by Sugeng Hariyanto
Taking the Picture of the Heaven
King Aaron was still much curious about Abunawas smartness. He wanted to find more how Abunawas solved a problem. Thus, he made up a fake problem and would order Abunawas to find a solution.
He told Abunawas about his concern on his people. "Abu, do you know that I'm now thinking about my people. I love my people very much. I want to be with them forever; yet, it could be last becaue at any time I'll die. I dream of being in heaven with my people when I die. It's an absurd dream, isn't it? However, I believe that my dream will come true if somebody as smart as you give me a help. You only need to take a picture of heaven to encourage people to behave rightly. So that they might stay in heaven later."
As usual, Abunawas could not refuse the order.
"When should I do it, Your Majesty?" asked the smart man.
"In the near future!" answered the king.
Then Abunawas went home.
Several days passed by. There was no news about Abunawas. The king called him to the palace.
"When will you go to heaven, Abu?" asked Abeydron to Abunawas.
"In the near future," he answered.
"What do you mean by near future, Abu?"
Abunawas smiled and asked the king, "What did you mean when you order me to take the picture in the near future, Your Majesty?"
"Tomorrow!" answered the king quickly.
"Yes, tomorrow I'll go to heaven," Abunawas said.
Another three days passed by. There was no news about Abunawas. The king seemed impatient. He believed that Abunawas could solve the problem. So, he wanted to know what trick Abunawas played on at that time. Then he decided to walk to Abunawas' house.
He was rather surprised to see Abunawas sitting in his house relaxingly.
"When will you go to heaven, Abu?" asked the king.
"Tomorrow, Your Majesty," answered Abunawas seriously.
"In the morning or in the afternoon?"
"It depends on God, Your Majesty. Anytime God gives me permission, I will go," answered Abunawas calmly.
"But, it must be tomorrow, mustn't it?"
"That's right, Your Majesty."
"Make sure you take a fine and beautiful picture, Abu?"
"I will do my beat, and I will always respect the king."
The next day in the morning, the king came to Abunawas' house again. He wanted to know whether Abunawas had gone to heaven.
When the king saw Abunawas was still in his chair, he reminded Abunawas directly.
"You said you go to heaven, Abu?"
"Tomorrow, Your Majesty."
"Not now?"
"No, tomorrow," said Abunawas.
The king then went back to the palace. It seemed he was disappointed.
The next day in the evening, he came to Abunawas' house again. He found Abunawas was about to go to bed.
"Abu, when will you go to heaven?" asked the king.
"Tomorrow."
"You said you wanted to go now!"
"I said tomorrow, Your Majesty," he insisted his words.
"Yesterday you said tomorrow. It means now!"
"Tomorrow is tomorrow," Abunawas answered seriously.
"Today is your tomorrow?!"
"Today is now. Tomorrow is tomorrow, Your Majesty."
"You're kidding."
"No, Your Majesty. Tomorrow is tomorrow. There is no limit for tomorrow. Moreover, to go to the heaven one must die first. Otherwise, he or she cannot see the heaven, let alone taking a picture of it. So, if you want me to take the picture of the heaven, then you want me to die soon," said Abunawas in a low voice.
The king was speechless. He imagined that Abunawas could escape from the impossible mission, but he never predicted Abunawas talked that way to him. Anyhow he admitted that his order was really impossible to take.
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He told Abunawas about his concern on his people. "Abu, do you know that I'm now thinking about my people. I love my people very much. I want to be with them forever; yet, it could be last becaue at any time I'll die. I dream of being in heaven with my people when I die. It's an absurd dream, isn't it? However, I believe that my dream will come true if somebody as smart as you give me a help. You only need to take a picture of heaven to encourage people to behave rightly. So that they might stay in heaven later."
As usual, Abunawas could not refuse the order.
"When should I do it, Your Majesty?" asked the smart man.
"In the near future!" answered the king.
Then Abunawas went home.
Several days passed by. There was no news about Abunawas. The king called him to the palace.
"When will you go to heaven, Abu?" asked Abeydron to Abunawas.
"In the near future," he answered.
"What do you mean by near future, Abu?"
Abunawas smiled and asked the king, "What did you mean when you order me to take the picture in the near future, Your Majesty?"
"Tomorrow!" answered the king quickly.
"Yes, tomorrow I'll go to heaven," Abunawas said.
Another three days passed by. There was no news about Abunawas. The king seemed impatient. He believed that Abunawas could solve the problem. So, he wanted to know what trick Abunawas played on at that time. Then he decided to walk to Abunawas' house.
He was rather surprised to see Abunawas sitting in his house relaxingly.
"When will you go to heaven, Abu?" asked the king.
"Tomorrow, Your Majesty," answered Abunawas seriously.
"In the morning or in the afternoon?"
"It depends on God, Your Majesty. Anytime God gives me permission, I will go," answered Abunawas calmly.
"But, it must be tomorrow, mustn't it?"
"That's right, Your Majesty."
"Make sure you take a fine and beautiful picture, Abu?"
"I will do my beat, and I will always respect the king."
The next day in the morning, the king came to Abunawas' house again. He wanted to know whether Abunawas had gone to heaven.
When the king saw Abunawas was still in his chair, he reminded Abunawas directly.
"You said you go to heaven, Abu?"
"Tomorrow, Your Majesty."
"Not now?"
"No, tomorrow," said Abunawas.
The king then went back to the palace. It seemed he was disappointed.
The next day in the evening, he came to Abunawas' house again. He found Abunawas was about to go to bed.
"Abu, when will you go to heaven?" asked the king.
"Tomorrow."
"You said you wanted to go now!"
"I said tomorrow, Your Majesty," he insisted his words.
"Yesterday you said tomorrow. It means now!"
"Tomorrow is tomorrow," Abunawas answered seriously.
"Today is your tomorrow?!"
"Today is now. Tomorrow is tomorrow, Your Majesty."
"You're kidding."
"No, Your Majesty. Tomorrow is tomorrow. There is no limit for tomorrow. Moreover, to go to the heaven one must die first. Otherwise, he or she cannot see the heaven, let alone taking a picture of it. So, if you want me to take the picture of the heaven, then you want me to die soon," said Abunawas in a low voice.
The king was speechless. He imagined that Abunawas could escape from the impossible mission, but he never predicted Abunawas talked that way to him. Anyhow he admitted that his order was really impossible to take.
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