چیرۆک

The innocent  pupil

       The bell rang at eight o'clock, the pupils entered hurriedly to  their classes. As usual, I took my own place, and kept silent until the teacher had entered. After he had greeted us, he began to explain another lesson from our religious book very seriously.

        Now I do not remember the title of the subject, but I know that this was a day after our exam in science with another teacher, who had newly come to our school. At that moment I heard some slow knocks on the door. The door was opened, a small boy came in. the whole class fell into a deep silence, when the boy began uttering some words which none of us could understand him. But, after the teacher had told him to come nearer, the boy repeated: " The pupil number 2 is asked to come down."

         After taking permission from my teacher, I got up from desk and went out with the boy. In the way, I felt eager to know the reason behind this call. I was torn at the moment between fear and joy not knowing what is going to happen. I stopped and asked him in a simple way.  " Please, can you tell me who sent you to fetch me?"

     "The teacher Zuhair ," said the boy in a great delight.

 " Are you sure of the number?" I asked.

I was in doubt, perhaps he had forgotten the number, or maybe had put another one because each pupil had a certain number instead of his real name for easiness. But, he responded seriously. " No, I am sure of it, I can count from one to hundred without leaving one uncounted."

      So, I laughed at this logic answer and became sure that he was right. Then I asked no more questions in spite of many in my mind, that I dared not to ask him in order not to get him confused. But, I could not control my feelings, so instead of asking one I asked two more questions.

     " Boy," I said ." where is the teacher now? And what is he doing there?"

    " He is downstairs in our class, he is putting marks on papers ," Answered the boy. He stopped a moment and then he added, " When he came across a paper, he stopped a moment at it frowningly, and after that, he put a score on it , because I was the nearest one to him, he ordered me to fetch you."

       Now the fact was cleared in front of my eyes, when he said that, but still I was in doubt, whether the result would be amusing or shocking. Buy my being with him in that shaky state, it was as if a criminal taken in the hands of a mighty policeman who was going to take him to the court.

     When we reached the other class, I knocked at the door twice, a voice came and then we went in. the door was closed behind us, I turned my face to the class, I saw them all on their desks looking at me on the face. I stopped a while not knowing what to do or where to go because I could not see the teacher at first anywhere, in my opinion, I imagined it was a trick played on me, so I opened my mouth to say something but to my great surprise I saw the teacher sitting on a desk at the end gazing fixedly at me. My face was changed completely. My heart was beating fast, when I went directly to him. There, in front of him I stopped face to face, with my hands behind without uttering a word. The first thing I did observed on the paper was my name, with a big ZERO and a note. The redness of my cheeks increased, my heart's throbs went beyond usual, and my eyes filled with tears. I could say nothing because I felt with a great terror, and shocked to see for the first time something happening to me unexpected which concerned my study.

        " Why had you cheated me yesterday in the exam? Said the teacher angrily.

      " What sir, what _ do …. You mean by – cheat …by cheating?" said I in a hesitated attitude.

    " I mean, you have copied your answers from the book or somewhere else," He repeated it more sharply. Then, he added, thus I decided to give zero and send you to the headmaster to punish you for your wrong deed. But I have brought you here so that you may confess because all your answers are almost as that of the book. When I kept silent, he went on talking more firmly.

      " See boy, if you don't give me a certain proof, zero will be your mark."

        I stopped a moment, seeing him waiting as a judge for an answer, and seeing the eyes of the other pupils directed on me from all sides as if I were in a court. And to my astonishment, I could not find a witness to defend me from the awaiting decision. But, I was clever enough to save myself, when I said:

    " Sir, if you are not sure, let me repeat the exam."

     He was surprised to hear such an offer from me, he never expected such an idea because I was trembling all the time before, which certified his suspicion on me.

     " Well, well boy," replied the teacher."

   I will agree, but with a condition." " See boy," he said, if your answers will not be the same, you know, I will keep the zero, but in opposite you will get a hundred."

      When I heard that, I found the threads of hope gleaming in my way, I turned to face the battle for the second time and I was sure I would be the winner because all the answers were still in my head.

       Certainly, I could say until then all the class had ignored the truth of our conversation. I saw their heads lifted up disorderly, their eyes fixed on me eagerly, and their mouths opened widely as if each one of them was going to ask the same question. Soon after that I sat down to be tested again.

     The silence came to an end, it turned to a great noise , each one tried to hand me a paper from his notebook before the other. Everything was made ready for me. Not more than twenty minutes I finished and went to the teacher with my paper in hand. After reading about five lines, he laughed and said:

  " Stop, it is enough. Now you can leave." 

      I left the class and the flag of victory in my hand. To my great delight I reached my own class very quickly carrying with me my mark before my friends, and at the same time I gained my teacher's confidence but alas I lost the religious lesson.

 Ahmed Ali 18 / 6 / 1971

 الفتاة الصغيرة

كانت تحتضن أخاها الصغير, رغم صغرها

تحاول أن تحتويه بكلتا يديها

كلما حاولنا الاقتراب منها ترمينا بالحجارة وكل شيء يوجد حولها. كانت متعبة والتراب يملأ وجهها.. صغيرة هي لدرجة ﻻيمكن أن تتركها لوحدها...

ذهلنا أين هم أهلها وماذا حدث لهم؟! وما الذي أتى بها الى هذه القطعة من ألارض.

أحطناها من كل جانب، وكأنها ملاك نزل من السماء، ونحاول أن نتبرك به ونسأل الله أن يرحمنا من أجله..!

تركناها تهدأ، وكلما تقدمنا نحوها رمتنا بالحجارة، والصغير نائم في حجرها الذي بالكاد يحتويه..

احترنا ماذا نفعل؟! صحيح أن الحجارة ﻻتؤذينا، لكنني شعرت بأننا إن اقتربنا اكثر منها قد تشعر أنها خسرت الحياة وفقدت كل شيء..

انتظرنا الى أن نفدت الحجارة المحيطة بها.. انك في حرب وكل مالديك بندقية ورائحة البارود التي أزكمت الانوف وطغت على المكان؟! ليس لديك لعبة او شيء يمكنك أن تهدئ به روع هذه الصغيرة.. هناك من بكى على هذا الموقف الذي لن أنساه أبدااا….

تقدمت نحوها بخطوات هادئة وبكلام عطوف طيب.. وأنا أقول لها بلهجتنا ((باباتي تعالي ﻻتخافين))

ﻻحظت أنني كلما تقدمت منها أكثر كلما لملمت جسد أخيها كي تضمه اليها.. أصبحت المسافة قريبة جدا. وضعت يدها الصغيرة أمام وجهها

وقالت ((ﻻتقتلني عمو)). أدمعت عيني وقلت لها: لن أقتلك.. بل أنا هنا كي أخذك الى البيت.. جلست أمامها جلسة القرفصاء والكل من حولي ينتظر ما سيحدث. انه موقف يحدث في العمر مرة..

قلت لها؛ أين أهلك وأين والدك ووالدتك..

قالت: ((كتلهم داعش ))

تخيلت منظرها وهي تسير وسط هذا الركام والدمار مع هذا الصغير.. رسمت بأنامل يدي على الرمال التي امامها ملامح لعبة. نظرت هي الى الرسم وقلت لها: هل تحبين اللعبة؟

ابتسمت وقالت: ((اي عمو))..

قلت لها: تعالي كي أعطيك لعبة أنت والصغير الذي معك.. نظرت إليّ وفي داخلها ألف الف سؤال، وأنا أنتظر قرارها.. قد يستغرب البعض ويقول أسعد الاسدي الذي قاتل الدواعش ينتظر قرار طفلة..!! نعم ياسادة أنتظر قرارها فما مرت به ﻻيمكن أن يحكى..

وقفت ومسكت يد اخوها بعد أن أوقفته ونفظت ثوبها من الرمال وكأنها نفضت الهم الذي في داخلي عليها..

لمست يدي وبدأت تسير..

قالت: ((عمو أخوية جوعان))

قلت لها ﻻتقلقي.. حملتها وحملت أخيها ومضيت

وأنا أفكر.. ترى ما الذي يحدث في بلدي؟ !!!!!!!

قصة حقيقية في زمن الحرب رواها قائد عسكري من ساحة المعركة في مدينة الموصل

The little girl

          She was embracing her little brother despite her small age, trying to contain her brother with both hands, Whenever we tried to come nearer, she threw stones and everything around. She was tired and her face full of dust, they were so small that can not be left alone. We were stunned, where are her family and what happened to them ?! And what brought them to this piece of land? We surrounded them from each side, she was as if an angel came down from heaven, and we tried to be blessed and asked God to have mercy on us for their sake.  

         We left her till she got calm, and as we got closer towards her, she was throwing stones at us, and her small brother asleep in her lap, therefore; we were barely puzzled what do we do ?! It is true that the stones she was throwing at us would not hurt us.  but I felt that if we are closer to her more she may feel that they have lost life and lost everything.   

          We awaited her until she ran out of stones surrounding  her. You all know when you are in a war every thing you possess is a gun and the smell of gunpowder  that closes noses and overshadows the place ?! You do not have a game or something that you can calm the fright of such a small child in such a state . At this stirring situation, there are those who wept who will not forget it for ever.   

               We approached her tenderly and made peaceful and compassionate steps towards her,  I told  her" my little child don't be afraid,  I noticed the more I advanced the more she grasped and folded the body of her brother tied to her lap. The distance had become very close. She put her small hand in front of her face.

             She told us, don't kill us, my eyes full of tears I told her: I will not kill you , but I'm here to take you home, I sat cross-legged in front of her hearing and everyone around me waiting for what will happen next.  Such painful situations never happen in whole life but only once. I told her; Where are your family and where are your father and your mother? 

She said: They Isis killed them all.

Imagine the landscape as she was walking amid the rubble and destruction with this little child, with my hands I painted on the sand in front of her the sketch of a toy. I looked to the painting and  told her: Do you like this kind of game?

She smiled and said: Oh, yes, uncle!

              I told her: Come with me to give you one for you and your little brother. She looked at me and within her thousand and  thousand questions, and I was waiting for her decision. Some may be surprised and say:  the leader, Asaad al-Asadi, who fought Isis is waiting from a little child a decision .. !! Yes this great country is waiting for its decision!!! What it went through can not be narrated in any way.

        She stood up and caught the hand of her brother after she stopped him and began to dust her dress out of the sand, it seemed to me as if she had  shaken off all my worries that was in me.

She touched my hand and began moving.

While we were walking, she said: uncle my little brother is little bit hungry.

I told her to not worry, I carried her brother and I went…

…. And I think you see what is happening in my country

Narrated by :  Asaad al-Asadi, a commander in Iraqi Army

Translated by: Ahmed Ali   

A stirring short incident narrated by a military commander in Iraqi Army in the time of war in Mosul.

Translated from Arabic by Ahmed Ali 

کچکا بچیک

     هەر دو دەستێت خو ل دور برایێ خو یێ بچیک ئالاندبون، هەولدا دا ل نک خوڤە بینیت. چەند مە دڤیا ئەم ب نک ڤە بچین، وێ بەر دمە دوراندن ئو چ دکەفتە بەر دەستێت وێ. یا وەستیای بو ئو رویی وێ یێ ب توزبو، ئەڤ توڤە کەس ب چ رەنگا نا هێنە هێلان پتنێ. ئەم ماینە حێبەتی، کا خێزانا وان، چ لێ هاتیە؟ ئو کێ گەهاندینە ڤێ دەڤەرا عەردی؟ مە ئەو دور پێچکرن ژهەمی رەخا، هەر وەکی فرشتەک هاتیە خارێ ژئەسمانا، مە داخازکر کو ئەم بینە پیروزکرن ئو مە پرسیارکر ژخودی مە بدەتە چاڤێ رەحمی سەر خاترا وان.   

           مە هێلا سەر ڤێ رەوشتی حەتا ئارام بوی، ئو پیچ پیچە ب نک ڤە چوین، یا ل بەر دەوام بو بەر دهاڤێتنە مە، ئو برا یێ وێ بچیک دکوشا وێدا. ماینە بێ هش کا دێ چ کەین؟ راستە وان بەرا چ زیان نە گەهاندنە مە، بەلێ ئەز یێ د وێ هەستێدا بوم، هەکە ئەم چەند نیزیک تر بەر وێ ڤە دچین، هەر وەکی ئەم وێ ژ ژیانێ ڤە وێ ڤە تر دبەین.

     مە  خو لی گرت حەتا بەرێت وی نەماین ل دور وێ. هوین هەمی دزانن ل دەمێ جەنگی، ئەو تشتێت بەر دەستێت تە تڤەنگە ئو بهنا سوتنا باریتی یە ئەوا دفن ژبەر دهێنە گرتن ئو پرت دکەت هەمی رەخ ودورا. چ لەعبیکێت بچیکا ف تە نینن ئو هەر تشتەکێ دی یێ ل ڤی رەنگی کو تو بشی ئارامێ بینی بو ترسا ڤان بچیکێت دڤی ژیدا ئو دڤی رەنگێ وەسادا. دڤێ رەوشتا توند ودژوار، زورا بەردا گریێ ئو ب چ رەنگا نا هێتە ژ بیرکرن.

   ب دل نەرمی ئو هێدی هێدی ئەم بەرڤە چوین، ئینا من گوتێ: زاروکا من نەترسە، چەند ئەز نیزیکتر دچوم ئەوێ پترتر برایێ خو ب نک خو ڤە دشداند ولەشێ وی دور خو دپێچا. ئەز گەلەک نێزیک بوم، دەستێ خو یێ بچێک دا بەر چاڤێ رویێ خو.

گوتە مە، مەنە کوژن! چاڤێت من پر بون ژروندکا، من گوتێ: ئەز تە ناکوژم، ئەزێ ل ڤێرێ دا تە ببم مال، ئەز کەتمە سەر چوکێت خو بەرانبەری وێ من گوهێ خو دایێ، ئو هەمێ ل دور من ل وێ هیڤیێ بون کا دێ چ ل دیڤ هێت. وەک ڤان رەوشێت پر توند وئێش نا ڤەگریێن د خر ژیانێدا بەس جارەکێ پتنێ. ئینا من گوتێ: کا خێزانا تە ئو دەیبابێت تە؟

وێ گوت: دائشکا کوژتن!

بدە هزرا خو کا ئەڤ زاروکە چەند ب رێڤە چویە دناڤ خانی هەڤتیا ووێرانکرنێ رادگەل ڤی بچیکی، ل وی دەمی من ب دەستێ خو نەخشێ یاریکەکێ ل سەر ئاخێ چێکر ل بەر چاڤێ وێ. من بەرێ خو کرە وی نەخشی ئو من گوتێ: تو حەز ڤان لەعبیکا دکەی؟ 

وێ کرە کەنی وگوت: ئەرێ خال!

من گوتێ دگەل من وەرە دا ئێکێ بدەمە تە ئو ئێکێ بو برایێ تە یێ بچیک. سەحکرە من ئو هزار هزار پرسیار دناڤ هزرا وێدا بون ئو ئەز مامە ل هیڤیا بریارا وێ. گەلەک دێ مەندەهوشبن ئو بێژن: ئەڤ سەرگردە، وەک ئەسعەد ئلئەسەدی، یێ شەرێ ڤان دائشا دکەت یێ مایە ل هیڤیا بریارا بچیکەکی!! بەلێ راستە... ئەڤ وەلاتێ هویێ مەزن یێ مایە ل هیڤیا بریارا ڤێ کچێ!!! یا ل سەر ڤێ وەلاتی هاتی، نا هێتە شرەڤەکرن وگوتن.

رابوڤە ئو دەستێ برایێ خو گرت پشتی راوستیای ئو توز ژکراسی خو داقوتای، ل دەڤ من هەر وەکی وێ چەند خەمێت دناڤ مندا وەراندنین وێرێ. 

دەستێ خو ل دەستێ مندا ئو ب رێڤە چو

دەما ب رێڤە چو، گوت: خال برایێ منێ برسی یە

من گوتێ خەمێ نەخو، من برایێ وێ هەلگرت ئو مە دا رێکێ

هوین یێ دبینن کا ئەڤە چیە دچێدبیت ل وەلاتێ من!!!

  ئەڤ کورتە سەر هاتیە من یا گوهارتی ژ عەربی بو کوردی وئنگلیزی، ئەڤە چوبو ل دەرو بەرێت باژیری میسلێ سەر زراڤێ سەرگردەکێ لەشکەرێ عیراقێ بن ناڤێ ئەسعەد ئەلئەسەدی.

٢٢-١٢- ٢٠١٦ دهوک –ئەحمەد عەلی