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| Sunday, 26 December 2004 |
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The king and the mountain Sunday parable by Sunanda Mahendra "Are the citizens in this region happy about me and my attitude towards them?" asked the King when he met some of his ministers in the royal chamber. Then the chief minister wanted to air his views.
"So why don't they come here and show them to me?" "No don't worry about that, but I should have a long walk across the region to see whether things are in order." "That's not difficult at all." All the King's men made arrangements to have a cross-country walk. "I want my court jester to join me too." "But," said one of the ministers, "he is a trouble maker and he makes fun out of us that is not a good thing to do while we are with the people." "In that case I will ask my Court Jester to follow all of us and be soft spoken and make no severe attacks on any of you." "That would be quite nice your Majesty," responded another minister, who wished to be close to the King while walking. Then the King summoned the Court Jester to a corner of the chamber and told him that he too should join him. The King further informed the jester that he should as far as possible avoid cracking practical jokes on his ministers because they should be taken seriously on this walk. "I will definitely abide by the rules and regulations as laid down by my Great Majesty and see that I never bring about any calamity to Your Majesty." The day dawned for the commencement of the Royal Walk with the ministers and other chief courtiers. They were passing a running brook. They all heard a sound. The King, who was sensitive, waited a moment and listened to the sound of the running brook. Then one minister came close to the King and said in a mild tone. "Oh Great Majesty, can't you hear what the brook is singing?" "No I don't hear it." "The brook is singing a song about you, a song in praise of you. The brook says that you are the greatest King the world ever possessed and it wants you to live for hundreds of years." "What more do you hear?" "The brook says that you are the kindest King of the world." When the court jester heard all these at a distance, he smiled. But he was too careful not to pass any judgment. He looked at the King and looked aside as if to say that he did not agree with the lackey of a minister, who praises the King in order to win his favour. Then they came to pass a mighty mountain range. The King wanted to stop for a moment and look at the mountain range. He saw the beauty of the mountain range with the hilltops covered with gathering mist. He also saw the clouds up in the sky slowly mixing with the misty hilltops. "Oh what a beautiful scene this is!" the King murmured. Another minister, who was closer to the King, heard it. "Oh Great Majesty can you see something strange about that mountain range?" "No I can't. What's that?" "The hilltops of the mountain range are bowing to your highness in salutation seeing your great royal qualities. The mountains will undoubtedly bow thier head until you pass this area." The Court Jester heard this too. He wanted to make a comment but he remembered what the King said. But the King saw that the court jester was smiling to himself as if anticipating some comment. "Come over here my dear jester," said the King. The court jester felt that there was going to be some unforeseen disaster. He came and stood in salutation. "Tell me, will you," said the King, "do you see the mountain range bowing in salutation to me?" The court jester kept silent for a moment. "What is wrong with you? And why are you silent?" "Do you really want me to comment Your Highness?" "Whether I agree with you or not is not the point, I want you to express what you see." "Oh Great Majesty, the mountains are not bowing their head in salutation, but they are quite petrified and perplexed." "Why?" "Because they are at a loss to understand how a Great King of your calibre had come to be flattered and fooled by a group of idiotic ministers of your royal chamber." A smile appeared on the face of the King, while the ministers were put to shame. "Enough for the day, let's get back to the palace," said the King. |
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"Oh Great Majesty, it is not only the people in this region but
also the rivers, rivulets, mountains, birds and beasts, they all love you
and they like your majesty's kingship. The poets have written poems about
you and some of the scribes have written books about you."
