Three Strange Things
Hundreds of years ago a small kingdom was ruled by a whimsical king. Like everybody else, he loved to hear or read fairy tales and other stories of fancy. But unlike others, he believed in them and often brooded over weird and strange things. He had a charming daughter named Prabha. The king decided to give half of his kingdom to her bridegroom. But who could be eligible to marry her? One who can fetch three strange things for him was the condition he laid down. Several candidates came to ask him what the strange things were. Most of them went back disappointed after hearing them. A few even tried to fetch them but in vain. In a remote part of the kingdom lived a young man named Jayant. He had had the occasion to see the princess. He developed a great desire to marry her. He met the king and wished to know about the strange things. "Beyond my kingdom, in the southern direction, there is a forest. Inside the forest, there is a very old temple. I have heard that there is a magic drum in the temple. If one beats it thrice, ten wonder-workers would appear, ready to be at your beck and call. I want to have that drum, to begin with," said the king. "As you wish," said Jayant and he galloped away. He returned a fortnight later looking tired, but carrying the drum! He beat the drum thrice. To his amazement, ten fellows rushed in and stood in attention. The king felt thrilled.
He could not decide what to ask of those wonder-workers. "My lord! Why not ask them to return with the ten most marvelous things in the world in six months?" "That is an excellent idea," commented the king and he put Jayant's suggestion in the form of a command. The workers went away. "What is the next condition I am to fulfill?" asked Jayant. "Beyond our kingdom, in the west, there is a mountain with a dark cave. I am told that inside the cave lies a talisman. Any aged man who would put that on would slowly grow younger. Can you fetch that for me?" asked the king. Jayant bowed to him and without a reply, galloped away. A week later he returned with the talisman. The king was delighted. He put that on. "You look quite tired, my boy. Relax in the palace for a day or two. Then I will tell you what my last condition is," said the king affectionately. Jayant stayed in the palace for two days during which he managed to meet the princess several times. She seemed quite fascinated with him. "My brave boy, by the northern frontier of our kingdom flows a river. People have seen a strange parrot on its bank which, on being asked, can produce gold mohurs. I wonder if you can catch hold of that bird!" said the king on the third day.
Jayant galloped away, to return after a fortnight. He had brought with him the parrot. The excited king asked the parrot for a hundred gold mohurs "Tomorrow!" said the parrot. Indeed, the next day, on coming out of his bedroom, the king tumbled over a silken bag containing a hundred gold mohurs. He was overjoyed. "Let my daughter to be married to Jayanth forthwith!" The marriage was solemnized with great pomp and show. Jayant received half of the kingdom and, with the princess, went away to his village which was to be his capital. A few days later the king asked the parrot for a thousand gold mohurs. "Tomorrow!" was the bird's response. But the king found no mohurs the next day. By and by he realized that "Tomorrow" was the only word the parrot knew. Six months passed. The wonder-workers never returned. There was no sign of the king growing younger either. "I feel rather perplexed!" he confided to his minister. "What is perplexing about it, my lord? Should we not be happy that our son-in-law is a clever chap? How could anybody have fetched things which did not exist? Anyway, my information is, the princess is quite happy. Let us be happy too!" replied the minister. Realizing his folly the king smashed the drum, threw away the talisman, and let the parrot fly away.
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