Lion’s Whisker

“Good morning, good morning, good morning to you!

Good morning, good morning, and how do you do…!

“Ahhh…I feel so happy today! What about you? Did you get up

with a happy smile on your face today? Or did you wake up with

a snarl on your face?

Today, I want to tell you a story that will make your day feel

better.

Are you ready?

Adam was a happy little boy living with his mother and father in

their home in Kampung Melor. But, one day his mother died and

Adam was so hurt, and so confused, and so angry.

A year passed and his father decided to remarry. But, Adam

remained so hurt, and so confused, and so angry. So when his

father’s new wife, Maslinda met him and hugged him, he pulled

away from her. When she fixed him his favorite foods for
dinner he didn’t eat. When she made him a play suit out of fine

cloth he ran through the woods and played so roughly he tore

the clothes up. Whenever she spoke to him he ignored her.

One day when her husband was gone hunting, Maslinda went to

Adam’s bedroom to talk to him.

"Adam, I love you so much and I really need you to love. . ."

Before she could finish Adam jumped up and said, "I hate you,

you aren’t my mother. I’m running away."

Adam ran past his stepmother and out of the house. His

stepmother sat down and cried and cried. When her husband

returned she told him what had happened. He told her to go on

and cook dinner and not to worry that he would find Adam.

So, Adam’s father went to the woods to find his son. Adam was

at the river in his favorite spot. The two walked home and ate

dinner without a word.

That night, as the other two slept, Maslinda got out and walked

deep into the forest to the home of the witch doctor. The

witch doctor was a very wise woman who knew the ways of

peoples’ minds and hearts.

"I need you to make me a love potion so my step-son will love

me," said Maslinda.

"Well," the old woman said slowly, "Before I can give you a love

potion, you must bring me the whisker from a ferocious lion."

Maslinda’s eyes grew large as she said, "How am I supposed to

do that?"

"Use your imagination," said the witch doctor.

Maslinda went home and slept just a few more hours. She got

up before the sun rose and put several large pieces of raw

meat in a bag and headed toward the hills. She walked until she

found a cave which had large paw prints around it. Maslinda

took a piece of meat out and placed it in front of the entrance

to the cave. Then she hid in the bushes about 50 feet from the

entrance and waited.

After a few minutes a large, very ferocious looking lion stepped

out of the cave, looked around, smelled the meat, and ate it all

up.

Maslinda waited for a couple of hours then she walked up to

the entrance of the cave and placed a second piece of meat in

front of it. Then she moved back only 25 feet and didn’t hide in

the bushes. After a few minutes the lion came out. He looked

around, stared at Maslinda, smelled the meat, picked it up, and

ate it all up.

Maslinda waited for a couple of hours then she walked up to

the entrance of the cave and placed a third piece of meat in

front of it. She moved back only 5 feet and didn’t hide in the

bushes. After a few minutes the lion came out. He looked

around, stared at Maslinda, smelled the meat, picked it up, and

ate it all up.

Maslinda waited for a couple of more hours then she walked up

to the entrance of the cave and placed a third piece of meat in

front of it. She moved back only two steps. After a few

minutes the lion came out. He looked around, stared at

Maslinda. She stared back at the lion. Although she was

shaking inside, she didn’t move her body. She just stared right

back at the lion’s large brown eyes. The lion smelled the meat,

picked it up and began eating.

Very slowly Maslinda extended her hand, grabbed a whisker

and quickly pulled it out. The lion kept eating as slowly, very

slowly, as if walking on a tight rope, Maslinda backed away

toward the bushes. When she got into the forest she ran back

to the witch doctor’s home.

Breathing heavily, she rushed into the witch doctor’s house and

held up the whisker. "See, here, I brought you a lion’s whisker.

Now, give me a love potion."

The witch doctor looked at the whisker. "Ah, this does look like

a ferocious lion’s whisker. But, I don’t have any love potions."

"What, what do you mean?" screamed Maslinda.

"Now, tell me, how did you get that lion’s whisker?" the old lady

calmly asked.

"Well, I had to be very, very careful and patient. I was very

gentle and very quiet, and persistent."

"Yes, and you were very courageous. See, you have all of the

skills you will need to get your stepson to love you without a

magic potion."

Then Maslinda understood. She returned home and treated

Adam nicely as before. But, she did not make any special

efforts to win his affection. She was just her sweet, giving

self. When Adam was rude to her or ignored her, she continued

on as if he had said nothing. In three weeks Adam began to

smile and speak to Maslinda. In six weeks he offered to help

her with chores. In nine weeks he invited her to walk with him
to his favorite place at the river. One night about 12 weeks

later, just before he fell asleep Adam looked up in Maslinda’s

eyes and said, "Zayneb, I love you."