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| Sunday, 19 December 2004 |
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The value of salt Sunday parable by Sunanda Mahendra Once there lived a king who had three daughters. All three were quite fond of him and they showed signs of affection. He wanted this affection from his countrymen and courtiers too. So whenever he met a person he would always ask one question.
"Yes Your Highness." That person would say. Then the king felt happy and thought that all the people in the kingdom were alike. "In that case I would give you anything you want from me, what do you want?" "I don't want anything. I want you to rule until I pass away from this life." "So I see that you like me as a king and it is my duty to reward you". Then the king gave him a bag of gold coins. But beyond all this, he wanted the affection of his three daughters.So he called them one by one and asked a question that was close to his heart. In the first instance, he called his eldest daughter and asked her. "How much do you love me and tell me what your affection to me is like?" She began thinking as to how she was going to show her love and affection. Then after much thought she replied. "My dear father, my love for you is like the vast sky above and the sky is so vast, that it is unfathomable. My love for you is like that and so how can I show you my affection?" The king was so happy and said. "My dear eldest daughter, those words are so pleasing to my ear that I can live several more years to come and I will never ever forget those words." She was given in marriage to a very rich prince. Then came the second daughter's turn to see her father. "Come closer to me, my second daughter and tell me how much you love me and tell me how very affectionate you are." The second daughter also knew all about her father's mannerisms and wanted to please him in the best manner possible. "My great father, this is how I can express my love towards you." Began the second daughter, while the king was keenly listening. "Oh my great father, my love and affection to you could only be compared to the unfathomable great ocean, full of precious gems and gold." The king was once again pleased. "You are a wonderful daughter. I am so pleased that I can live many more years." She was also given in marriage to a very rich prince. Then finally he called his youngest daughter to his side and asked the same question. "Tell me how much do you love me and show me the extent in your words." She was, in the first instance, quite plain in her expression. "Oh father you are not just a king but you are my father. So I am your dear daughter. I love you in the manner a daughter loves her father."At this expression of the youngest daughter the king was worried. "I don't want to hear that kind of kindness, love or affection from you, but I want to know the extent to which you love me" The youngest daughter was innocent and she said. "My dear father, all I can say is that I love you to the extent I love salt." "What do you mean?" Roared the king angrily. "So you are comparing the love you have towards me to worthless salt. Are you?" "Yes father dear. You are so precious." "How dare you say compare your love for me to salt, of all things. Salt may be of value to you. Salt is so valuable to you and that's the affection you have towards me. I am very angry. Get off from this place and I don't want to talk to you further. See that I will never give anything worth in this palace to you." The youngest daughter was quite sad and cried in a lonely place. As time passed by, the king had to give the youngest daughter in marriage to someone. But he was so angry that he did not care to look at the face of his youngest daughter. One day it so happened that a beggar approached the royal palace and begged the king to give him something to exist in his kingdom." "Do you like to get married to my daughter?" The king asked the beggar. "I don't mind." Answered the beggar indifferently. Then the king summoned his daughter and gave her in marriage to the beggar. But it should be understood that this was a sweet punishment for the daughter as she was waiting for the chance to get out of the palace. The beggar, who appeared before the king was in reality, was not a beggar, but a prince from another kingdom. But he disguised himself as a beggar and wanted to observe life around him. This fact he revealed to the princess and comforted her. The princess was surprised, but she was determined to help her husband reach the position of a king. So she told her husband that they should live independently with the bare necessities. As the husband agreed they led the life of a farmer and his wife and not as a well-to-do rich man and woman. They tilled the land and had a bumper harvest. They worked hard and lived happily. They were rich farmers who were known to the whole kingdom. One day it so happened that the king was going from place to place. The princess who was now a farmer's wife wanted to invite the king to her house for dinner. A grand dinner was arranged and the king was ushered into the farmer's house. A Number of golden bowls full of delicious food was served. The king sat at a special table, while the courtiers were given other places to sit. The king wanted to taste the food, one by one, but he found that the dishes though nicely cooked were saltless. He tried one after another and found that all the food was saltless and without flavour. The king was angry and asked the farmer's wife. "What's wrong with this food?" "Why Your Highness what do you want?" "I want some salt, these dishes are saltless" "Do you think that salt is so precious?" "Yes certainly how can you enjoy food without salt?" "Then can you make me out?" "Are you not the farmer's wife?" "Yes but can't you see that I am your youngest daughter?" "Oh my god I now remember what you told me. Forgive me my darling daughter." "Let me bring you some salt to indicate that I still love you in the same way that I love salt, out of all the precious things on earth." Then the king declared that the husband of the youngest daughter, who was disguised as a beggar and later tilled the earth should be his successor or heir to the throne. |
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