Three Boons In One
Long ago, in the far north of India, there was a very kind and innocent king. Taking advantage of his goodness his wicked minister, with the help of some courtiers and aided by another king of the neighborhood one day besieged his palace, threw him and his queen into the jail, and usurped the throne. The young prince narrowly escaped into the nearby forest. He ran and ran through the wood and stopped only when it was evening. He sat down under a big mango tree, too tired to walk any more and gasping for breath. There came a wave of breeze and at once a few ripe mangoes fell on the prince's lap. The prince looked up and said, "I thank you very much, O good tree, for giving me your fruits. I was very hungry indeed." A little dove hopped down to a lower branch and cooed, as though to acknowledge the receipt of thanks, on behalf of the tree. The prince ate the mangoes which were as sweet as nectar. He then relaxed, leaning against the tree. A moment later a notorious gang arrived there. They climbed the tree and plucked the ripe as well as the unripe mangoes. While they ate the ripe mangoes, they threw away the unripe ones.