Kids Short Story – A Hunt
Photo credit: mnp from morguefile.com
In those days, raja Shivaprasad was ruling in the East India. Swapnil was very newly appointed as the prime minister of the raja. He was doing fine in advising raja in many matters and helping him reach success gradually. However one thing Swapnil dint like that of raja, and wanted to stop, was his hunting. Swapnil knew that its really a crime to shoot the innocent animals and take the pleasure of hunting. Swapnil knew that he could not stop the raja by only requesting him and that he has to play some trick to do this. So he started waiting for the time to come next, when he would be going to hunt with the raja.
As known, one such day came when the raja decided to go for some hunting, an irregular hobby of his. So few horses and elephants were taken to carry some people of raja, who would just be appreciating the raja at the time of his hunting. Other than this, many body guards were also taken and the raja himself rode on a horse. Since Swapnil was his prime minister and his interference in raja’s almost all work was expected, he also was supposed to go. So he took another horse and went along with the raja for hunting.
All the way, Swapnil was just still thinking of how he could stop raja from hunting today and for ever as well. As and when they reached, the raja decided to hunt only birds for that day. All took their individual position, as they usually do when the raja comes for hunting. They used to come in this same place and the faces also were common with whom the raja came that day, except one and only Swapnil. Some were ready to advise the raja for a better tip, some to appreciate and some to just enjoy. Swapnil took a position very near the raja so that he could implement his trick he has thought of by that time.
Raja with help of one of his bodyguard, loaded his rifle and then holding it in his two hands just above his shoulder with the trigger almost touching his cheeks and closing his one eye, the one away from the rifle, he started pointing at the sky and rotating to find for a bird. Very soon he was able to find a pigeon coming near them. Swapnil knew that raja would be targeting that bird only. Raja became attentive. His finger touched the trigger. And then just as he was about to press it, suddenly Swapnil screamed, “Maharaja!!!”, to distract his tip and save the bird from getting fired.
The raja’s tip also as expected got distracted with the sudden scream and the bird escaped. The raja immediately put down his rifle. He knew it was Swapnil who called him while he was targeting instead of keeping the expected silence and allow him to shoot his prey. The raja got disappointed very much with Swapnil and had no more mood for shooting any more. He quickly set off for returning back to palace.
After reaching there, raja went to his court directly and ordered all other to come along with him. Once they were all seated in the court, he called upon Swapnil and said, “Swapnil, you had been very generous and helpful to all that I do and love to do. Similarly I love to hunt. But today again its because of you that I remained unsatisfied from being able to fulfill one of my dreams. Now you need to explain me the reason why you screamed and distracted my tip. If your reason is good enough, then you would be left free, else just like it would have been for anyone else here, and without your role getting the priority, you would be sentenced to death. What I could do to you at the most is give you one night of time to think and expect you to come and let me know the reason tomorrow morning here in this court.
For others I would have not even given this much of time. Its not important when you are appointed, but only expected that since you are serving as my prime minister, you should be well aware of all those things I like and then only start serving me.”
Everyone left the court. Swapnil thought for the whole night. He knew that if he’s going to tell the original reason, he would still be punished as he has to first convince the raja for not hunting anymore and then go tell his reason. So he needed to tell something else.
The next day morning, raja’s court as usual again started at 10 AM. The first thing raja did was to call upon Swapnil to listen to his reason, he was ordered to think and frame the last day.
Swapnil came, bowed to the raja and seeing raja raising his hand to bless, continued, “Maharaja, I am sorry. I was unable to think any such reason you told me to, to save my life. I would happily accept your sentence of death to me. But now since I am going to die, would you please listen to my last wish?”
Raja again putting his hands up asked him to continue.
Swapnil said, “Maharaja, my last wish is to ask you few questions. Would you please be kind enough to let me ask those and you in turn answering those?”
Raja again asked him to continue.
Swapnil said, “Maharaja, suppose one day one muslim goes to a jungle. When he walks, an ant bites him in his leg. So what would the muslim utter in instant pain?”
Raja after recollecting some of his experiences with his muslim men in pain, told, “Allah!!!”
Swapnil said, “Okay then what would a Christian utter if the same thing happens with him?”
Raja again recollecting told, “Jesus!!!”
Swapnil then said, “So Maharaja, one muslim would say Allah, because from birth he has known Allah only to be his savior. So in his subconsciousness only he utters that. Similarly in case of the Christian also, since he has known Jesus to be his savior from birth, he would utter HIS name subconsciously. So then Maharaj, when I from my birth has known your name to be my savior or my life snatcher, as you would be doing now to me, what do you expect me to utter then in that same situation?”
Maharaja became extremely impressed with Swapnil’s answer and not only cancelled his sentence of death to him, but also promised to satisfy one of Swapnil’s wish.
Swapnil then said, “So Maharaj, when we all, in pain, call our saviors in subconscious mind and also get saved most of the times, did you ever think, whom would these innocent animals call and since they cant, they would die by your fired bullet?”
Maharaj understood and as he promised to keep one wish of Swapnil and Swapnil’s wish was indirectly for him to stop hunting, he didn’t hunt after then anymore.
__END__
