To avoid such type of criticism, both father and son rode on the donkey. This time another set of onlookers commented, ‘What a ruthless father and son duo! Both of them are riding on the poor donkey.’
They felt very bad and got down from the donkey and decided to carry the donkey by them. While doing so they had to cross a bridge. The funny scene attracted few young girls taking bath in the river and they started laughing. The commotion made the donkey scared and he started a violent movement. His movement was so strong that all of them fell on the river. Luckily for them none was injured seriously.
But the fall made them wiser and stopped to react to the comments made by others. They decided that for some distance son would be riding on the donkey, for some distance father would be riding and for some distance none would ride on the donkey to give some rest to the animal.
After taking that decision all of them reached their destination safely.
Moral of the story, one should not be swayed away by the criticism of others who do not have any stake in the matter!
Chapter XXIV: Even one good person makes the difference
In a remote place, a saintly person lived with his family. Unfortunately all the villagers living in the village were thugs and dishonest. He used to advise to villagers to be honest and leave behind all the bad habits behind and start a good life. No one including his own family members in the village heeded to his advice. One day, he called all the villagers and appealed to change their life style and try to lead an honest life. He told them otherwise the whole village might be going to be a lake. Nobody took his appeal seriously as usual. Finally, the saintly person decided to leave the village and told his fellow villagers that they should forgive him as he failed to teach them to be good people. He also warned them, after his departure, the whole village would become a lake. All the villagers ignored his warning.
The village did not become a lake even after the departure of the saintly man. The saintly man returned to the village after two days. On seeing him all the villagers mocked him and everyone asked him whether he had also realized that there is no real value for good works and good thinking.
The saintly man smiled and answered, ‘Do not be elated so much. What I have told you, I stand by that. What I have told you, I told you as per the guidance from the Almighty. The village will be a lake unless you change yourself for a better life. God has given you a chance to correct your life style and that is why I have to come here again! I forgot to take my father’s book on moral teachings. I shall leave the village after taking the book. But again I am advising you to be good to avoid the impending disaster.’
All laughed at him except a little boy and his sister. Next morning the saintly person left the village along with that little boy and his sister who believed him. As soon as they crossed the village boundary, the whole village went down and became a lake.
All the villagers did not die instantly. They tried to come out of the lake; but in vain. All died one by one but not before realizing their fault.
But villagers of other villages believe that those dirty people living in the village have not died and became fish. Therefore, they do not eat fish from that lake till today.
Moral of the story is, even a single good person can make a difference for the society and therefore one should always try to make others also to be good, even if he fails to convince all of them. At least someone, like the two kids, will one day heed to his advice.
Chapter XXV: Return Gift
A benevolent king was on a voyage to the countryside; but his cruise was capsized by the strong current of the river. Thanks to five youths, the king and his en-troupe were rescued. The king invited the youths to the capital to felicitate them.
After felicitation, everyone was promised a return gift to the youths. The king asked one by one what the youths want. The first one asked for a job, second one asked for a house, third one asked for a plot of land in a town and fourth one asked for marrying the lady he loves. The king had no problem in granting their wishes. The fifth one politely refused to ask for anything as a return gift. But king was adamant to give something to the youth.
Finally the fifth one, the most intelligent one told the king, ‘If you want to give something to me, you kindly visit my home, stay one night at my home and give me whatever you want to give me in front of my people in the village. Kindly remember, you can take as many men as you want but you cannot carry any food stuff or bedding for the guests. Otherwise, it may hurt self respect of mine and I am pained to say, in that case I shall refuse to take any gift from you.’
Hearing his absurd wish, the king thought the youth was either a fool or an extremely intelligent young man. But king granted the wish of the youth. All the youths went to their respective villages on the next morning. The king asked the fifth youth to give his home address for the king’s visit. Before leaving the palace the young man gave a map to the king to reach his home.
As soon as he opened the map, the king could understand, the boy was not only intelligent but also having the quality of a leader who was able to think about the people who matter to him.
The village where the youth lived was one of the most backward part of the country. Practically, there was no road to the village. So the king had to sanction a highway to the village. The youth was the son of the village headman, having a small house not fit to live by a king for a day even. He sanctioned few millions to the youth to construct a palace in the village. The king finally ended up declaring the youth a subordinate king to rule a vast area under his kingdom.
The King was finally able to visit the village and stayed in the village of the youth, which was by the time became a new bustling town. A meeting was organized to give a return gift to the youth on the next day.
The king offered his daughter’s hand to the youth who gladly accepted the offer.
Now, you may ask me whether the king was foolish to accept the invitation of the youth in the first instance. No, actually he took a calculated risk. If the king would find the boy a foolish one, he could have dumped him anytime. But once he saw the map drawn by the youth, the king was very clear that he had met a genius who had every potential to be a king. The king feared if the boy was not made his son in law, there would always be threat to his throne. By the way, the king did not have any other child other than the daughter whom he married to the young boy!
About the Author
The author is a Government servant and a man of vivid experiences derived from his official postings across the country, travels across India and numerous visits outside India. He is presently placed at New Delhi. The book is based on some bed time stories which he either heard from others or read as a small kid.
His earlier publications are:
1. Random Thoughts through a Coloured Prism
2. Dilemma of a Young Mind
3. Funny Statistics and Serious Statisticians
4. Melody of Fragrance
5. Akhadya
6. Few Cities through the Lens of Hiranya Borah
7. Guilt: Gift of Winter Spring
8. Beautiful Ghosts
9. Great Fighters: Grace of God
10. Blurred
Putting Kids to Sleep Page 4
