Knowledge saves one’s life | 5 min bed time story
A king named John was ruling a country. His people lived happily without fear or worry because he always ruled with justice and fairness.
The king used to wear a disguise to monitor the activities of the natives. As he disguised himself, he saw a ploughman ploughing a field on the way. Seeing him, the disguised king greeted him, “May the Almighty God grant you good strength and long life.”
The farmer looked at the disguised king and said, “Thank you very much for the love you show me” . “How much income do you earn on this land?” the disguised king asked the ploughman.
The farmer replied, “One hundred silver coins a month”. “What are you doing with that amount?” asked the king.
He enigmatically said, “I pay one-fifth as tax to the king. Another part I take on debt. Another part I give on loan. I threw away the fourth part. I spend the last part on myself.”
Hearing this, the disguised king did not understand anything. He removed his disguise. Knowing that it was the king who had spoken to him so far, the ploughman bowed to him humbly.
“I understand your answer is to tax and the rest spend for yourself. What else do you mean the rest?” asked the king.
The ploughman replied, “I spend a share of my income on my parents. I owe it to them who brought me up.” That’s what I told I spend on debts
I spend another part of my income on my son. He is the one who will save me later. So, I said I would give it on loan.
I spent the fourth share of my income on my daughter. In any case, she has to get married and live in another man’s house. So I said I will throw that cost in the street.
The king was pleased to hear the ploughman’s answer. Your intelligence is very good. “You must not give this explanation to anyone without me. If you do, there will be no life in your body,” he said and left.
The king came to the palace and told everyone the riddle he heard and asked for an explanation. No one could explain it. The king announced that whoever could explain this puzzle would be rewarded with a thousand gold coins.
One of the ministers found out who had told the king this riddle. The minister went straight to this ploughman.
“Tell me the explanation of the riddle that you gave to the king, I will give you these five hundred gold coins that are newly made at the King’s palace,” said the minister.
Seeing the gold coins with dazzling light, the ploughman thought that he could overcome the king anyway and gave the explanation of the riddle and got the gold coins.
On returning to the palace, the minister went directly to the king and explained the riddle. Knowing that the ploughman had answered the riddle to the minister, the king ordered his guards to drag the ploughman to the palace.
Seeing the ploughman, who was brought to the court, the king angrily asked, “How dare you?. I had ordered you that You must not tell anyone the explanation of that riddle without me. If you tell, your life will be lost. But you have disobeyed my order, let’s see who is going to save your life now.”
Then the ploughman looked at the king and said, “O king, listen to me. He said humbly that there is nothing wrong with me”.
The king replied, “Didn’t I say that you should not tell anyone the answer to this riddle without me?” he shouted.
Immediately the ploughman showed the king the gold coins given by the minister and said, “These gold coins have your image engraved on one side. It was only after seeing this that I replied to the minister.
So I explained the riddle by keeping you near to me. I have not disobeyed your orders in any way.”
Knowing the knowledge of the ploughman, the king sent him many gifts. It was his knowledge that saved the life of the ploughman.
Moral : Knowledge is one’s greatest wealth. It will help him in time. So everyone should improve their knowledge.