He has lost everything! Frustrated and annoyed with failure, the young man named Rana set off towards the forest hoping to find solace in death.
Every attempt resulted in failure. He lost all his money because the crops failed due to torrid weather. When Rana tried to nurture his cattle, the animals died for no reason. He was annoyed with the way life treated him.
Soon, Rana reached a swamp and decided to drown himself. As he was an excellent swimmer, he opined that a river wouldn’t kill him for he might swim out of it due to his survival instincts.
“This swamp should be the best place for me,” he murmured.
When he was about to jump in to it, a strong hand pulled him back. Rana turned to see an old man with white beard standing in front of him. He appeared to be a sage with wisdom oozing in his eyes. He smiled.
“Now, what!” Rana angrily glared back at the old man.
“I sense you have a prosperous future, my young lad. If my vision is right, you are going to become the king of this land tomorrow,” the old man said with genuine interest.
“Oh, really…” asked Rana with mockery high in his voice.
“How do you propose to make me the king?”
“Not me. Not me, my lad,” the old man continued, “This herbal grass here will take you to your rightful place.”
“Keep it safe,” he handed it over to Rana and before he could utter a word, the old man walked away.
“Keep it safe,” his voice echoed through the forest.
“What will I do with grass?” “Crap,” even frustrated than earlier, Rana made up his mind to walk into the forest. His conscience thought different this time around.
Before he could cross a mile, a group of bandits blocked his path. “Wish, I had a knife than this useless grass,” he mumbled to himself.
One of the gang members searched Rana’s body and said, “He carries nothing except a grass,” in a disappointed know. The bandits left without harming him for they considered him to be too puny to attack.
Hours passed and Rana felt extremely hungry. “Wish I had a bow and arrow to hunt my meal. This grass seems of no good use,” he cursed his bad luck and continued to walk.
After walking few miles, Rana heard heavy footsteps and cries of despair. He rushed to the spot to find a royal hunt party gathered around the princess. The beautiful young lady was unconscious and her leg was wounded.
He walked towards the group when he heard the chief physician talking to the king. The king was deep in sorrow and cursed himself for taking the royal family through the dangerous forest.
“Unless, I can get the herbal grass, I can hardly help the princess, your majesty,” the chief physician declared.
“Herbal grass, doesn’t that sound familiar?” Rana thought as his hands fumbled into his pocket. He handed it over to the physician. “Would this help?”
Delighted, the physicians set to work and soon, the princess woke up. The king was extremely happy and as for Rana, the old man’s prophecy became real.
He stood speechless in the middle of the forest with the royal party, unable to believe his change of fate. When he was still dazed with the incident, he spotted a faint glow of light as the old man stood at a safe distant, smiling mischievously at Rana.
Rana smiled back.
***
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