A Cow and A Goat (Allama Muhammad Iqbal)

A Cow and A Goat

                                Poet : Allama Muhammad Iqbal

There was a verdant pasture somewhere

Whose land was the very picture of beauty

How can the beauty of that elegance be described

Brooks of sparkling water were running on every side

Many were the pomegranate trees

And so were the shady peepul trees

Cool breeze flowed everywhere

Birds were singing everywhere

A goat arrived at a brook's bank from somewhere

It came browsing from somewhere in the nearby land

As she stopped and looked around

She noticed a cow standing by

The goat first presented her compliments to the cow

Then respectfully started this conversation

'How are you! Madam Cow'?

The cow replied, 'Not too well

'My life is a mere existence

My life is a complete agony

My life is in danger, what can I say?

My luck is bad, what can I say?

I am surprised at the state of affairs

I am cursing the evil people

The poor ones like us are powerless

Misfortunes surround the ones like us

None should nicely deal with Man

May God protect us from Man!

He murmurs if my milk declines

He sells me if my weight declines

He subdues us with cleverness!

Alluring, he always subjugates us!

I nurse his children with milk

I give them new life with milk

My goodness is repaid with evil

My prayer to God is for mercy! '

Having heard the cow's story like this

The goat replied, 'This complaint is unjust

Though truth is always bitter

I shall speak what is fair

This pasture, and this cool breeze

This green grass and this shade

Such comforts, were beyond our lot!

They were a far cry for us speechless poor!

We owe these pleasures to Man

We owe all our happiness to Man

We derive all our prosperity from him

What is better for us, freedom or bondage to him?

Hundreds of dangers lurk in the wilderness

May God protect us from the wilderness!

We are heavily indebted to him

Unjust is our complaint against him

If you appreciate the life's comforts

You would never complain against Man'

Hearing all this the cow felt embarrassed

She was sorry for complaining against Man

She mused over the good and the bad

And thoughtfully she said this

'Small though is the body of the goat

Convincing is the advice of the goat! '