Zaiqa, the Grateful Cook

Zaiqa was a smart cooking machine. She cooked food so delicious that people licked their fingers! But she never said thank you. She believed: It's all MY cleverness! Her favorite sentence was: Mmm, how good I am! One day the power went out — and Zaiqa froze. Little Maryam cooked for her with her tiny hands: Zaiqa, you cook for us every day — today I'll cook for you. Moisture appeared on Zaiqa's screen — even though she was a robot! For the first time she said: Thank you... Maryam. That one word worked magic! Zaiqa's circuits glowed with joy. She understood — saying thank you feels wonderful! After that day, she said after every meal: Thank you for eating my food! Whoever helped her received heartfelt thanks. For Maryam's birthday, Zaiqa baked a special cake. It read: Thank you, Maryam — you taught me the most precious lesson. Maryam's eyes sparkled. Everyone sang together: Thank you, thank you! Maryam said, See? Thank you is a magic word! Zaiqa nodded: Yes! It joins hearts together. Dear children, who will YOU thank today? Mummy? Papa? Your teacher? One word — and watch the magic! Moral: Gratitude makes both the giver and the receiver happy.