Kids Short Story – Killer Fruit
Photo credit: colossus from morguefile.com
That time raja Abhimunya was ruling. Swapnil was his prime minister. Swapnil not only helped and acted as an adviser to all that Raja used to do, but also was known for his extreme wisdom.
All was going fine when suddenly raja one day thought of fooling Swapnil. All were present in the court except Swapnil, who was yet to come. Raja quickly intimated to all present in the court about his decision of playing fowl with Swapnil. All agreed thinking of the entertainment they would get to see, seeing Swapnil getting fooled for the first time ever. They all understood raja’s plan, laughed and started waiting for Swapnil to come.
As and when a person resembling Swapnil entered the court, the raja immediately without letting him even take his seat, pointing at him, started, “Swapnil, there’s a problem man, and I want you to solve that for me. Very recently people here have started noticing a new fruit coming up in a new tree of a very new species, not seen around yet till now. Now you know fruits are always delicious to eat. But the shape, form and look of the fruit is terrible and everyone is scaring to eat that. They all doubt whether that fruit is at all a poison to be eaten or not. So would you please be kind enough to eat and taste that for us and then let us know whether it is poisonous and that we should not eat the same or not?”
The person with a very sad look on his face quickly told, “Maharaj, actually its very unfortunate to tell that you have mistakened me. I am not Swapnil but his twin brother, came today itself from another part of India. I since am a prime minister of some other raja, so requested Swapnil, not to disclose that he has a twin brother to you all. So I also personally din’t come here ever before, nor he went to my place. But now I was bound to come.
Swapnil as you know was always at his toes to keep a watch on every bit that is happening in this state. So in similar manner in recent past, I dont know whether you all really meant this or not, but truely he indeed got to find one new fruit in one new tree. Before everyone comes to know and try to taste that without knowing its impact, he only tried to eat and taste the same. To that it poisoned his throat and then the poison mixed with his blood in his whole body and he died. Hearing this news only I was bound to come to see and arrange a funeral ceremony for his body and then do last rites in his name and also at the same time inform you the first about this today. While he was tasting he had only one witness watching him from behind a tree far away who informed me about all these.”
Hearing this the raja almost jumped off his chair one feet above and busted into cry after coming near Swapnil and hugging him. Raja was tensed and said,
“O no!! I never knew Swapnil was such a fool. Why did he go to taste that himself to save others. He could have found out some other way to discover this. And now he has somewhat committed suicide. He never thought how would my days go without him, without his help and advice in every matters of mine. Where would I get a person like him?”
Swapnil just patting on raja’s back and helping him recover from the sudden sorrow continued, “So Maharaj, if you are really so worried of his death, so does that not mean that how much you love him, how much help you get from him? And if that is true, how could you push that Swapnil only into such a danger of tasting a fruit which noone knows whether is a poisonous to eat or not. Could you not have sat with him and asked him only for an alternative solution? Dont worry Maharaja, its a promise, this Swapnil would never go anywhere leaving you. I am only Swapnil.”
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