THE QUEEN’S CONDUCT

THE QUEEN’S CONDUCT

If beauty is a gift from God,
So is the age.
But both at logger heads
Makes the bearer at loss.
So are the ways of life,
One bright and another dark.

Ooooo---- whistled the wind, the tress danced hither and thither and made wild patterns in the shadows made in the pale moonlight. Eyes of the wild cats shone like torches from between the foliage. Roars and grunts of wild animals filled the air like a wild music. Even the bravest of brave would fear to tread through the thick forest in such a night. But king Vikramaditya knew no fear. Intend on his purpose he walked erect with his sword in hand and approached the ancient tree to take hold of the corpse as instructed by his ascetic guru.

No sooner had he taken the corpse on his shoulder and advanced few steps, the vetal - vampire who possessed the corpse became alive and said `O! Righteous king, I know not why you repeatedly undertake this perilous task. Is it for you or for a friend who is dear to you? Here hear, I will tell you the story where at times respecting the wishes of a friend one may change one’s own opinion.’
The story will relieve you of the tedious journey ahead.

In the banks of Godavari was the kingdom Chandan puri. The king sanjiv ruled the kingdom with fair means. His dear wife and queen of the kingdom was Damayanthi. Enchantingly beautiful she looked like an apostle right from the heaven. Her firm ivory skin, chistled features and a form worthy of Goddesses kept everybody mesmerized. The king was completely enamored by her beauty and rose to fulfill every wish of the pretty lady.

Two fine craftsmen were appointed to aid the queen in her sringar. One a fine weaver who made beautiful brocades and silks embroidered delicately and interwoven with gold, silver and pearls. Another a goldsmith who made exquisite finely designed jewellery the like of which nobody could replicate. Both the craftsman used to prepare choice items for the queen’s birthday, their year round toil, and presented it to the queen. The king pleased with their workmanship presented them handsome gifts on such occasions. The queen paraded them on her birthday while the whole gentry of the country assembled to wish the queen and also to have a look at the fine workman ship. Years rolled by and this routine continued.

Now the king had a very close childhood friend named Dhanush kodi. When ever the king had an important work or major decision to be made the king always confided to his friend and spoke to him in detail about his thinking. His friend Danush Kodi was a man of few words. He always heard the king attentively with a wise expression but rarely commented back. But the king continued to confide in his friend.

One day the chief minister of the king asked `Sir, I am curious to know, kindly excuse my impudence in asking you, I find you always confide in your friend your problems but rarely I found your friend discuss with you.’

The king replied`Dhanush kodi is my childhood friend, he understands me well. The expressions in his face are enough for they convey to me what he thinks about the issue. Our understanding of each other is very perfect. He is a man of few words but if only he finds anything wrong in me he will surely speak out.’

Meanwhile the tradition of presenting the queen with the finely crafted silk and jewelry continued. That year as usual both the craftsmen brought their items and presented to the queen. However the queen was not satisfied with them and rejected it. The king asked them to make things afresh. The weaver and the goldsmith went back put all their skills and made new items and again presented to the queen. This time too the queen showed her dissatisfaction and sends them back. The craftsmen were at their titers end. They pooled in once again all their talent and made more precious items and presented to the queen. Third time too they failed to bring any pleasure in he. She rejected them telling they are not all that good.

The king pondered over this, he felt the craftsmen have become old and they’re loosing their workmanship and skill. He decided to retire them paying them off handsomely and employ young fresh men for the job.

The king summoned the artisans and told `I had been so far happy with your service. But I find now your work does not measure up to the standards. Hence I would like you both to retire with the gifts I am here offering you. Hearing that both artisans kept quiet and hung their head in shame.

Danush kodi who was passing that way over heard the king’s verdict. He intervened and told the king ` Majesty what you tell about the age is true. But it is not the fault of the artisans. Their skill has not lessened. Hence you can’t blame them or punish them for no fault of theirs. You think calmly and you will understand the situation.’

The king as he respected his friend’s word halted his orders to sack the craftsmen, though he did not fathom the format of his friends’ words.
He went to the queen’s chamber and repeated to her the words of his friend. The queen heard them out calmly. She stood rooted in contemplation for some time. Suddenly her eyes brimmed with tears, she told `My lord, I have erred in my judgment. You please call the artisans back. I would like to accept all the things they had made which previously I had rejected. I also want them to be properly honored.

The king carried out the orders of his wife .He called the craftsmen back to the court and honored them.

The Vetal finished the story as such and addressed the King vikramaditya, O! Wise king, blessed with knowledge wisdom and nobility, you are sure to understand the words of the kings friend Danush kodi which the king could not fathom. Tell me what did his friend mean when he told age sure is the factor but still you cant blame the artisans. And what the queen understood that she shed copious tears and accepted the rejected items.

Knowingly if you keep quiet or err in your judgment you as I warn you will embrace a cruel fate and your head will roll of off from our torso. Hence come forth and answer me spelling the cause of their actions.

Vikramaditya was as usual having his wits in alertness, he told ` The king Sanjiv commented it was advancing age which made the craftsmen loose their skills and were not able to satisfy the queen.

But his friend when he heard it, agreed to the age factor.

What he could see was the queen was advancing in years. Hence what suited her before was not giving the same effect. It was wrong to hold the craftsmen responsible. Since there skill had not diminished. With constant application and practice it could have only improved.

When the king repeated this to the queen, she immediately understood the import of those words. She realised painfully it was her age that was the cause of dissatisfaction in the work and the work cannot be held resposible. The reminder of her advancing age made her cry thinking about the impermanence of beauty.

As soon as the Vetal heard the king speak the correct words, he flew out of his hand and once again giving him a slip.