Bedtime Stories for Kids - The Master of the Cloud

The Master of The Cloud


Once upon a time, there was a hermit. He travelled from village to village through arid lands and rocky mountains. But such was God's grace for him that always a cloud floated above his head. Wherever he went, the cloud never stopped moving with him, giving him shade. The people marvelled at the phenomenon. "O Hermit, how great is your achievement that you can command even a cloud to serve you!" they exclaimed often. The hermit no doubt replied that it was not his achievement, but God's grace that protected him from the sun. Nevertheless, the people called him the Master of the cloud. By and by the hermit grew a bit proud. No one but he could sport a cloud overhead! Was it not achievement enough to enjoy such divine privilege? The hermit was walking a hard way feeling flattered with such thoughts when he felt quite hot overhead. He looked up and saw no cloud shading him. He was filled with remorse and repentance "It is my pride which deprived me of god's grace," he cried out.


He spent the whole night praying to God. "Pardon me, O Lord give me back the gift of the cloud," he repeated time and again. His eyelids grew heavy a little before the dawn. He slumped into a brief sleep. He heard a voice in his dream, saying, "It has to be a true devotee who must plead with the Lord on your behalf." "Where to find a true devotee?" asked the hermit. "The king of this land is a devotee of great merit," replied the voice and the hermit's dream ended. He walked towards the city and stood before the king's palace the next day. "I wish to meet the king," he told the guards at the gate. "You have to wait for a week. The king gives the audience only once in seven days. Today was that day, but the time is over," informed the guards. "But I have something very special to talk to him. I seek no wealth or title," said the hermit. "Instead of seeking anything from the king if you were to give him a million pieces of gold or a kingdom he will be available to receive the gift only this day next week. If you wish, you can meet one of his ministers or any other officer," explained the guards. The hermit felt much annoyed. What sort of a devotee is the king if he was not available to the people? Must he make merry for six days in a week? These were the questions which disturbed the hermit. But he decided to wait. On the appointed day he was ushered into the court. There were already a number of people with complaints and appeals awaiting the king. Then a bugle was sounded and the king entered the court.

 

He was dressed gorgeously, his turban was studded with large diamonds. All stood up and sang his glory. The King smiled and sat down on his throne. As the buzzing voices died down, the king looked at the hermit straight and said, "Hello, Master of the Cloud, welcome. But be seated till I finish looking into the matters of others." The hermit was greatly surprised. He had never met the king before. Nobody in the court knew him. How did the king know his popular name? He waited, suppressing his curiosity. With promptness and justice, the king disposed of the cases before him. He stood up at the end of the session and walked down to the hermit. Taking the hermit's hands into his, he led him into the palace. The royal bodyguards followed the king until he had crossed into the interior of the palace. Large and immensely beautiful were the apartments of the inner part of the palace. There were pools of scented water and corridors decorated with sculptures of great beauty. But the king did not stop near any of these apartments. He crossed into a garden. At the end of it was a high wall. The hermit observed that no inmate or servant of the palace came with the king when he went near the wall. The king unlocked a small door on the wall and stepped to the other side, beckoning the hermit to do the same. What a contrast the area on the other side made with the grandeur of the place. It was a desolate place, infested with shrubs and bushes. A jackal ran away on sighting them. In a corner of the palace stood a dilapidated hut. 


"I have brought a guest with me," said the king, standing in front of the hut. "Will you please receive him?" One to come out was a charming woman. But here clothes were worn out and she looked as poor as a beggar woman. "Meet my wife, the queen," said the king. The hermit stood stunned. He did not know when the king entered the hut and returned to him changing his royal attire for poor man's clothes. The hermit recovered his speech after a long time when the queen asked them to come in for food. The king and the hermit sat on the floor. The food they had was no superior to what the hermit used to have in the homes of the common villagers. "I am sorry, we cannot entertain you to any better dishes. This is all we can buy with our meagre income from our labour," observed the king. "I don't understand what you mean by your labour, Your Majesty," said the hermit. "Myself and my wife make mats," informed the king. Presently a poor boy came there and collected two mats from the queen. It was obvious that he did not know who the woman was. He said in a casual manner, "I'll be late in returning from the market. I can pay you only tomorrow." "Your Majesty, I totally feel stupefied. What is the meaning of the king and the queen making mats for a livelihood?" the hermit, at last, put the question to the king. "There is nothing mysterious about it," said the king. "From my childhood, I had a desire to devote myself to prayers. I never liked the luxuries of the palace. I would have left the palace to wander about free as a hermit. 


But my inner voice told me, "God has made you take birth in the royal family. Why do you shun your duty? Can't he help you to lead the life of a devotee while performing your duty as a king?" "So I decided to stay on in the palace. After my father's death, I appointed able and honest officers in various positions. They have been doing their duty well. One day in the week I sit in the court and decide matters that are placed before me. All the other time I am here in my hut, living a simple life, devoting myself to prayer. But through my prayers, I know that all is well in my land, just as I knew who you were."  Such a character was beyond the hermit's dream. He could not speak for long. Then he told the king about the voice he heard and requested him to pray the Lord on his behalf. The king heard him in silence and nodded. At midnight the hermit woke up and saw that the king sat kneeling down at his head. "O Lord, be kind enough to restore the gift of the cloud to this hermit!" he muttered. The hermit lay stiff, his heart filled with gratitude and eyes filled with tears. The sun rose. "My friend," the king told the hermit, "I hope the Lord will be pleased to send the cloud to you again." The hermit felt sure that the king's was the voice of truth. The king led him to the end of the meadow and showed him the way. As the hermit began walking, he saw the beneficent cloud reappearing on his head.

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