The Brahmin’s story

Moral of the story – AS YOU SOW, SO SHALL YOU REAP.

Image source – Panchtantra

Long, time ago in a small village there lived a poor Brahmin named Gopi. He could not find enough work to do and sometimes, he and his family had to go without food.

At last Gopi decided to leave his village in search of work. Early next morning, before his wife and children woke up, he left the house. Unsure about his destination, he just walked away. He walked the whole day until he came to a dense jungle. He was tired, thirsty and hungry. While looking around for water to drink, he found a well. He walked upto the well and looked in. To his utter surprise he found a tiger, a monkey, a snake and a man fallen in the well.

Seeing the Brahmin tiger called out for help “O, noble Brahmin, Please help me out, so that I can go back to my family.” Gopi said that “You are a tiger, I am afraid of you. How can I pull you out of this well? How do I know you will not kill me?” “Don’t be afraid of me, my dear man,” replied the Tiger. “I promise I will not do you any harm. Please take pity on me and save my life.”

Image source – Panchtantra

Gopi thought that “It is always good to be kind to others.” He searched for a rope around and pulled the tiger out. Tiger thanked him and said, ” I’m Shersingh. I live in a cave across the mountain. I shall be most delighted if you could visit me someday. Perhaps I could repay my debt to you.”
Gopi then heard monkey calling for help. He at once pulled the monkey out. Monkey thanked him and said, “My name is Bali and if you are ever in need of food, just stop by at my place. It is just below that big mountain.” Same way Gopi pulled the snake out of the well. Snake thanked him and said that “Remember, if you are ever in any difficulty, just call out my name – Nagesh, and wherever you are, I shall find you.”

Image source – Panchtantra

Before leaving tiger, monkey and the snake thanked Gopi once again, and warned him about the man in the well. “Please do not help him, if you do,you will be in trouble yourself.”
As soon as they left, man in the well began to call out. Gopi felt sorry for the man and pulled him out of the well. Man introduced himself as Seth Amirchand and said,” I am a goldsmith. I live in the nearby city . If you ever need my help, don’t hesitate to visit my house.”

After some time, Brahmin continued his journey. But luck was against him. He couldn’t find work. In the end he thought it would be best if he killed himself. He made up his mind to jump into the river and drown. But then he remembered his friends, Shersingh the Tiger, Bali the monkey, Nagesh the snake, and Seth the goldsmith. He thought it was time to seek their help.

Image source – Panchtantra

First he decided to visit Bali, the monkey. Monkey was overjoyed to see him. He gave him a warm welcome and offered him some really delicious fruits.

Now Gopi wanted to see how Shersingh, would treat him. Bali showed him the way to Shersingh’s cave. As soon as Shersingh saw Gopi coming, he ran out to welcome him. He had not forgotten the Brahmin who saved his life.

Shersingh gave Gopi a beautiful gold necklace and other precious jewelry and said “Take this, my dear friend, as a small token of my gratitude and respect.” Gopi thanked Shersingh for the jewelry and parted.

Image source – Panchtantra

His journey had at last brought him luck. He thought, he should sell the ornaments for a good price and then return home with that money. But who could help him to sell the ornaments?

He then remembered Seth Amirchand, the goldsmith. He went to him. Goldsmith was glad to see Gopi. “What brings you here?” he asked. “I have come to ask for your help, Here are some ornaments. Please give me a good price for them” replied Gopi.Seth Amirchand took the jewelry and examined it carefully. 

Image source – Panchtantra

“I shall certainly help you,” he said. “But let me show them to another goldsmith. Please wait here.”Goldsmith called out to his wife and asked her to look after the Brahmin. He then went out with the ornaments. Seth at once rushed to the King’s Palace. He saluted the king and said “Your Majesty, a Brahmin named Gopi brought these ornaments and asked me to sell them. But they are the same ornaments I made for the Prince who is missing. So I told this man to wait in my house and came here to show them to you.” “Who is this man? Where is he?” thundered the King. “This man must have murdered my little Prince and robbed his jewels!” King called for his most dreaded soldiers and said “Arrest the Brahmin who is in goldsmith’s house and throw him into the darkest dungeons of my kingdom!”

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King’s guard stormed into goldsmith’s house and seized Gopi. Brahmin could not understand what was going on. “Why are you doing this? What have I done?” he questioned the guards.

Soldiers said that “You have dared to kill our young Prince and stole his jewels,You will certainly be put to death for this great crime.”

Gopi was thrown into a dark dungeon. He then remembered words of Nagesh, the snake he had pulled out of the well. So he called out to the snake. Suddenly, almost like magic, Nagesh, slithered his way down a narrow window into the dingy cell.

Image source – Panchtantra

Seeing him Gopi cried and said “Please help me, I have been sentenced to death for a crime I did not commit.” Gopi narrated the whole incident to the snake. After listening to his story Nagesh explained Gopi his plan,”I shall creep into Queen’s room and bite her. She will faint. No matter what they do, she will remain asleep and the poison will remain in her body until you place you hand on her forehead.” 

He then left Gopi and went to the palace. He crept into the Queen’s room and bit her and the Queen fainted. The sad news that the Queen had been bitten by a snake spread all over the Kingdom. 

King declared that anyone who could cure the Queen would be handsomely rewarded. Hakims and doctors came from far and near, but their medicines had no effect. No one could revive the Queen. Finally,Many people went to the palace to cure the Queen but all of them failed.

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Hearing this Gopi shouted, “I can cure the Queen.”At once the guards took him to the palace and King took him to the Queen. Snake’s poison had turned her blue. Gopi sat beside the Queen and placed his hand on her forehead. Soon, she opened her eyes and sat up. There was joy throughout the land. King was overjoyed and shed tears of happiness. He embraced Gopi and thanked him.

Seeing this Gopi said, “Your Majesty, I was sent to prison for a crime I did not commit.” “What do you mean?” inquired the King.Gopi narrated him the whole story. King was fuming with rage when he heard what that cunning goldsmith had done. He at once had the goldsmith arrested. 

King was sorry that Gopi was falsely accused of murder and robbery. He then rewarded him with a large house and a thousand pieces of gold. Gopi sent for his family and they all lived happily ever after.