Vikramaditya chased Betal and reached the tree. He found Betal hanging there. The King pulled the corpse on his shoulder and began walking. Whereas Betal proposed to tell another tale which Vikramaditya accepted quietly. Betal began his tale.
In ancient times, there was a kingdom named Siddhapura. A kind, caring, and able king named Vasantdev reigned over the kingdom. King Vasantdev’s court was always open to the grieving and needy. Anyone could approach the king with their problems and grievances, which made King Vasantdev special and different from others.
One day, an old man with his two blind sons visited the court. With his folded hands, the man said, “Your Majesty, I’ve heard a lot about your kindness. I’ve come here with a hope to be saved by you from my distress.” The king asked, “How can I be helpful to you?”
The old man replied, “I am in immediate need of one thousand gold coins, and I have no near and dear ones to rely on for these. I beg you to help me overcome the present crisis. However, it’s just a loan, and I promise to give it back within the next six months.”
King Vasantdev said, “I’m ready to pay you the required amount. But how can I be assured of your promise, as you are a stranger to me!”
The old man answered, “Your Majesty, I wish to leave my two blind sons in your service as a guarantee of my words.”
“But how will they be useful to me?” wondered the king.
“Your Honour, my two sons are blessed with rare talent and special powers,” said the old man. “My elder son can speak about the breed and properties of any horse just by touching and smelling it. On the other hand, my second son has the unique ability to recognize the quality and properties of any gem. I am very sure that the duo will be quite helpful to you.” The king was surprised to hear about their extraordinary talents. Believing the old man, Vasantdev agreed to help him with the loan. He asked his treasurer to give one thousand gold coins to the old man. The old man thanked the king and promised to return with the money within six months, then left the court. The two blind brothers were appointed to the service of the court.
One day, it so happened that a horse trader visited the court with a tall, handsome, fine-breed horse. The trader praised the horse highly. The king and the courtiers were quite impressed with its build. The trader had almost convinced King Vasantdev to buy the horse for his use when he suddenly remembered the blind brothers. The king sent his man to call the two brothers. The brothers came, and the elder brother went near the horse and observed it closely. He then said, “Your Majesty, I wouldn’t recommend you buy this horse, as it may cause an accident to the person who rides it.”
“How can you claim such a thing, ” the trader resisted angrily. “It’s ridiculous to believe a blind man’s observation, Your Majesty!” the trader pleaded with the king.
But the elder brother remained adamant about his words and insisted on having his observation tested. Accepting the blind man’s suggestion, the king ordered one of his men to ride the horse. However, as soon as the man complied with the order and mounted the horse, it angrily threw him down. The trader was shocked to see the blind man’s words proven right.
“But it’s quite obedient and loyal to me and my family members,” the trader resisted feebly.
“That’s very true,” said the blind elder brother. “In fact, this horse is quite comfortable with any milkman. Are you not originally a milkman by profession?”
“Yes!” admitted the trader. “But how did you come to know?”
“By its smell,” answered the blind boy. “This horse was born and brought up in a milkman’s house, so it’s quite at ease with anyone who deals with milk, as it feels familiar with them.”
The trader agreed with the blind boy’s argument. He expressed his regret to the king for the caused inconvenience and left the court with his horse.
The king was quite impressed with the boy’s ability. He patted his back for his extraordinary feat.
Now it was the turn of the younger blind brother to prove his proficiency. One day, a jeweler visited the court with a few striking gems and displayed them to the king. Vasantdev had a great fondness for diamonds. He picked up a large, sparkling diamond, which was indeed a rare piece. However, before buying it, the king asked the younger blind brother to examine the piece. The boy took the piece in his hand, examined it from all sides with the touch of his hand, and then gave the verdict, “The diamond is ominous. It will bring death to the bearer.”
“How can you justify your claim?” asked the king.
“Your Majesty, you can cross check with the jeweller itself,” said the blind boy confidently.
The jeweller nodded his head in affirmation. He accepted that three of his family members who had been its previous owners died of sudden death.
The king was amazed by the boy’s accuracy and praised him aloud. A few months passed, and one day the old man returned to the king’s court. He returned the king’s one thousand gold coins and sought permission to leave with his blind sons.
The king praised his extraordinary sons highly, and the old man felt proud to hear the praise. He thanked the king and proceeded with his sons. Suddenly the king asked, “O honorable citizen of my kingdom, your two sons indeed possess rare skills. However, are you also proficient in any such rare skill?”
The old man paused and said, “I can speak the virtue of a person.
“Can you speak something about me?” demanded the king.
“I beg your pardon Your Majesty, but your father was a thief!” remarked the old man.
The king was furious to hear such contemptuous remark. In his rage, he ordered his guards to arrest the three of them. The unfortunate old man and his sons were sentenced to death soon after.
Betal finished the story and asked, “Vikram, was the king justified in his act? Who was responsible for the death of the old man and his two sons? Speak out immediately. If you evaded it while knowing the answer, your head would be split into pieces.”
Dear Readers, take a few moments to find the appropriate answer and see whether your answers match the reply of King Vikramaditya.
King Vikramaditya said, “Betal, King Vasantdev’s act was in no way justifiable. He was indeed the son of a thief, but the revelation of the ugly truth in public angered him, leading him to pass such an order. As far as the responsibility for the deaths are concerned, the old man himself was responsible. One should be careful when speaking the bitter truth and must assess the place and the person in front of whom he is speaking it. Unfortunately, the old man could not prove himself wise enough and was fated to death.”
“Your judgment is indeed laudable!” remarked Betal. “However since you could not remain silent, I am leaving you.”
Saying so, Betal flew back towards the old peepal tree while Vikarmaditya holding his sword rushed to catch him.
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