8a] Short Stories - ''Ridan the Devil''

8a]
Ridan lived alone in a little hut on the borders of the big German plantation at Mulifenua, away down at the lee end of Upolu Island, and every one of his brown-skinned fellow-workers either hated or feared him, and smiled when Burton, the American overseer, would knock him down for being a 'sulky brute.' But no one of them cared to let Ridan see him smile. For to them he was a wizard, a devil, who could send death in the night to those he hated. And so when anyone died on the plantation he was blamed,and seemed to like it. Once, when he lay ironed hand and foot in the stifling corrugated iron 'calaboose,' with his blood-shot eyes fixed in sullen rage on Burton's angered face, Tirauro, a Gilbert Island native assistant overseer, struck him on the mouth and called him 'a pig cast up by the ocean.' This was to please the white man. But it did not, for Burton, cruel as he was, called Tirauro a coward and felled him at once. By ill-luck he fell within reach of Ridan, and in another moment the manacled hands had seized his enemy's throat. For five minutes the three men struggled together, the white overseer beatingRidan over the head with the butt of his heavy Colt's pistol, and then when Burton rose to his feet the two brown men were lying motionless together; but Tirauro was dead.
Ridan was sick for a long time after this. A heavy flogging always did make him sick, although he was so big and strong. And so, as he could not work in the fields, he was sent to Apia to do light labour in the cotton-mill there. The next morning he was missing. He had swum to abrig lying at anchor in the harbour and hidden away in the empty forehold. Then he was discovered and taken ashore to the mill again, where the foreman gave him 'a dose of Cameroons medicine'--that is, twenty-five lashes.
'Send him back to the plantation,' said the manager, who was a mereGerman civilian, and consequently much despised by his foreman, who had served in Africa. 'I'm afraid to keep him here, and I'm not going to punish him if he tries to get away again, poor devil.'
So back he went to Mulifanua. The boat voyage from Apia down the coast inside the reef is not a long one, but the Samoan crew were frightened to have such a man free; so they tied him hand and foot and then lashed him down tightly under the midship thwart with strips of green fau bark. Not that they did so with unnecessary cruelty, but ex-Lieutenant Schwartzkoff, the foreman,was looking on, and then, besides that, this big-boned, light-skinned man was a foreigner, and a Samoan hates a foreigner of his own colourif he is poor and friendless.And then he was an aitu a devil, and could speak neither Samoan, nor Fijian,nor Tokelau, nor yet any English or German.
Clearly, therefore, he was not a man at all, but a manu --a beast, and not to be trusted with free limbs. Did not the foreman say that he was possessed of many devils, and for two years had lived alone on the plantation, working in the field with the gangs of Tokelau and Solomon Island men, but speaking to no one, only muttering in a strange tongue to himself and giving sullen obedience to his taskmasters?
But as they talked and sang, and as the boat sailed along the white line of beach fringed with the swaying palms, Ridan groaned in his agony, and Pulu, the steersman, who was a big strong man and not a coward like his fellows, took pity on the captive.
'Let us give him a drink,' hesaid; 'he cannot hurt us as he is. Else he may die in the boat and we lose the price of his passage; for the white men at Mulifanua will not pay us for bringing to them a dead man.'
So they cast off the lashings of fau bark that bound Ridan to the thwart, and Pulu, lifting him up, gave him a long drink, holding the gourd tohis quivering mouth--for his hands were tied behindhim.
'Let him rest with his back against the side of the boat,' said Pulu presently; 'and, see, surely we may loosen the thongs around his wrists a little, for they are cutting into the flesh.'
But the others were afraid, and begged him to let wellalone. Then Pulu grew angry and called them cowards, for, as they argued, Ridan fell forward on his face in a swoon.
When 'the devil' came to and opened his wearied, blood-shot eyes, Pulu was bathing his forehead with cold water, and his bruisedand swollen hands were free. For a minute or so he gasped and stared at the big Samoan, and a heavy sigh broke from his broad naked chest. Then he put his hands to his face--and sobbed.
Pulu drew back in wondering pity--surely no devil could weep--and then, with a defiant glanceat the three other Samoans, he stooped down and unbound Ridan's feet.
:->/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Letter From a Reader

Salaam,
I came across this wonderful site of yours in search of relief for my
ownproblems, mainly on the subject of forgiving those who have hurt
us. I have been reading it for the past hour. Mash'Allah, it has
opened my eyes and my heart. May Allah bless you and your efforts to
share and spread love.
From,
Jesima (fasting in this holy month of Ramadan) from London
*****
Response from M.NajimudeeN. Bsc - India:
You're welcome, sister Jesima, I am glad the website helped you.
Letters like yours keep me motivated and remind me that what I am
doing with this website is needed, Insha'Allah.

Good New Day

People often wish for a return to the good old days. First of all,
when we look at them objectively, they weren't really so good. Sure, I
have funny and pleasant memories from my youth, but I also remember
the confusion and loneliness.
I personally would not trade my life at this moment for my life at any
time in the past. Among other things, I now have a beautiful daughter
who I love more than life itself; my writing, which has evolved to
allow me to express my deepest convictions; and many small blessings
that add up to a pot of gold.
Secondly, the old days are called "old" for a reason. That's the past.
We can't go back.
What we can do is focus on the journey forward.
"Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Garden
whose width is that (of thewhole) of the heavens andof the earth,
prepared for the righteous; – Those who spend (freely), whether in
prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon people;-
for Allah loves those who do good; – And those who, having done
something to be ashamed of, or wronged their own souls, earnestly
bring Allahto mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins,- and who
can forgive sins except Allah…." – Quran, Surat Aal Imran, 3:133-135
This is how we make a better future for ourselves and our families,
Insha'Allah. Letting go of anger, forgiving, asking forgiveness,
giving to the poor and needy, and racing to Allah. The Almighty has
given us the formula. This is how, instead of yearning for thegood old
days, we create good new days! Our futurecan be as good as the past
ever was; it can be better, brighter and happier.
Let's build the good new days.

Love Ourselves First

We can get so caught up intrying to fix other people'sproblems, that
we forget to fix ourselves. We can spend all our time helping family
members, running around, "sacrificing", whileour own souls are weary,
discouraged and approaching despair. We can champion important causes,
or do vital work in our jobs, while we cover up or ignore wounds from
our past, until we cannot even look at ourselves with respect or love.
I suppose we all have our coping mechanisms. For me, it's martial
arts. When I'm troubled or unhappy, I tend to immerse myself in my
martial arts practice. It occupies my mind, allows me to forget my
problems,and wears out my body soI can sleep.
Others may plunge themselves into their work, or distract themselves
with books, music or television, or busy themselves with other
people's problems. But you can only keep this up for so long. If you
don't face what's going on internally, the darkness will eventually
spread and blot everything else out.
We have to come to terms with ourselves, or happiness will elude us forever.
How can we love and cherish others if we do notlove ourselves? How can
we extend ourselves to create something good in the world, if what we
haveinside is not sound and peaceful? How can we raise happy children
if we are not happy? Children are very perceptive; if you are troubled
and hurt inside, they will pick up onthat, and it will affect them. If
you really want tolove your children properly, you need to make peace
with your own soul.
Sometimes there are so many distractions in our lives, so much
external noise, that we can't hear our own hearts anymore. We need to
quiet our minds and get back in touch with our fitrah, that pure
nature given to us by Allah. We need to ask Allah's forgiveness, then
forgive ourselves, so that we can get rid of the baggage of shame.
Only then can we then forgive others, and let go of anger or
resentment.
We must listen to our intuition, and hear our hearts speaking, and
open ourselves to the clear light of Allah's huda (guidance).