A Braggart Girl

Written by: Najia Nijat

Nadia, Maryam, and Madina were friends living in a village. Madina had a bad habit of boasting and she was always praising her activities and her toys. Nadia hated her habit but Maryam was enjoying Madina’s boasting.

One day Nadia told to Maryam that she promises that she would prevent Madina from this habit but Nadia said that she would not succeed in her this decision and they bet.

The next day, Madina invited Maryam and Nadia to her house for her doll’s wedding party.

Madina said that a doll must be standing behind her doll when her doll is a bride. Nadia showed her doll but Madina disliked it and called it an ugly doll and added that her doll has golden hairs and then she wanted Maryam to show her doll. She did but Madina disliked Maryam’s doll and said that Madina’s doll has a pair of eyeglasses that her doll could see the way in them, and rejected Maryam’s doll too. Maryam and Nadia wanted Madina to show them her doll but she had not any doll to show them.

One sunny day, when Maryam and Nadia were playing hopscotch with other girls, Madina was coming toward them. Maryam said that the braggart girl is coming. All girls laughed.

When Madina arrived, the girl asked that why she came late. Madina replied that she was backing bread in the oven. All girls laughed.

Madina wanted Maryam to give her the flat stone to pass all the squares of hopscotch with her closed eyes. When they gave the turn to play, she failed in the first step. Maryam laughed. Madina quarreled with her and left the ground.

Another day, Maryam prepared a party in front of her house and invited all her friends without Madina.

Nadia asked Maryam that why she has not invited Madina. Maryam replied that she might disturb their party with her boasting. Nadia got angry with Mariam that why she has not invited Madina.

Meanwhile, Madina arrived and Mariam asked about the cause of her late coming. Madina replied that her aunt had sent her clothes from abroad and mother sewed them.

Maryam asked her why her skirt is wet with water. Madina replied that she drank a full jug of water. All the girls laughed. Maryam asked her to drink a bottle of water in front of them but Madina could not drink it.

Madina asked about Nadia. Mariam replied that Nadia got angry with her and she is sitting alone under a tree.

Madina went near Nadia and told her that Maryam was mocking her but Nadia got angry with her. She said that she is her real friend who was annoying to hear bad words about her. Madina promised that she would never boast afterward. Nadia remembered to Mariam that she (Nadia) won the bit and Madina would never boast any more.