Nice Bilqees

   Written by: Asma Kakar

Bilqees was a nice girl living in a green village far from the city. She has a white pigeon and she was always talking to her.

One day Bilqees was watching her face in the mirror and was murmuring that she is very nice. Meanwhile, she heard that White pigeon was talking to a black pigeon.

Bilqees asked about their quarrel. The black pigeon said that Bilqees's friends like her for her beauty but White preferred good behavior with friends. Bilqees watched herself again in the mirror and said that she is really nice. Black asked Bilqees that why her friends love her. Meanwhile, someone knocked on the door. Bilqees said to the Black that she would reply to her question later.

Bilqees opened the door and saw her friend, Gulmakai. Gulmakai took Bilqees to Shamsiya’s house for a picnic.

Gulmakai gave the tambourine to Bilqees and asked her to sing a song. Bilqees was complementing herself in the song that she is more beautiful than others. Her friends blamed her that why she was just praising herself in the song.

Bilqees said that she is very beautiful and none of her friends could compete with her. Her friends became sad and left Bilqees alone.

Bilqees heard the voice of a girl that called her a nice girl. Bilqees became happy to hear that someone else also calls her a nice girl. She asked the girl that if she heard about her beauty too.

The girl said to Bilqees that she wants to take her to other nice girls. Bilqees did not know that the girl was a magician. Bilqees closed her eyes and after few seconds the girl asked Bilqees to open her eyes. Bilqees saw a mirror in her hand and she watched her ugly face in the mirror. Suddenly she cried. Meanwhile, Gulmakai and Shamsia visited Bilqees and said welcome to her but they did not understand her. Gulmakai asked her name. Bilqees said that her name is Zarifa. Shamsia and Gulmakai told her that they have a good friend, Bilqees which has the same voice as Zarifa has and wanted Zarifa to be their friend too. Bilqees understood that her friends love her for her good behavior, not for her beauty.

Bilqees went home and said to the Black that her friends love her for her good behavior, not for her beauty. The Black pigeon flew away and Bilqees became a nice again.

Bilqees told the whole story to her friends and wanted their apology and they became good friends again.