Author: Leo Tolstoy

English Translation: Progress Publishers, 1975

The translation of world literature to Baluchi language is very limited. The translation of “The Two Friends ”  by Leo Tolstoy, is an attempt by Karim Baluch to introduce popular stories originally in a foreign language to the Baluchi readers.

Two friends were walking through the forest one day when a bear jumped out in front of them. One of the boys ran off and hid in a tree whilst the other stayed where he was on the roadway. There was nothing for him to do but to fall to the ground and pretend to be dead.

The bear went up to him and started sniffing around and the boy was even too frightened to breathe.

The bear sniffed at his face and, deciding he was dead, went away.

When the bear had gone the other boy climbed down from the tree and said, laughing,

“Well, what did the bear whisper in your ear?”

“He said that the very worst kind of people are those who run away and leave their friends in danger,” the boy replied.