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| Sunday, 19 September 2004 |
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Sunday parable The golden pumpkin by Sunanda Mahendra "Do you know what this is called ?" the farmer who held a big pumpkin in his hands asked his wife "Why? It's pumpkin." said the farmer's wife.
"What are you going to do with it ?" she asked. "What do you think I am going to do?" "I don't know". "I am going to give this as a gift of honour to our King." "But the King has his own royal pumpkins". "No I am pretty sure that the King will like to taste this particular type, for it's the only kind of pumpkin found in this whole kingdom." That was good news for the farmer's wife, for she thought that the King had everything he needed. "Mind you," said the Farmer. "I have not paid any courtesy calls for sometime to the palace. It's our duty to see the King." "What will the King give you in return ?" asked the farmer's wife. "I don't want anything in return. If I get the goodwill that's sufficient, for this King is very good. Furthermore, he will hand this over to the Queen, and she in turn will hand it over to the royal cook, and they will all have a hearty meal." "Do you have more pumpkins in the field?" asked the farmer's wife. "Yes. There's one more, and it will mature in a few days time." "Let's offer that to the temple." "Certainly." During the early hours of the morning, the farmer paid a visit to the royal palace. The King was seated in a meditative mood. "Good day to you Great Majesty," said the farmer. "Good day to you farmer of my Kingdom, what brought you here ?" "I have a precious gift for you Great Majesty." "A great gift ? what's that ?" "This is the first golden pumpkin to come out from my field. So I thought it's an honour to gift it to you." The farmer in great respect gifted the golden pumpkin to the King. "Thank you" said the King and thought for a while. "What can I give you in return ?" "Your goodwill is sufficient your honour". "No. The goodwill is there. But accept this bag of gold coins." The King handed over a bag of hundred gold coins, which was a surprise to the farmer. "May you live long," said the farmer accepting the bag of gold coins. Then he left the royal palace, went swiftly to his wife and told her about the amazing event of the day. She felt so happy to hear the good news. "The pumpkin is not worth a single gold coin," "said the farmer. "But it's not the gold coins that matter," said the wife. "It's the goodwill on the part of the King." "Let's use this gold coins to build our house and to educate our son," said the farmer. There was another farmer who was not in good terms with the farmer who grew golden pumpkins. He got wind of what happened, at the royal palace. The following day the neighbouring farmer's cow gave birth to a calf. "If the King can give hundred gold coins to a worthless pumpkin, he ought to give more gold coins for this calf," thought the second farmer. "I am going to give this new born calf as a gift to our King," said the farmer to his wife, who was by now dreaming of bringing up the calf. "But what can a King do with a calf?" she asked. "Don't talk nonsense," said the farmer. "It's not the calf that matters. It's the gift in turn from the King that matters." "Alright, alright do whatever you like." The following morning, the second farmer went to the royal palace with the new born calf. As usual the King was in a pensive mood. "Oh you have come to see me with a calf today. How very nice to see you," said the King. "This is my new born calf. So I thought it's the ideal present to Your Honour. Please accept it." "Thank you, but what can I give you in return ?" The farmer kept silent. Then the King went into the royal chamber and brought out the golden pumpkin he received the day before. "This is a good gift in turn for you," said the King handing over the golden pumpkin. "Oh" the farmer reluctantly said. "Thank-y-o-u-m-y-h-o-nour." "Thank you for the calf." I will get somebody to look after it," said the King. |
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The farmer smiled and said in a proud tone. "This is not just an
ordinary pumpkin. This is a golden pumpkin (ran puhula)".
