day this thief secretly stole the village's fat, strong bullock and fled towards the deeply shaded forest. But as he went into the depths of the forest, he carelessly let the rope slip from his hand and the valuable bullock suddenly disappeared. Understanding that he had lost his property, the thief began to search for his bullock among the thick trees in great anger. As the sun rose in the sky, he looked anxiously behind the bushes and along the narrow paths. The thief, breaking the silence of the forest, began in his helplessness to look at the sky and beg the spirits of nature.
"If you let me find the villain who stole my bullock, I will sacrifice my sweetest young kid to you!" he said. After this great oath he went on walking with quick steps and with hope towards the rocky hill. When he turned the bend, he suddenly froze at the sight he saw beneath a huge tree. A majestic lion had hunted down the stolen bullock and was tearing it apart and eating it with a great appetite. When the thief saw the lion's sharp claws and bloody teeth, his knees gave way beneath him. Trembling all over with fear, he tried to draw back a few steps.
When he understood that the real thief before him was an enormous lion, his breath caught. Seeing that his first prayer had been granted in a dreadful way, the man now opened his hands out of fear. "Great spirits, please save me from the sharp claws of this monster!" he whispered. "If I can escape from here safe and sound, I will gladly sacrifice my biggest bull to you!" he cried. When the lion raised its head and growled, the man fled from the forest with all his might without even looking back. The thief, who feared for his life while trying to save his bullock, understood what a great mistake he had made. A person must sometimes take care what he asks for, because what he finds may be far more dangerous than what he lost. Going for rice and losing the bulgur at home.