"FAILURE is a FOG through which we glimpse TRIUMPH"
Many years ago, there was a kind and generous emperor. He had seven wives. All of them were barren and produced no children. He was much anxious about it because he didn't know who would be the king after his death if he won't have any child. He did his best to get the solution for his problem, but in vain.
Once he was hunting in a forest along with his men and there he met an old man who wore tattered clothes. He had not eaten any food for days. He begged for something to eat and the emperor ordered his servants to give him food. As the old man got the food, he transformed into a white saintly figure with a beaming face. The emperor and his men were amazed to see. The emperor asked, "Who are you? What's the secret behind this all?". "I'm a man of God, and we were judging you. You have passed the trial. Now, you will be rewarded with seven sons. Fetch seven ripe mangoes to me." replied the old man. When the mangoes were brought, he muttered something on them and handed over them to the emperor and asked him to give them to each of his wives. He would be granted with a son from each wife. The emperor was blushing and returned back to the palace.
On his return, he gave the mangoes to his wives and asked them to eat at once. Six of them ate at once but the youngest one put it for a while and get involved in some job. Meanwhile, a mouse ate the half of her mango. She thought it too much dangerous if the emperor get even a hint of that mishap. She didn't share it with anyone and ate the half mango.
After one year, the emperor had six and a half sons. He was much happy but vexed and surprised because of his half son. He asked his wife to solve the riddle about the half prince. She told the whole incident and was coaxed. The emperor became silent, taking it as God's will. He was much grateful to God. The half prince was named Adhkra. He was half in each part of body and was half in stature to his brothers. All the six elder wives and their sons used to mock Adhkra and his mother. They were forbidden by the emperor.
After a short span of time, the emperor became seriously ill. The royal doctors did their best to cure the emperor but in vain. Before his death, he advised his wives and children to stay united. But the situation went quite contrary to the emperor's will. The elder wives along with their sons tortured Adhkra and his mother and drove them out of the palace.
Adhkra took his mother with him to a nearby village. He decided to take revenge on his brothers. He started to work hard and very soon became prosperous. He was very kind and generous to the people like his father that's why he got fame. When his brothers got air of his fame, they became jealous of him. They set his house on fire at night. Adhkra was very sad to see that. But he was smart and genius. He played a trick. He filled coal in a sack, boarded it on a donkey and set for the city. On his way to the city, he met an old man along with his son. The old man was, in fact, a very rich tradesman from a nearby community. He was left behind by his mates. He told Adhkra that his son is ill and can't walk anymore. He requested Adhkra to let his son to sit on the back of the donkey.
At first, Adhkra denied to do so. Suddenly, he hit upon an idea. He told the old man, "There are gold coins in the sack. I'm afraid that your son would fart and my gold might convert into coal." The old man was totally miserable to see his son in pain. So, he took the guarantee. "If your gold be affected, then I will give you a sack filled with gold coins." Adhkra agreed and let his son to ride on donkey's back. While reaching at the desired place, the old man asked Adhkra to check the sack for his own satisfaction. As Adhkra opened the sack, the old man was taken aback to see the coal. Adhkra demanded his gold and he was bestowed with a sack full of gold. Then, Adhkra merrily returned home.
On his return, there was a scene of celebration in the village. His brothers were burning with malice like the coals in a furnace. They sent their eavesdropper to dig out the matter of fact. The eavesdropper returned with the news which Adhkra spread as a rumor that there is a land where one can get gold coins in return of coals. It was also said that they had to raise a voice "TAKE COAL, GIVE GOLD". So, the fools (brothers of Adhkra) set their houses on fire and filled several sacks with coal. They boarded them on donkeys and set for the city, billowing "TAKE COAL, GIVE GOLD". After a while, they reached nearby town. They were very happy to see the town and they began to build castles in the air. Meanwhile, the townsmen took them as mad people and beat them with punches, kicks and sticks. The so-called princes of the state returned like beggars with tattered clothes and sullen faces. They were much anguished again at Adhkra and decided to take revenge of their loss and insult.
They played a harsh plot against their brother and killed his mother. Adhkra became almost insane but he,once again, decided to take revenge on his brothers. He hit upon another idea to ruin them. He made his mother a well made up bride and put her into a palanquin. He, along with his two neighbors, begin to march to the nearby state. On their way, they met a king with his hunting crew. The king showed eagerness to look at the bride. At first, Adhkra refused to do so. He told the king, "His bride would die if any other person would look at her. It is a prophecy by a Fakir. Please, do not look at her." The king didn't listen to him. He insisted on to see the bride. Later on, Adhkra consented on a condition. "You would offer your daughter's hand for me as a plenty of my bride's death." demanded Adhkra from the king. The king in charm of looking the bride promised. As the king peeped into the palanquin, he found the bride dead. On seeing this, Adhkra begin to weep and shout. "O God! I lost my bride. The king is the murderer." The king was helpless and bound to the bond. He gave his daughter's hand in Adhkra's to fulfill the promise. Adhkra took leave with his new bride, saying "I have to leave now. My mother is waiting for me and her daughter-in-law."
His brothers, once again, were surprised at his altered getup. He went as a gloomy madman and returned in a convivial manner. Likewise in the past, Adhkra told the story of his success in a folded manner. His brothers did not learn any lesson from their past experiences. They killed their mothers, made them brides, put them in palanquins and begin to raise the voice "THE SALERS OF DEAD, THE BUYERS OF PRINCESSES." as Adhkra told in his myth. They met with the same crew of king to whom Adhkra met. The king's people beat them so wildly that they were, once again, transmuted into mendicants. They realized that all was due to their ill doings with their brother, Adhkra. They went straight to Adhkra and seek for the forgiveness of their sins. Adhkra forgave them at once and they never did any kind of ill doing to anyone in future.
(M.K Aassi)
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Cock-and-Bull
General FictionA collection of folklores and bed time fairytales told in District Sargodha (Central Punjab, Pakistan). Courtesy note: The cover, graphics and paintings in the stories belong to their creators. I've just got them from Google.
