Children story- Animals are Fasting too

Shira and The Cocoon

It was Ramadhan month. It’s also called the fasting month. All Moslems around the world were fasting. Shira and her family were also fasting.

It was the first day of the fasting month

“Mom, may I drink water please?” asked Shira.

“No dear, you are fasting, remember?”

“But I’m thirsty. I want to drink…”

“Be patient dear! You may eat and drink at twelve o’clock.”

“What time is it now?”

“It’s eleven O’clock.”

“Uuhh…One hour is a long time mom. I am very thirsty now. I promise I won’t eat anything. I just want to drink. Please, mom!”

“It’s not a long time dear. Come on, let’s go to the backyard I’ll show you a strange creature!”

  

Mother took Shira to the garden at the backyard. “Look at the butterflies! They are beautiful.”

“I’m thirsty mom… The butterflies are beautiful but they are not strange at all!”

“It’s not the butterfly that I want to show you…wait… Where is it? I saw it around here……yesterday.”

“Here it is…Look, it is a cocoon,” mom pointed at a small white pouch hanging on a leaf. “There is a caterpillar inside.”

“Really? Is this a house of caterpillar, mom?” Shira was amazed.

 

“Yes, it is like a house. The caterpillar stays inside for about two weeks,” mom explained.

“There is no door nor window at the house. What is the caterpillar doing inside?”

“Guess what…The caterpillar is fasting.”

“Mom, you must be joking! Is it really fasting? For two weeks….what a long time! But, why?”

“It is fasting because it wants to be a butterfly,” mom answered.

“Are you sure mom?”

“Exactly. After several days you will see a beautiful butterfly come out from this cocoon.”

“Oh my God! I can’t believe it. I really want to see it…a butterfly will come out from this cocoon?”

Shira was very interested in the cocoon. She forgot that she was thirsty. She stayed in the garden with the cocoon. At twelve o’clock her mother called her to break her fasting.

“No mom, I will continue to fast until Maghrib time. I’m not thirsty anymore.”

“It’s ok. You can break now because you are still practicing,” her mom explained.

“No thank you mom. I’m fasting till Maghrib time,” she demanded. “If the caterpillar can fast for several days, I think I can fast till Maghrib just like mom.”  

“Are you sure? ….Alright, you are really a good girl. I’m so proud of you. Let’s pray dzuhur now!”

The end