The Fickle Fortune
In days gone by there was a certain king who had a very good man for his minister. In fact, the minister was not only good but highly intelligent and wise too. He guarded his master's interest jealously, never allowed any officer any scope of going corrupt. He kept a vigilant eye over the conduct of all the officers. But that annoyed the officers very much. They knew that they had no luck, as long as the minister held his position. They plotted to overthrow him. Once there was a fierce quarrel between two governors in charge of two distant states of the kingdom. The king sent the minister to settle the quarrel. It was a mission that took a long time. During the period of the minister's absence from the court, the officers made out a false case against him and poisoned the king's ears. As soon as the minister was back after settling the quarrel, the king, without giving him a hearing, threw him into prison. "Let God's wish be done," said the minister and quietly walked into the prison without a murmur.
He was lodged in a separate room and served with meager food. Months passed and then years. The officers had a merry time with the vigil over them gone. They were never tired of inventing new tales of the minister's injustice and treachery to keep the king's wrath undiminished. Seven years passed. One day the king put on a false beard and the garb of a mendicant and went out of the palace to gather first-hand knowledge of the condition of his subjects. Walking through the town he saw a happy crowd gathered before a large house. He remembered that the house belonged to the imprisoned minister. He stopped and asked some people what occasioned their happiness. "Don't you know? The just minister, the friend of the good and the foe of the bad, is returning home today. Good sense has made the king decide to free him at last!" said the man. The king was surprised. He had not ordered to set the minister free! How could such a rumor have spread? On further inquiry, he was informed that the minister himself had sent the good news through an attendant of the prison. "Who does not know that the unlucky king was misguided by his corrupt officers? But it seems he has realized his blunder. We are dying to see our minister free!" said many voices. The disguised king moved towards the prison. He was thoughtful. Was he really misguided? Many good deeds of the minister came back to his mind. When he remembered the faces of the officers who spoke against the minister, he had a strong feeling that they were liars.
On reaching the prison he disclosed his identity to the jailor and entered the house and walked into the minister's room. The minister looked the ghost himself. The disguised king was almost moved to tears. The minister greeted the king whom he took to be a mendicant. He was not surprised because at times holy men were let into the prison to talk to the convicts. The disguised king sat down and had a frank talk with the minister. He was left in no doubt about the minister's innocence. He repented for having punished him. "Is it true that you sent word to your home that you'd be set free today?" asked the king. "Indeed, I did, in a way. You can say, that was my madness," said the minister and went to narrate what made him do so: On his way back to the town after his last mission, he was crossing a river by a boat. He felt thirsty. His servant poured some drinks into a cup. It was a highly precious cup, studded with gold. Suddenly the cup slipped off his hand and fell into the water. There was a diver in the boat. He made several dives to recover the cup but in vain. The minister was observing him while playing with his diamond ring which he had taken out of his finger. "Sir, can you tell me where exactly the cup sank?" asked the diver. The minister threw the ring to mark the spot. He did so unmindfully of what he was throwing. "Sir! what did you do?" screamed the companions.
However, the diver took another dive and emerged with the cup. And lo and behold! the ring was in the cup! Exclamations of joy greeted the event. But said the minister, "This is verily the rarest coincidence of good luck I have ever known. I shall not be surprised if such a lucky event is followed by a misfortune!" Back in the court, he was thrown into prison! For seven years he had not eaten well. He felt a great desire to have some good food. He sold his ring through the jailor and obtained varieties of food. But ready to sit down for taking them, he found that they had been nibbled at by mice. He had to throw them away. "This was the climax of my misfortune. I should not be surprised if good fortune visits me after this - if the king frees me!" he exclaimed. This was heard by an attendant who, in his jubilation, ran to the minister's home and announced that the minister was to be free that day! The disguised king was amused to hear this "My passing by your house today was ordained by Providence!" he said, tears rolling down his cheeks. He embraced the minister and, shedding his disguise, ordered for a ceremonial procession to lead the minister home. Now it was the turn of the corrupt officers to be thrown into jail.
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