THE OLD WOMAN AND THE TWO COWS

The Old Woman and the Two Cows

       A Short Story by Sanjay Yadav

Once upon a time, there was an old woman named Rani who lived in a small village surrounded by green fields, narrow paths, and simple houses. The village was peaceful, but life was not easy for the poor people who lived there.

Rani lived alone in a small, old house at the edge of the village. Her house had a broken roof, an uneven floor, and a small wooden door. During the rainy season, water sometimes entered through the roof, and during winter, the cold wind came through the cracks in the walls.
Although Rani was poor, she was a kind and hardworking woman.

RANI PAST

Rani had not always lived alone.
Many years earlier, she had lived with her husband and their only son, Rohit. Her husband had worked as a farmer and spent most of his life working in the fields. He was a hardworking man who always tried to provide food for his family.
But life changed suddenly.

Rani's husband became seriously ill and passed away after a long illness. Rani was left alone with her young son.
After her husband's death, Rani struggled to raise Rohit. She worked in other people's houses, worked in the fields, and did whatever work she could find.
She often went without food so that Rohit could eat.

She would tell him:
Rani: “My son, you should eat first. I am not hungry.”

But Rohit knew that his mother was pretending.

Rohit: “Grandma, you must eat too.”

Rani would smile.

Rani: “I will eat later.”

Rohit grew up watching his mother struggle.
When he became an adult, he left the village to find work. He wanted to earn enough money to support Rani, but he could not always return home because of his responsibilities.

Rani understood his situation.
She never blamed him.

Whenever Rohit visited her, she would say:
Rani: “Don't worry about me, my son. You should build your own life.”

Rohit always felt guilty about leaving her alone.

RANI’s STRUGGLE 

As Rani became older, life became more difficult.
She no longer had the strength she once had, but she continued working.
Every morning, she woke up before sunrise. She swept her small house, washed herself, prepared a simple breakfast, and then walked to other people's houses to find work.
Sometimes she cleaned houses.
Sometimes she worked in the fields.
Sometimes she carried heavy things for the villagers.

She earned very little money.
There were days when she had only a small piece of bread and some water for her meal.
During the winter, she sometimes slept on the floor because she did not have a proper bed.

During the rainy season, she placed pots under the leaking roof to collect the rainwater.
One evening, after returning home from work, Rani opened her small food container.
There was almost nothing inside.
She sat silently for a moment.
She looked around her empty room.
“I have worked all my life,” she thought, “but I still have so little.”

A tear rolled down her cheek.
But she quickly wiped it away.
“I must be strong,” she whispered.
The next morning, she woke up and continued working.

ROHIT ‘s VISIT 

One day, Rohit came to visit her.

Rohit: “Hello, Grandma. How are you?”

Rani: “Hello, my son. I am fine. How are you?”

Rohit: “I am fine. But I am worried about you.”
Rani smiled.

Rani: “Don't worry about me.”

Rohit: “You are getting older. You should not work so hard.”

Rani: “What else can I do? I have to work to live.”

Rohit looked around the small house and became emotional.
Rohit: “I wish I could do more for you.”

Rani gently placed her hand on his shoulder.

Rani: “You are my son. That is enough for me.”

Rohit promised to help whenever he could.
But after spending some time with her, he had to leave.

Rohit: “Grandma, I am going now. I have some work to do.”

Rani: “Okay, my son. Take care of yourself.”

Rohit: “You also take care, Grandma.”

After Rohit left, Rani returned to her lonely life.

THE TWO COWS

One morning, Rani was walking along a narrow village road on her way to work.
Suddenly, she heard a weak sound.

“Hmm... hmm...”

She stopped and looked around.
Beside the road, she saw two small baby cows.
They looked frightened and hungry. They were standing close to each other.
Rani looked around, but there was no one nearby.
She walked slowly toward them.

Rani: “Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you.”

One of the cows stepped backward.
Rani sat down beside them.
She gently touched its head.
The cow slowly became calm.
Rani felt something in her heart.
She remembered her own loneliness.

“These little ones are alone, just like me,” she thought.

She could not leave them there.
She decided to take them home.
It was not an easy decision. She barely had enough food for herself.
But she believed that leaving the helpless animals behind would be worse.
She slowly brought the two cows back to her house.

A NEW FAMILY 

From that day, Rani began taking care of them.
She gave them water and whatever food she could find.
She cleaned the place where they slept and protected them from the rain and cold.
At first, the cows were nervous.
But after a few days, they began trusting her.
Whenever Rani returned home, they came toward her.

Rani: “Oh, my little ones! Did you miss me?”

The cows would stand close to her.
Rani began talking to them every day.
She told them about her struggles.
She told them about Rohit.
She even told them about her husband.
Although the cows could not answer her, Rani felt that they were listening.
For the first time in many years, her house no longer felt completely empty.
One evening, Rani was sitting outside her house.

The two cows were lying beside her.
Rani looked at them and smiled.

Rani: “You both came into my life when I needed someone the most.”

She gently stroked their heads.

Rani: “You are not just cows. You are my family.”


THE VILLAGE MAN

One day, a village man saw Rani taking care of the cows.

Village Man: “Rani, where did these two cows come from?”

Rani: “I found them near the roadside. They were alone and hungry, so I brought them home.”

Village Man: “But you already have so many difficulties. How will you take care of them?”

Rani smiled.

Rani: “I don't know how, but I will try. They need someone, just as I sometimes need someone.”

The village man was touched by her words.

Village Man: “You have a very kind heart, Rani.”

Rani: “They are living beings. If I can help them, why shouldn't I?”

The village man sometimes brought food for the cows.
Other villagers also began helping Rani.


A BETTER LIFE 

As the months passed, the two cows became strong and healthy.
Eventually, they began producing milk.
Rani realized that she could sell the milk and earn some money.
Every morning, she collected the milk and took it to the village.
At first, she earned only a small amount.
But slowly, more people began buying milk from her.

With the money, Rani bought food, clothes, medicine, and other things she needed.
She also bought better food for the cows.
Her life began to improve.

One day, Rani looked at the cows and said:

Rani: “Because of you, I can live a little more comfortably now.”

She smiled.

Rani: “But I am happier because you are with me.”

The cows stood beside her.
Rani felt that they understood her.



THE PASSING YEARS 

Years passed.
Rani grew older.
Her hair became completely grey, and her body became weaker.
Walking became difficult.
Working became harder.
But she continued caring for the cows.
Even when she was sick, she would get up to give them food and water.
One rainy evening, Rani became very weak.
She sat inside her house while the rain fell heavily outside

The two cows stood near the door.
Rani looked at them.
Rani: “Don't worry about me. I will be fine.”
But deep inside, she knew that her health was getting worse.
The next morning, she could not get out of bed.

The cows stood beside her.
Rani slowly reached out and touched them.

Rani: “You both have given me so much happiness.”

Her eyes filled with tears.

Rani: “I found you when you were helpless. But perhaps you were the ones who saved me from loneliness.”

The cows remained beside her.


RANI’s FINAL DAY

Rani's health continued to decline.
The villagers came to help her.
Some brought food.
Others brought medicine.
One woman sat beside her and said:

Village Woman: “Rani, don't worry. We are here for you.”.

Rani smiled weakly.

Rani: “Thank you. You have all been kind to me.”

She asked about the cows.

Rani: “Please take care of them.”

Village Woman: “Don't worry. We will.”

That night, Rani lay quietly on her bed.
The two cows were outside her house.
She remembered her entire life.
She remembered her husband.
She remembered raising Rohit.
She remembered the years of poverty.
She remembered the day she found the two baby cows beside the road.
She remembered every moment she had spent with them.

A peaceful smile appeared on her face.

“I have struggled,” she thought, “but I have also loved.”

She closed her eyes.
The next morning, Rani had passed away peacefully.


THE FUNERAL 

The news spread throughout the village.
The villagers came to Rani's house.
They were deeply saddened because they had lost a kind and hardworking woman.
The two cows stood near the house.
They seemed confused.
They looked toward the door as if waiting for Rani to come outside.
The villagers arranged her funeral and buried her with respect.
Everyone remembered her kindness.
But after the funeral, the villagers faced another question.

“What will happen to the two cows?”

One villager said:

Villager: “We cannot leave them alone.”
Another said:

Villager: “Rani loved them. We should take care of them.”

Everyone agreed.
They decided to care for the cows together.
Rohit's Return
A few days later, Rohit returned to the village.
He walked toward his grandmother's old house.

When he saw the two cows standing there, he stopped.
His eyes filled with tears.
He walked slowly toward them.

Rohit: “You were with her until the end.”

He gently touched one of the cows.
The cow looked at him quietly.
Rohit looked toward the old house.
He remembered his grandmother telling him:
“You are my son. That is enough for me.”
Rohit began to cry.

Rohit: “I am sorry, Grandma. I should have spent more time with you.”

He looked at the cows again.

Rohit: “But I promise I will take care of them.”

The two cows stood close to him.
Rohit felt that, in some way, his grandmother's memory was still alive.


THE FINAL SCENE 

The sun was beginning to set.
The golden light fell across Rani's small house.
The two cows stood quietly beside the door.
Rohit stood between them, looking at the house where his grandmother had spent the final years of her life.
The village was silent.

A gentle wind moved through the trees.
Rohit wiped his tears.
He understood something that day.
Rani had spent her life with very little wealth, but she had left behind something much more valuable love, kindness, and memories.

The two cows were now a living reminder of her.
The villagers continued to care for them, just as Rani had cared for them when they were helpless.
Whenever the cows stood beside the old house, people remembered the old woman who had found them on a lonely road.
Rani was gone, but her kindness remained.
Her small house remained.
Her two cows remained.
And her story remained in the hearts of the people who had known her.