A Heart-Wrenching Tale of a Mother and Daughter's Love

This touching narrative revolves around a widow and her young daughter living in poverty. A simple act of gathering kafal berries leads to a tragic misunderstanding, resulting in a heartbreaking loss. The story explores themes of love, regret, and the enduring bond between mother and daughter, culminating in a poignant transformation that resonates with the symbolism of the kafal. Readers will be drawn into this emotional tale that highlights the fragility of life and the depth of maternal love.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 24, 2026, 12:50 IST

The Story of a Widow and Her Daughter

In a small village, a widow lived with her young daughter, aged around six or seven. They were struggling to survive in poverty.

One morning, the mother went out to gather grass and picked some kafal berries as well. The sight of the berries filled her daughter with joy.

The mother said, "I’m going to work in the fields. We’ll eat the kafal when I return," and she covered the berries with a cloth in the basket.

The daughter eagerly awaited the moment she could taste the kafal, repeatedly lifting the cloth to imagine their sweet and sour flavor. However, being obedient, she didn’t touch a single berry.

When the mother returned in the evening, the daughter rushed to her, asking, "Mom, can we eat the kafal now?"

The mother, exhausted, replied, "Let me catch my breath first, dear."

Upon opening the basket, the mother noticed that the kafal were fewer than before.

Angrily, she asked, "Did you eat any?"

The daughter replied, "No, Mom, I didn’t even touch them!"

Frustrated from fatigue and hunger, the mother slapped her daughter in anger. The girl cried out, "I didn’t eat them, Mom..." and fell to the ground in tears, lifeless.

The mother’s anger subsided, and as she realized what had happened, she took her daughter in her arms, wailing, "Oh God! What have I done? I picked these kafal for her..."

She wept throughout the night, having thrown the basket outside in her rage.

The next morning, she discovered that the basket was full of kafal again! The heat had wilted the berries, making them appear fewer, but the cool night air had revived them.

Seeing this, the mother was overwhelmed with regret and died on the spot.

It is said that both transformed into birds after their demise. Even today, when kafal ripen, one bird sings sorrowfully, "kafal pakao, mai ni chakho" (the kafal are ripe, but I haven’t tasted them), while another responds, "poor putai poor poor" (it’s full, dear, it’s full).