Social Short Story – Boon Magic
Short Story Social – Boon Magic
Photo credit: diana_s from morguefile.com
Once Swapnil was returning home. His shop was quite a long distance away from his small hut. He used to walk all this distance to home. But today it was a bit different. It was a hot sunny day and sun was almost whipping him black and blue. He was thirsty and was too tired. On the road from his home to his shop or the other way round, he had had to cross a long jungle. He thought of taking rest and a small nap sitting under one of the trees in that jungle only. It was noon time. So he thought of waking up early evening once the sun becomes a bit dim and would set for his home.
He chose one huge banyan tree to lie under it and fulfil his wish of rest and nap. He was not only tired of his tough work and thirst, but also of all his tensions at home. He has his wife, a son and one sister at home waiting for him. He has some responsibilities towards them. His sister has to get married, his son has to get good education. He has almost forgotten since when his wife is asking for a sari in vain. His small income doesn’t just permit him to step towards these responsibilities. May be because of this he was so tired mentally even that he immediately fell asleep.
He was just swinging from front to back in the midst of his nap, when suddenly in one of his such motion he struck the branch of the tree very hard. With this he got angry, got up and shouted and cursed the tree. Hearing his loud voice a giant who used to stay on that tree got disturbed during his nap.
The giant immediately, red with anger, came down. In the meantime, Swapnil who also got hurt hitting the tree so hard, sat down again and was rubbing his head to get some relief. Seeing that huge giant he got scared very much.
He was standing up slowly, when the giant said, “Whoever comes I give them a lot. I am known for my kind heart. But see, you also came and I would have had given you too a lot of gifts, however your way and time of calling me was not good. You could have come some other time and had not disturbed me taking my usual nap during this time. I am annoyed with you. But still again since I have a kind heart and that you came to get something from me, and myself being aware of your poverty, I would just give you one and only one boon unlike what I do to others. Ask what do you want?”
Swapnil thought that the giant is so angry that if he now tells that he din’t shout at the tree to wake him up then gradually with some more discussions the giant might come to know that he din’t come for him and then he might not even give that single boon which he agreed to give. But again what would he want?
He has to do so many things. Money wont do all the things and he also has no idea how much to ask for. Money is like you need more than what you get. So very surely one time a bunch wont stay long. So it would have been better if he would have got that whenever he needed. Moreover that wont be fulfilled in one boon. Also he want good husband for his sister, his son to become very intelligent well educated which again he might not get even if he has money. Also so many things, which would he ask for, leaving which one? Then what could he ask for? Then suddenly he played one trick.
He quickly told the giant, “Give me two boons. This is what I want in return of the one boon you wished to give me. Now again in return of those two boons I asked just now, I want 10000 rupees for one boon and for the other I want two more boons. Like this it would continue.”
The giant knew he was witted and he said “Jo hukum!!!”
__END__
