Monday, July 20, 2015

SHORT STORY: AN INTELLIGENT ENTERTAINER


Copyright@shravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi







AN INTELLIGENT ENTERTAINER

    ‘Where will this road take me to?’ enquired a traveller from a kid who was playing in a narrow lane. Kid replied, ‘excuse me this road will not take you anywhere because it cannot walk.’ And after replying the kid again started playing.

    The traveller who was, otherwise, an intelligent person got quite impressed by the logic of the kid. And on probing he found that the parents of the child were very poor and were even unable to provide him even with basic education. And having come to know about this, the traveller was disappointed that a kid with such an unusual flare and talent is not getting an opportunity to study and increase his skills. He decided to help the kid, when he asked, ‘I want to teach you the secret of knowledge, so would be interested in that. Kid replied, ‘Sir, if I have to pay you money in return the answer is no because I don’t have money.

    The traveller said, ‘to acquire knowledge you don’t require money. All you need to do is visit the temple every night and pray to God and you will be blessed with knowledge, and having said that, he left.

    The kid did exactly as he was told. And happy with his prayers Ma Saraswati (Goddess of learning) gave him darshan and granted him a vardan (blessing). But the kid instead of asking what he wanted as a vardan, had a glimpse of Ma Saraswati and started laughing. Ma Saraswati was surprised at this when she asked, ‘instead of asking for a vardan what is it, that you’re doing?’ The kid in a jovial tone replied, ‘Ma you know I have one nose and two hands. But when I catch cold, and have a running nose, with both my hands I wipe my nose, and in the process I get so tired and irritated. But you have many heads and so many hands. What will happen, if you catch cold, for you will have nothing else to do, but to keep wiping your nose and you will have no time for anything else because you have so many noses. And, just thinking about this, I was laughing, and I’m so lucky to have one nose only.

    Ma Saraswati too could not control herself and started laughing, because what the kid had said was nothing else, but logic. Then Ma Saraswati gave him the vardan to be happy, and also keep others happy, and vanished.

    This child later became the chief entertainer in a King’s court. Many stories and episodes of him are heard even today, and his power of logic, make others laugh.

    The name of this kid was Tenaliram.
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