Every Single One of Us is a Leader (4)

"Hard work and perseverance, when well applied, oftentimes succeed in finding a treasure; and since something towards the conveniences and pleasures of life may be thus procured, why should we waste it, and throw it away, by being slothful and sluggish?" the Moon seemed to inquire. Then she said, "And so, I saw two men, was chatting on the top of a lighthouse. Apparently, the two of them are old friends from the same village. One of them, looked younger. It seemed, the younger, would replace the older one as the lighthouse attendant.

The younger said, 'It's been a long time since you moved to another village, how's the new village, Brother?' The older replied, "It's amazing, it was well managed by the former chieftain, before the current one. So, the current chieftain, just to carry on.' The younger asked, 'Tell me about him!' 

'He is just a simple farmer, hardworking, diligent, clever, broadminded, honest and trustworthy. When he was elected as the chieftain, fist thing fist, he built a school so that the villagers would become educated, with the aim of building citizen literacy in all fields. In addition, he also promotes moral education of the villagers, because, according to him, in the era of democracy in which this Land of Adhineta adheres, the people must have scientific and moral education. In essence, democracy requires competence.

Even though he is not a businessman, he always pays attention to opportunities. In a business sense, opportunity is what customers need, right? So, he always pays attention to what the residents need, not what he wants. For decision making, he held mutual consultations, inviting residents at the Village Hall. He works for the benefit of the villagers, not for himself, his group or family, or those who voted for him in the past.

However, this good man, did not live long. One day, the doctor declared that he had malignant cancer, and his life, would not last long. Firmly, holding on to a stick, he stood before the villagers, saying, 'My fellow villagers, maybe my life will be short, and I want you to lend me an ear.

All the patrimony I have to bequeath to you, my fellow villagers, is my farm and my vine-yard, of which I make you joint heirs; but I charge you not to let them go out of your own occupation, for if I have any treasure besides, it lies buried somewhere in the ground within a foot of the surface. And when death has picked me up, dig it up, and make it a common treasure. That's all I can leave you!' Shortly after the speech, the farmer, died.

This made the villagers conclude that he talked of money which he had hidden: so after the farmer’s death, with unwearied diligence, they carefully dug up every inch.

However, a few days had been digging, not a penny they found. They decided to stop digging and said each other, 'Could it be the Chief was lying?' Some said, 'Whay not, for personal branding!' Another said, 'No way, he can be trusted!' Ultimately, because they were tired, they went home. Some accvillagers, identally, dropped some chilies and tomatoes into the land.

A few days passed, a villager was cycling past in front of the excavated land, and saw a lot of growing shoots of chili and tomatoes. He rushed to call the other residents.

It turned out that, after being dug up, the soil on the land became loose, produced so plentiful a crop of all that was sown in it, as proved a real, and that no inconsiderable treasure.

All kinds of treasures, to be sure, will appreciate the diligence of an active man, none more pleasing, in terms of his attainment, than what emerges from earthly culture. What could be more satisfying, than having our hopes grow and improve each day from the results that have been sown. And every man, will reap what he he has sown.

Afterwards, the older one, asked, 'Then tell me about your Chief!' The young one described, 'My chief, has Amnesia, what he is talking about at this moment, a few seconds later, will be forgotten. So, when he said something, people would comment, 'In a minute, he'll forget!'

He liked to build Ivory Towers, but, many of the towers he had built, all of it, cracked. It may be built without exact calculation or in a hurry. And all the cost of the towers, were taken from the community contribution fund, which, according to the elders, should have been used for the welfare of the villagers. His last project was to build a lighthouse, but strangely, the lighthouse was not built on the beach, but was built in the middle of the forest.

He also has a hobby, playing motorbike toys, and always invites village officials to play with the toy, 'Brrrm...,. brrm...!' And the village officials, acting like amtenaars.

And circulating among the villagers, stories like this,

“In Athens, a debtor, when asked by the creditor for repayment of the original debt, entreated for a delay, alleging that he had insufficient funds. Since he did not persuade the creditor, he led forth the one pig which he had and sold it in the creditor’s presence. When a buyer came forth and asked whether the pig was capable of breeding, the debtor responded that she did not just give birth, but did so in an incredible way: it brought forth female offspring during the Mysteries, and male offspring during the Panathenaea. The buyer was astounded by this report, but the creditor said, ‘Don’t be surprised: it will even give birth to goats during the Dionysia.

This story shows that many people, when it comes to personal gain, will not hesitate to bear false witness even to the powerless.

Right now, the Chief was dizzy. His two children, having trouble. One is suspected of embezzling dumplings at the guard post. The other is suspected that he got money from collusion with a cooking oil trader, who is suspected of burning the forest in the back of the village. The money was used to treat his friends, to eat salad and peanut sauce for forty days and nights. There was a teacher who reported them, but, until now, the case, has not been followed up. Instead, the mercenary cheerleaders, demonstrating in front of the village hall, chanted, 'LET US EAT RUJAK!' 

A village secretary asked a group of Villagers, 'Is it not permissible for the Chieftain sons to eat rujak?' One of them replied, 'It's okey!' Then, with other residents, immediately they added, 'But first, investigate where the money came from!' Since then, there has been a kind of hashtag #22222.' 

Both laughed, then the older said, 'Come on, instead of getting a headache, we'd better sing!' And these two men, singing, echoed by the shore,

E' ujan gerimis aje

[O it's drizzling rain]

Ikan teri di asinin

[Anchovy being salted]

E' jangan menangis aje

[O don't keep crying]

Yang pergi jangan di pikirin

[Those who has gone, not being cherished]

Eh ujan gerimis aje

[O it's drizzling rain]

Ikan lele ada kumisnye

[Catfish has mustache]

Eh jangan menangis aje

[O don't keep crying]

Kalo boleh cari gantinye

[If possible, get another one]

Mengapa ujan gerimis aje

[Why does it keep drizzling?]

Pergi berlayar ke tanjung cina

[Sailing to Tanjoeng China]

Mengapa adek menangis aje

[Why do you keep crying?]

Kalo memang jodo ngga kemana *)

[If indeed matched, won't go away]

Before leaving, the Moon said, "The good name and the good counsel of a wise, are the best legacies he can leave to his heir. The wealth which a man acquires by his honest industry, affords him greater pleasure in the enjoyment, than when acquired in any other way.

And men who by personal labour have obtained a competency, know its value better than those can, who have had it showered upon them without any efforts of their own. And what a man sows, he shall reap. And glory be to Allah Ar-Razzaq, the Provider of sustenance for all His creatures. He is The One who creates all means of nourishment and gives them their livelihood. He is the Provider of growth for all things good for the body, the soul, and the mind. And Allah know best."

Citations & References :
- Husayn al-‘Awayishah, Governing Yourself and Your Family According To What Allah has Revealed, Al-Hidaayah
- Ahmad Rafiki, Islamic Leadership: Comparisons and Qualities, IntechOpen.
- - Thomas Bewick, Bewick's Select Fables, Bickers & Sons
- Samuel Croxall, D.D., Fables of Aesop and Others, Simon Probasco
*) "Ujan Gerimis" written by Benyamin Sueb

[Part 1]

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