GIRL AND THREE MEN
The Best Somali Stories — Episode 1
Once upon a time, there were three men. One of them was very handsome, the second man was very rich and the third one was intelligent and capable. Each of the three men was trying to marry a beautiful girl in the village called Idil. Idil was pleased that the three men wanted her as a wife, so she came with clever selection criteria. She decided to give each man a separate appointment to discuss marriage.
First, the handsome man came to Idil and said to her, “ See my good looks? I would like you to become the mother of my children. If you marry me, you will give birth to very handsome children.” Then the second man said, “ Daughter of my aunt, look at my wealth. I would like you to share your life with me. If you marry me, you and your children will have a pleasant life.”Finally, the third man said, “ I would like you to become my wife. I am neither handsome nor wealthy, but I am an intelligent and capable person.”
After she heard what each one said, it was difficult for her to differentiate between them because each one had praised himself. She asked herself, “I am confused. I don’t know whom among these men should I marry. I need to talk to my mother and see what she thinks about them.”
She went to her mother and shared the matter of the three men with her.
Asking for advice she said, “ Mother, each of the three men would like to marry me and I do not know which one to choose. My beloved mother let me tell you about them. One of them is intelligent and capable, the second one is handsome and the third one is rich. So, mother, please, tell me which one should I choose.”
I have been thinking about them mother. I like the rich man for his wealth and the handsome man for his fine looks. The advice of an intellectual is necessary, so I like him as well. Please tell me mother, which one of these men do you recommend?
The mother said, “ Yes, I see your dilemma. If this is the case, then listen to my opinion. First and foremost, do not marry a handsome man because as he becomes older his fine looks will disappear. The same thing for the rich man as one day he can lose his wealth and become poor. I do not recommend you marry him either.” Now, listen to me daughter. continued the mother, take my advice, marry the intellectual and capable man because people will ask him for advice and counseling, he will be asked to settle disagreements and he will be elected to become a chief to lead and judge people.
Do not hesitate to go for that man, marry him, for this man will help you best. You will see the consequences of my advice later. Now, go to
the men and tell them that you will marry the intellectual man. The girl invited the three men, apologized to the two men, and told them that she had decided to marry the intellectual. Following her mother’s advice, she married the intellectual and talented man and everything turned out just as her mother had predicted.
What do we learn from this story?
Wealth can run out, good with a person for a lifetime . looks can disappear but knowledge and capability will stay.
