532- Jacqueline and the Parrot

 

St-Takla.org Image: A green parrot in Lalibella - Laibella nature - From St-Takla.org's Ethiopia visit - Photograph by Michael Ghaly for St-Takla.org, April-June 2008. صورة في موقع الأنبا تكلا: ببغاء أخضر - من ألبوم صور طبيعة مدينة لاليبيلا، الحبشة - تصوير مايكل غالي لموقع الأنبا تكلاهيمانوت، من رحلة موقع الأنبا تكلا إلى إثيوبيا، إبريل - يونيو 2008.

On her way home, Jacqueline used to visit her grandma Lucy daily after school. Grandma who lived alone rejoiced with this visit. When Jacqueline left, Lucy used to open the window and bless her. Lucy got sick and stayed in bed. Therefore, Jacqueline visited and served her. Finally, Jacqueline kissed her grandma and left. She closed the door. On her way home, she heard a voice saying, “May God be with you Jacqueline. May God bless you and preserve you.”

She looked backwards but did not find her grandma at the window as usual uttering these words. She said to herself, “Grandma is ill in bed. She couldn’t have stood at the window to look and bless me. The voice may be of my imagination since I used to hear her blessing and praying for me.” No sooner had she given her back to her grandma’s house that the voice repeated. She opened the door and told her grandma about what she heard.

“It’s the parrot which is beside the window.” Grandma said. “It repeated what I had been saying to you everyday.” Jacqueline was much pleased with the parrot and ran towards it and kissed it. She then cared for it and they became intimate friends. Jacqueline learnt from the parrot that friendship is made with the words of love and blessing.

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: صداقة بين جاكلين والببغاء.

 May You bless my mouth O Lord to bless all.

Let it be a fountain that blesses and does not curse

So that it may reveal a heart in which You only dwell.

What does Lord Jesus Do in Paradise?

Short Stories (Stories for the Youth) Books by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

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