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| Sunday, 29 January 2006 |
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Sunday parable Of humans and demons by Sunanda Mahendra "This palace is not a suitable place to live peacefully, though we are the inheritors, and we must find our own fortune somewhere else. Our stepmother hates us and ill-treats us and our father, the King, listens to her and takes her word as the ultimate judgement. But over the years we have mastered all the necessary skills and acquired the knowledge needed for both of us to make a living decently if we try hard elsewhere."
Plan exposed "Look sharp, "she said. "Your step-mother who is vicious, is planning to pluck your eyes if you don't leave the palace." Then they secretly left the palace. They stayed the night at the old flower woman's house and left early morning with two parcels of food prepared for them by her. They were passing through a forest where they heard the sound of two strange kobeyya birds. The first bird was talking to the elder brother. "If you eat my flesh you are destined to become a king within a few days, "the second kobeyya bird too said. "If you eat my flesh you will be a king in the near future. "But they did not want to kill any creature in fear of retribution. But the birds said, "It is alright, we can afford to sacrifice ourselves for a good cause. If you make a bonfire, we can sacrifice ourselves." The two princes discussed among themselves and made a bonfire to which the two birds jumped. The elder brother told the younger brother. "You go in that direction and I will go in the other direction, and one fine day we will meet each other." The two brothers departed and specified a day to meet. "On this day of next year, at this time of the day, we will meet each other, "said the elder brother. The elder brother, who was walking towards an area crowded with people, heard some merry music and saw a pageant in process. He was watching all these merriments, when all of a sudden some thing strange happened. An elephant came and knelt before him. It was the royal elephant, and the custom of the day was that when the royal elephant kneels before someone, he is destined to be the king of the country. It so happened that the king who ruled had died a few days ago, and the ministers were in search of a suitable successor. The elder prince was mounted on the back of the elephant and ushered into the palace premises. The one and only daughter of the late king was made to marry the newly elected king. The other brother, the younger prince met a potter who makes clay pots and vases for the royal palace of another kingdom. "Can you help me in making pots?" asked the potter who was busy making various types of pots and vases. "Yes, I certainly can," replied the prince. When he was making pots, the young prince decorated the pots beautifully with a leaf, a factor that was not known by the master potter. Making pots "You look an experienced artist," said the master potter. When the pots and vases were taken to the palace, one of the princesses, the youngest daughter of the king, was so happy that she wanted to find the artist who decorates the pots. But the master did not want to divulge the secret in the first instance. But she went on asking the same question as if she had fallen in love with the decorator. Then the master potter said that there is a certain young man who is still an apprentice, but looks quite skilful, and he is the person who does all these activities. The princess wanted to see the young man, and she went on talking about the skills to her sisters who just scoffed at her saying that 'you have fallen in love with a potter who is just a decorator, and one fine day you will be a potter princess and not a royal princess.' At the same time, the master potter asked the young prince as to whether he likes to see a very young princess who likes his decorations. But the prince said that he hates to go to a royal palace for the fear of the kings and queens. The young prince who worked as a helping hand, too had a fear lurking in his heart, for he thought that he would be victimised at some point. In dismay he left the potter's house and walked further away. Then he saw a certain turmoil, for people were seen crying and making a terrific noise 'What is happening', he asked, some one there is going to be a sacrifice for the demon today and a young man too will be given in sacrifice to the demon as promised by the king of the country and that is why people are crying. The king had promised the demon that he will have an annual sacrificial ritual to the demon by offering two goats, two cows, a cart full of rice and a young man. They are all taken from a particular house and will be taken by the people to be offered at the foot of the demon. "I am not afraid of any demon," said the prince. "Let me be sacrificed, if you don't mind, in place of that young man who looks the same age as I am." People of that kingdom were surprised to see a gallant young man talking in this manner. For a moment they felt happy and discussed among themselves what they should do and what more he wants from them. "Don't ask any more questions, let me sacrifice myself or allow me to kill that demon to whom you offer these sacrifices," said the young prince. Annual sacrificial He obtained a sharp sword from the palace armoury and hid it behind him while he was walking from the place he met them all. Then they were all pacing towards the demon to the place assigned to meet in the jungle. It was the duty of the people to hand over the cart-load of things they brought to the demon, the last item being the young man. While the people were offering the things their brought before the demon, the prince pretended to have tied himself to the tree trunk nearby. "Oh come now, you good for nothing demon and devour me if possible," said the price loudly to the demon who looked ferocious from top to bottom. When the demon looked down with eyes looking down, the prince instantly pulled out the sward hidden behind him and beheaded him. The small group of people who came to offer the promised items on behalf of the king of the country, cheered as loud as possible, seeing how the demon was killed. Demon is killed "At last the demon is killed, and we should thank this stranger, he is our saviour." The young prince turned to them. "Now that is over, and let me go on my way in search of my destiny," said the prince in a casual manner. "We feel that this event should be reported to our king." Then they went to see the king with the young prince who did not want to face the king, in the first instance. The king who listened to the people wanted to know more about the young man who killed the demon. They brought the young man before the king and told him about his gallantry. "I am not afraid of demons, but I dislike some kings and queens," said the prince revealing gradually the truth about his life. The young daughter, the princes who loved the decorated pots and vases was listening to all this talk, discovered who he was and wished to marry him. He then told all about his brother, father, and step mother to the gathering. Then he found the brother ruling in the adjoining kingdom. The reunion of the brothers happened to be a happy event, and the marriage arranged between the youngest daughter and the young prince too was a happy event, and all the rest of the activities were as happy as happy could be. But the world as it looks is full of unhappy and sorrowful moods and events with devils and demons infested to bring disasters to humans. |
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The elder prince told the younger prince who was his brother and both of
them had no mother to look after. The old woman who brings flowers to the
palace too informed the elder prince about a plan on the part of the
step-mother who is the queen at the moment. 
