Musa and the Blue Vase

Little Musa had a bouncy red ball. Bounce, bounce, bounce!

"Only bounce it outside, Musa," Daddy always said.

But it was raining. Drip, drip, drip on the window. The cat lay sleeping. So Musa bounced his ball inside. Just one little bounce. Then one more. Then one more!

The ball bounced high. The ball bounced HIGHER. The ball bumped the shelf — and Mummy's blue vase went wobble… wobble… CRASH!

Oh no.

Musa looked around. Nobody saw. Daddy was busy in the kitchen. Musa could hide behind the sofa. He could say the cat did it.

But Musa's tummy felt squeezy. Squeezy and heavy, like a tummy full of stones.

Musa knew that Allah sees everything, even little boys with bouncy balls. And hiding felt yucky.

So Musa tiptoed to the kitchen. Pat, pat, pat.

"Daddy," he said in a small, small voice. "I bounced my ball inside. It broke Mummy's blue vase. I'm sorry, Daddy."

Daddy knelt down and opened his arms wide. Musa ran in for a big, warm hug.

"Thank you for telling the truth, Musa," said Daddy. "That was very brave. Allah loves it when we tell the truth."

Musa fetched the dustpan, and Daddy swept up the sharp pieces. Sweep, sweep, sweep.

Later, Musa said sorry to Mummy too. Mummy gave him a kiss on his head.

And guess what? The squeezy feeling in Musa's tummy flew away — whoosh! — like a bird. Now his tummy felt light and happy again. His heart felt calm.

Telling the truth is like sunshine after the rain.

That night, the red ball rested by the door. "Bounce, bounce, bounce — outside next time," Musa whispered. Then he snuggled down, warm and cosy, and fell fast asleep.