Gul Khan was the son of a poor farmer - he was a great expert in playing the flute - he got this art from his grandfather Amir Khan - he used to graze his goats in the forest all day long - when Gul Khan played the flute, his sheep and goats would go into a state of ecstasy after hearing the magical music of the flute. Hearing the melodious sound of the flute, many different birds would fly from the trees and sit near the wild flowers on the green grass on the mountain - some birds would get familiar with Gul Khan and would come close to him and would sing for hours on the nectar-filled ends of the flute.
Gul Khan didn't like sheep herding - he didn't like running after sheep all day long on high and low trails. reached -
Gul Khan had passed class 10 in his village school - he was very capable and intelligent - his ambitions were very high - he wanted to live like the well-dressed people living in the cities - he knew that the life in the villages is very peaceful - there is no environmental pollution - he wanted to show his parents something - he wanted to do something that would make his parents proud - the people of the villages would also look up to him -
Along with playing the flute, Gul Khan was also very fond of painting - he had won a prize for drawing pictures of natural scenes in school - he used to make the most beautiful pictures in an attractive way - he did not miss any teacher in learning the art of pictures along with the flute - just as the queen of creating charming songs by blowing into the small holes of the flute was entrusted to him by Allah Almighty. Art was also gifted to him by nature - by mixing blue-yellow lilac colors, he would make such pictures that were believed to be original - famous artists also appreciated his work -
One day when Gul Khan heard from his friend Karam Dad Khan that an exhibition was going on in the city in which the best picture maker would be awarded a prize of twenty five thousand rupees, he decided in his heart that he would definitely win the first prize by making a picture.
Gul Khan spent many days in his village making pictures while herding sheep - his father Dil Nawaz Khan also found this picture of his son very beautiful, but he did not like this work - he thought that Gul Khan paid more attention to making pictures and less attention to herding sheep - one day his father got fed up and told him -
"Gul Khan! Give up the work of making pictures - it will not gain you anything. I do not say that there is no fame and honor in this work - this art is also very good, and it is very valuable, but there is more peace and comfort in your work -"
"Abajan! I am working very hard on this picture - I hope that I will win the first prize in 25 thousand - our days will go again - the days of hard life will end one day at a time - you will also get more rest -" said Gul Khan, dipping the brush in the colored bowl.
Dil Nawaz Khan became silent after listening to his son's words - he thought that Gul Khan's mind has gone crazy, he has become so crazy behind making pictures, he is dreaming of living a life of luxury - big and famous artists will take their pictures in the exhibition, what will be the status of Gul Khan's picture there.
Gul Khan completed his picture after a few weeks - the picture was of a mountain girl plucking wild flowers - his father liked the picture - Gul Khan asked his friend Karam Dad Khan for the address and sent the picture to the exhibition - he hoped that his many weeks of hard work would pay off -
Time kept changing - finally the morning arrived which Gul Khan was eagerly waiting for - today his art was to bear fruit - the artist's art was going to be appreciated - today he was very restless -
The early morning was passing by - signs of evening were appearing - he was sitting on all fours in his small room making a program to settle the oddities of his thoughts - outside the cold December wind was blowing its head through the door and the sound of its loud whining was dispersing the silence.
"Bhai Gul Khan, open the door -" Suddenly someone knocked on the door - Gul Khan opened the door and his little innocent sister Roanq Afroz Khan was standing in front of him smiling - He had an envelope in his hand which he handed over to his brother - It was a very urgent letter sent by the manager of the exhibition - He immediately opened the envelope - took out a paper on which it was written -
Dear artist Gul Khan, please accept our heartfelt congratulations for winning the first prize of Rs 25,000.
Gul Khan's eyes sparkled with happiness and the blood in his veins began to rush
"My picture has been awarded the first prize in the competition - I have won the first prize of 25 thousand rupees - where is Abajan, sister Raunaq Afroz Khan -" shouted Gul Khan happily -
"They have gone to the valley with the sheep and goats. They are in the valley of the mountain in front. It is getting evening, but they are about to come. When they come, tell them the good news of winning the prize."
Sister Raunaq Afrooz Khan also spoke uncontrollably with happiness
"No, I will go to the mountain and tell them the good news myself, because I am very proud of your art. After telling the happy news, I will also go to collect the 25 thousand rupees reward money."
After saying this, Gul Khan ran to a high mountain to tell his father the good news, and on the way down to the valley, he saw his father Dil Nawaz Khan sitting on a narrow track and playing the flute.
"Father!" He shouted loudly and ran towards it but suddenly his foot slipped and he hit a rock and he staggered hundreds of feet down into the depths.
The string of the flute is broken - his old father Dil Nawaz Khan runs madly up and down the winding paths panting and trembling when near Gul Khan.
When he arrived, he had become a clot of blood and his body was frozen like ice
Seeing the dead body of his son, the eyes of the old father were filled with grief - he saw that Gul Khan's eyes were still open as if he wanted to tell his father that my picture has been declared the first among other artists across the country - I am going to get 25 thousand rupees and I am going to collect the prize.