In the Kingdom of Fools Class 9 Question Answer
Textbook Questions:
Think about it
Question 1.
What are the two strange things the guru and his disciple find in the Kingdom of Fools?
मूखों के राज्य में गुरु तथा उसके चेले को कौन-सी दो अजीब बातें मिलती हैं?
Answer:
The first thing was that when they arrived in the Kingdom of Fools, it was broad daylight still everyone, even the cattle were sleeping. No shop was open. They could not get anything to eat till sunset when the shops opened, people woke up and started doing their jobs. The second strange thing was that everything rice, banana or ghee had uniform rates. You could get anything for one duddu.
Question 2.
Why does the disciple decide to stay in the Kingdom of Fools? Is it a good idea?
शिष्य मूर्यो के राज्य में ठहरने का निश्चय क्यों करता है ? क्या यह अच्छा विचार है?
Answer:
Disciple’s love for cheap, and good food makes him decide to stay in the Kingdom of Fools.
No, I don’t think it is a good idea. It is dangerous to live with fools. You never know what they will do to you next. Moreover, it is not sure that everything will remain to cheap for ever. Whimsical (moody) persons can change anything, anytime.
Question 3.
Name all the people who are tried in the King’s court, and give the reasons for their trial.
उन सब व्यक्तियों के नाम बताओ जिन्हें दरबार में मुकद्दमें के लिए बुलाया जाता है और उन पर मुकद्दमे का कारण भी बताओ।
Answer:
A number of persons were called in the court for trial. First of all the merchant whose wall collapsed causing thief’s death was called for getting such a weak wall constructed. He put the blame on the mason who built the wall. The mason was called. He told that his attention was diverted by a dancing girl who kept on going up and down the street. So the fault was of the dancing girl.
The dancing girl when called, put the blame on the goldsmith who made her walk up and down the street several times making false promises. The goldsmith passed on the blame to the rich merchant who had ordered to make jewellery for him urgently. This merchant happened to be the same whose wall had collapsed and killed the thief. So, he was called again and sentenced to be hanged.
Question 4.
Who is the real culprit according to the king? Why does he escape punishment?
राजा के अनुसार असली अपराधी कौन है? वह राजा से कैसे बच जाता है?
Answer:
According to the king, the rich merchant whose wall collapsed and killed the thief, was the real culprit. He escaped punished because he was too thin to fit in the newly made stake.
Question 5.
What are the Guru’s words of wisdom? When does the disciple remember them?
गुरु की बुद्धिमत्ता के शब्द क्या थे? शिष्य ने यह कब महसूस किया?
Answer:
The guru is wise and experienced. He tells his disciple that it is not safe to live with whimsical and foolish people. One never knows what they would do to you next. But the food-greedy disciple does not listen to his wise guru, stays on in the Kingdom of Fools. He enjoys good, cheap food and gets fat.
The merchant who is to be executed is too thin to fit in the stake. The king orders his men to search a fat man whose neck will fit in the stake. The king’s men take the disciple who had grown fat and is the right man to fit in the stake. The disciple pleads that he is innocent and has done no crime then why he is taken for execution, but no one listens to him. It is then that he remembers his guru’s words and realize his folly.
Question 6.
How does the guru manage to save his disciple’s life?
गुरु अपने शिष्य की जिन्दगी कैसे बचाता है?
Answer:
The disciple was brought for execution only because he was fat enough to fit in the stake. He remembered his guru who arrived at once. He whispered a plan in the disciple’s ears. Both started quarrelling to be executed first. This puzzled the king. He asked the reason for their quarrel. The guru told him the secret that whosoever would die first on the reborn as minister. He also told the king that they were tired of living as ascetic and wanted to live a luxurious life.
The foolish king was trapped in the guru’s trick. He told about the mystery of dying on the stake to his minister. Both never wanted to let any other persons to rule their kingdom. So, they disguised themselves as guru and disciple who were set free while they themselves got executed.
Thus the disciple was saved by the guru’s clever trick.
IV. Very Important Examination Questions:
I. Extract-based Objective Type Questions
Read the extracts given below carefully and answer the questions with the help of the given options :
Question 1.
One day a guru and his disciple arrived in the city. It was a beautiful city, it was broad daylight, but there was no one about. Everyone was asleep, not a mouse stirring. Even the cattle had been taught to sleep by day. The two strangers were amazed by what they saw around them and wandered around town till evening, when suddenly the whole town woke up and went about its nightly business.
(i) The guru and his disciple arrived in the __________.
(a) village
(b) city
(c) temple
(d) gurukul
Answer:
(b) city
(ii) After arriving in the city, the guru and his disciples found that __________.
(a) everyone worked diligently during the day
(b) everyone was asleep in the broad daylight
(c) a mouse was stirring
(d) a peculiar animal
Answer:
(b) everyone was asleep in the broad daylight
(iii) They wandered around the town till __________.
(a) Sunday
(b) morning
(c) evening
(d) 12 o’clock
Answer:
(c) evening
(iv) When did the people of the city do their routine work?
(a) In the morning
(b) During the day time
(c) At noon
(d) At night
Answer:
(d) At night
(v) The word ‘business’ here means __________.
(a) enterprise
(b) routine work
(c) diligency
(d) busyness
Answer:
(b) routine work
(vi) What was the point of amazement for the guru and the disciple?
Answer:
In the broad daylight, everyone in the city was asleep, even .the cattle seemed to have been taught to sleep by day.
(vii) It was not a matter of chance that the whole city was asleep during the day. Give reason to support your answer.
Answer:
It was not a matter of chance that the whole city was asleep during the day. It was because the king had ordered that everyone in his kingdom should be awake at night and go to bed as soon as the sun comes up.
(viii) How did the Guru and the disciple find the kingdom of fools when they first came there?
Answer:
They found the city quite beautiful. But, they could not find anyone awake during the day time. The whole town woke up in the evening and went about its nightly business.
(ix) What happened in the evening?
Answer:
In the evening, suddenly the whole town woke up and went about its nightly business.
Question 2.
Before the king could order the execution, the poor bricklayer pleaded, “please listen to me before you give your orders. It’s true I built this wall and it was no good. But that was because my mind was not on it. I remember very well a dancing girl who was going up and down that street all day with her anklets jingling, and I couldn’t keep my eyes or my mind on the wall I was building. You must get that dancing girl. I know where she lives.”
(i) The bricklayer pleaded before the king because __________.
(a) the king had ordered for his excution.
(b) of his employment
(c) his wife was captured
(d) none of these
Answer:
(a) the king had ordered for his excution.
(ii) The bricklayer was blamed for __________.
(a) stealing a cow
(b) the death of the thief
(c) catching a thief
(d) none of these
Answer:
(b) the death of the thief
(iii) Who blamed the dancing girl for diverting his mind?
(a) The king
(b) The thief
(c) The bricklayer
(d) The saint
Answer:
(c) The bricklayer
(iv) The extract is taken from __________.
(a) a Punjabi folk tale
(b) a Bengali folk tale
(c) a Manipuri folk tale
(d) a Kannada folk tale
Answer:
(d) a Kannada folk tale
(v) Who was accused for the murder of the thief?
Answer:
The owner of the house was accused for the murder of the thief.
(vi) Why was the bricklayer blamed for the death of the thief?
Answer:
Because he did not build the wall right.
(vii) Whom did the bricklayer blame?
Answer:
The bricklayer blamed the dancing girl for not being able to concentrate in his work.
(viii) Was it right to blame the dancing girl for the bricklayer’s fault? Give reasons.
Answer:
No, it was wrong. The bricklayer ought to have concentrated on his work and nothing else.
Question 3.
“That may be true. But it’s the royal decree that we should find a man fat enough to fit the stake,” they said, and carried him to the place of execution. He remembered his wise guru’s words; “This is a city of fools. You don’t know what they will do next”.
(i) Where was the disciple taken to?
(a) To to royal palace
(b) To be hanged
(c) To a royal ceremony
(d) None of these
Answer:
(b) To be hanged
(ii) The disciple remembered the advice of __________.
(a) his father
(b) his mother
(c) his guru
(d) his friend
Answer:
(c) his guru
(iii) The guru was __________.
(a) a wise person
(b) a fool
(c) a selfish person
(d) none of these
Answer:
(a) a wise person
(iv) Which word in the extract is the same as ‘recalled’?
(a) said
(b) carried
(c) remembered
(d) decree
Answer:
(c) remembered
(v) Identify ‘he’ in the extract.
Answer:
He refers to the disciple who is going to be hanged in place of the rich merchant.
(vi) Where was he carried?
Answer:
He was carried to the place of execution.
(vii) Why didn’t the disciple follow his advice?
Answer:
The disciple wanted to enjoy the cheap food available in the city of fools.
(viii) What had the wise guru told ‘him’?
Answer:
The wise guru had told him that it was a city of fools and he did not know what they would do next.
Question 4.
“That stake is the stake of the god of justice. It’s new, it has never had a criminal on it. Whoever dies on it first will be reborn as the king of this country. And whoever goes next will be the future minister of this country. We’re sick of our ascetic life. It would be nice to enjoy ourselves as king and minister for a while. Now keep your word My Lord, and put us to death. Me first, remember”?
(i) Whom is the speaker speaking to?
(a) The king
(b) The guru
(c) The disciple
(d) The minister
Answer:
(c) The disciple
(ii) The king and the minister __________.
(a) lacked strength and property
(b) lacked common sence
(c) lacked offspring
(d) was wise people
Answer:
(b) lacked common sence
(iii) The guru and the disciple started quarreling to be __________.
(a) honoured first
(b) executed first
(c) the king
(d) the minister
Answer:
(b) executed first
(iv) Which word in the extract is opposite to the word ‘devil’?
(a) stake
(b) God
(c) criminal
(d) king
Answer:
(b) God
(v) Why was ‘the stake’ put up for?
Answer:
The stake was put up to punish the criminal who was responsible for the death of the thief.
(vi) What were ‘we’ sick of?
Answer:
We (guru and his disciple) were sick of their ascetic life.
(vii) What was guru’s trick to save his disciple’s life?
Answer:
The guru and the disciple started quarreling to be executed first. The guru revealed to the king that whoever died first on the stake would rule that kingdom in the next life. The foolish king was trapped in the guru’s trick.
(viii) Who is the speaker of these lines?
Answer:
The guru is speaking to his disciple.
Question 5.
But the king consulted his minister and ruled decisively. “It’s true your father is the true murderer. He’s dead, but somebody must be punished in his place. You’ve inherited everything from that criminal father of yours, his riches as well as his sins. I knew at once, even when I first set eyes on you, that you were at the root of this horrible crime. You must die.”
(i) The consulted __________.
(a) his guru
(b) a saint
(c) a beggar
(d) his minister
Answer:
(d) his minister
(ii) The king decided to punish the merchant’s son because __________.
(а) he was a thief
(b) he was a murderer
(c) his father was murderer and he had inherited everything
(d) none of these
Answer:
(c) his father was murderer and he had inherited everything
(iii) What is the antonym of ‘simple’ in the extract?
(a) ture
(b) riches
(c) once
(d) horrible
Answer:
(d) horrible
(iv) The extract is taken from the story __________.
(a) In the Kingdom of Fools
(b) The Last Leaf
(c) The Accidental Tourist
(d) The Beggar
Answer:
(a) In the Kingdom of Fools
(v) Pick the statement that marks the king ‘a fool’.
Answer:
“He’s dead, but somebody must be punished in his place.”
(vi) On what basis the king decided to punish the merchant’s son?
Answer:
According to the king, the merchant’s son inherited everything from his criminal father, his riches and sins so he decided to punish the merchant’s son.
(vii) Why did the king ask the merchant’s son to die?
Answer:
The merchant’s son was asked to die for the death of the thief who died when the weak house \yall fell on him. The merchant was already dead so the king chose his son to receive the punishment on his behalf.
(viii) What punishment was decided for the owner of the house?
Answer:
He was sentenced to death.
Question 6.
That night, the king and his minister went secretly to the prison, released the guru and the disciple, disguised themselves as the two, and as arranged beforehand with loyal servants, were taken to the stake and promptly executed.
(i) Where did the king and his minister go at night?
(a) In the temple
(b) In Rural areas
(c) In the royal garden
(d) In the prison
Answer:
(d) In the prison
(ii) The king and his minister disguised themselves as __________.
(a) two guards
(b) royal singers
(c) guru and disciple
(d) none of these
Answer:
(c) guru and disciple
(iii) The stake was put up to punish the criminal responsible for __________.
(a) the contempt of the king
(b) the death of the thief
(c) the death of the minister
(d) none of these
Answer:
(b) the death of the thief
(iv) The word, ‘promptly’ means __________.
(a) easily
(b) quickly
(c) pleasantly
(d) properly
Answer:
(b) quickly
(v) Where did the king and his minister go secretly?
Answer:
The king and his minister went secretly to the prison.
(vi) Why did they go there?
Answer:
They went there to release the guru and the disciple and get themselves executed instead.
(vii) What did the king and his minister do at night?
Answer:
At night, they secretly went to the prison and released the guru and the disciple. They then disguised themselves as guru and disciple and got themselves executed.
(viii) Why did the king and minister change their positions with the guru and the disciple?
Answer:
The guru had told them that whosoever dies on the stake first, would be reborn as the king and the next to die would be the future minister of the country.
Question 7.
And he ordered a new stake to be made ready for the execution. As the servants sharpened the stake and got it ready for the final impaling of the criminal, it occurred to the minister that the rich merchant was somehow too thin to be properly executed on the stake. He appealed to the king’s common sense. The king too was worried about it.
(i) Who ordered for a new stake?
(a) The minister
(b) The king
(c) The rich merchant
(d) The thief
Answer:
(b) The king
(ii) The minister appealed to __________.
(a) the king’s mercy
(b) the king’s common sense
(c) the king’s attention
(d) the merchant’s attention
Answer:
(b) the king’s common sense
(iii) The king held the dead father responsible for __________.
(a) stealing a horse
(b) unrest in the kingdom
(c) the thief’s death
(d) none of these
Answer:
(c) the thief’s death
(iv) Which word in the extract means the same as ‘urged’?
(a) ordered
(b) made
(c) appealed
(d) worried
Answer:
(c) appealed
(v) Why were the king and the minister worried?
Answer:
The king was worried because the rich merchant was too thin to be properly executed on the stake and so the king had to apply common sense to resolve the problem.
(vi) The king and the minister lacked common sense. Explain.
Answer:
The king and the minister lacked common sense for they held the dead father responsible for the thief’s death. Then they held the rich merchant responsible. Finally, they got worried because the merchant was too thin to be properly executed on the stake.
(vii) Why did the rich merchant escape punishment?
Answer:
The rich merchant escaped punishment because he was too thin to fit in the newly made stake.
(viii) Who is ‘he’ here?
Answer:
He’ is the king.
Short Answer Type Questions
II. Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words:
Question 1.
Both the king and the minister have been called idiots in the story. Why?
इस कहानी में दोनों राजा एवं मंत्री को मूर्ख कहा गया है। क्यों?
Answer:
Both the king and the minister are idiots, for they believed the guru’s words and consented to get executed at the stake to be reborn.
Question 2.
What is the final decision taken by the king and his minister after hearing the story of the rich merchant?
अमीर व्यापारी की कहानी सुनने के बाद राजा और मंत्री ने क्या निर्णय लिया?
Answer:
After hearing the story of the rich merchant, the king decided to execute him on the stake announcing that if he had inherited richness from his criminal father, he had to inherit his sins also.
Question 3.
Why is the disciple forcefully brought to the place of execution?
शिष्य को जबरन फाँसी देने की जगह पर क्यों ले जाया गया?
Answer:
The disciple was forcefully brought to the place for execution because it needed a man fat enough to fit the stake. The disciple had fattened himself for months on bananas, rice, wheat and ghee.
Question 4.
Why did the disciple refuse to leave the kingdom of fools?
शिष्य मूखों के राज्य से जाने को राजी क्यों नहीं था?
Answer:
The disciple refused to leave the kingdom of fools because he was happy with the system of a single duddu for everything he wants. It was too cheap. He could felt up his stomach in a very low price.
Question 5.
What did the king tell the loyal servants to do?
राजा ने अपने वफादार नौकरों से क्या करने को कहा था?
Answer:
The king told his loyal servants to get executed in place of him and his minister.
Question 6.
Why does the merchant feel that the bricklayer is responsible for the thief’s death?
राजा को ऐसा क्यों लगा था कि चोर की मृत्यु के लिए राजमिस्त्री जिम्मेवार था?
Answer:
The merchant felt that it was the mistake of the bricklayer who built a weak wall. He did not build it right and it fell on the thief. So, the bricklayer is responsible for the death of the thief.
Question 7.
Why did the Guru want that he and his disciple should die first?
गुरु और शिष्य क्यों चाहते थे कि उन दोनों को फांसी के फन्दे पर जल्दी चढ़ाया जाए?
Answer:
This is because, they thought that the stake was the stake of the God of justice. It’s new and it had never a criminal on it. Whoever dies on it first, will be reborn as the king and the next will be the future minister of the country. That’s why, the Guru and the disciple wanted to die first.
Question 8.
What happened to the thief when he broke into the merchant’s house?
चोर ने जब व्यापारी के घर में चोरी की तब क्या हुआ था?
Answer:
When the thief broke into the merchant’s house, the wall of the old house collapsed on his head and he was killed on the spot.
Question 9.
Why were the people of the kingdom confused when they saw the dead bodies of the king and his minister?
राज्य के लोगों ने जब राजा और मंत्री की लाशें देखीं तो इतने परेशान क्यों हुए थे?
Answer:
The people of the kingdom were confused when they saw the dead bodies of the king and his minister because they were worried about the future of the kingdom.
Question 10.
Why did the guru and disciple want to die on the stake before anybody else?
गुरु और चेला और किसी के मरने से पहले क्यों फांसी चाहते थे??
Answer:
Because the one who would die first on the stake would become a king and the next a minister. As per his plane, the guru told the king that they were sick of their ascetic lives and wanted to enjoy life. The guru had rightly speculated that the king would be trapped and like to be executed himself.
Question 11.
What appeal did the minister make to the king?
मंत्री ने राजा से क्या प्रार्थना की थी?
Answer:
When the new stake was made ready for the execution of rich merchant, it was found that rich merchant was too thin to be properly executed on the stake. Then, the minister appealed to the king that they should find a man fat enough to fit the stake.
Long Answer Type Questions
III. Answer the following questions in 100-150 words:
Question 1.
You are the disciple in the story “In the Kingdom of Fools”. You are in trouble as you are about to be hanged. You decide to write a letter to your guru regretting your decision to stay in the kindgom and requesting him to help you. Write in (100-150) words.
कहानी द किंगडम ऑफ फुल्स’ में शिष्य आप स्वयं हैं। आप सर्वाधिक वेदना में हैं क्योंकि आपको फांसी दी जाने वाली है। उक्त राज्य में रुकने के अपने फैसले पर पछतावा प्रदर्शित करते हुए तथा सहायता की गुहार लगाते हुए अपने गुरु को एक पत्र लिखने का
आपने फैसला किया। वही पत्र ( 100 – 150 शब्द ) में लिखें।
Answer:
Pranam Guruji,
I am writing to inform you that I have landed myself into a serious trouble by paying no heed to your sincere and wise advice. I made a terrible mistake of staying in the city of fools despite being warned by you of its grave consequences. I have committed no crime but the king wants me to be hanged as I am fat enough to fit the stake. The king’s men are after me for the execution. I seriously regret my decision of staying back here. I am caught up in this ugly situation. I am utterly terror-stricken and too perplexed to think of a possible solution to this problem. I know only you can help me out. I want you to come to my help and save me from this evil.
Your disciple,
Question 2.
The foolish king was solely responsible for his doom. Apart from being foolish, what were the other reasons that made him dig his own grave? Write in about 100-150 words.
मुर्ख राजा अपनी बरबादी के लिए खुद जिम्मेवार था। मूर्ख होने के साथ और क्या कारण थे, जिनकी वजह से वह बरबाद हुआ था। 100-150 pre ferred
Answer:
The foolish king was solely responsible for his doom. His decision of changing the days into nights and nights into days made the people frustrate and uncomfortable. They have to follow this rule out of fear, not out of heart. Moreover, his injustice to the disciple was one of the reason for his end. His greed for the kingdom in the next round of life did not make him suspect the cleverness of the Guru. He did not have wise people around him who could guide him properly. Haste makes waste proves to be true in his case which led him to his end.
Question 3.
The guru and the disciple as the new king and minister/transformed the kingdom of fools by changing the old laws. What all do you think they did to restore harmony in the kingdom?
गुरु व शिष्य ने नया राजा व मंत्री बनकर मूखों को राजधानी के पुराने कानून को बदला। आपके विचार से राज्य में अच्छे विन लाने के लिए उन्होंने और क्या कदम उठाए?
Answer:
The Guru and the disciple as the new king and the minister transformed the kingdom of fools by changing the old laws to the new ones. According to the new rules, night would again be night and day would again be day. No one could get anything for a duddu. Now, people use to run their business in the day time. Fields will be cultivated during the day. They ordered that they would follow the nature’s law of the day and night. No one would sleep during the day and work during the night. Thus, they changed the kingdom like other kingdoms.
Question 4.
In the kingdom of fools, each one was blaming the other to save his skin. There was nothing human in the humans of the kingdom. Bring out the values that were missing in the subjects.
मूखों के राज्य में सब व्यक्ति अपनी जान छुड़ाने के लिए दूसरों को फंसा रहे थे। इन्सानों में इन्सानियत न थी। राज्य के लोगों में किन नैतिक मूल्यों की कमी थी?
Answer:
In the kingdom of fools, each one was blaming the other to save his skin. There was nothing humane in the kingdom. They were so insensitive and selfish that they could put anyone in trouble to save their life. They are so clever that they can blame the other person for their own mistake. Moreover, they are perfect in making excuses for their crimes. They are not generous or kind. Even we can call them cruel who can hang an innocent person without any guilt to save their skin.
Question 5.
The death of the foolish king and the minister was like a blessing in disguise for the subjects of the kingdom. Elucidate highlighting the values they lacked.
राजा और मंत्री की मृत्यु राज्य के लोगों के लिए एक वरदान साबित हुई। राज्य के लोगों में किन नैतिक मूल्यों की कमी थी जो पूरी हुई, वर्णन कीजिए।
Answer:
The death of the foolish king and the minister was like a blessing in disguise for the people of the kingdom because he was a fussy and crazy man. The king made his own rules and changed days into nights and nights into days. He fixed the rate of everything for a duddu which was not a practical decision. Secondly, he did the justice for the name of justice. He did not have the ability to judge the criminals and punish them. He could not take right decision at the right time. Rather, both of them were very greedy. They did not want to lose their kingdom even in the next round of life. To achieve this, they were willing to sacrifice their lives.
I. Summary In English:
Strange rule in the Kingdom of Fools: It was truly the Kingdom of Fools. The King as well as his minister were stupid. They wanted to make a strange experiment. They planned to run things in an altogether different way. They ordered that the night be treated as day and all the people should keep awake. They should run their businesses and plough their fields. They should go to bed as soon as the day broke. The King’s orders were obeyed by the people for fear of death. The King and his minister were happy at the success of their plan.
A Guru and his disciple reach the Kingdom of Fools : One day a guru and his disciple came to that city. They found the city beautiful but deserted. Everyone was asleep. They wandered around town amazed. They were hungry and tired. In the eveniAg the whole town suddenly woke up and came to life. The shops opened. The strangers went to buy food. They were surprised to find things sold very cheap and at a uniform rate. For a small coin they could buy rice or banana. They cooked food and ate it to their fill.
Guru decided to leave, disciple stayed on : The guru was wise and far-sighted. He realised that it was not safe to stay on in that city of fools. He suggested to his disciple that they should leave the place. The foolish ruler could even take their fives. But the disciple made up his mind to stay on. He grew fat in a short time, eating ghee, fruit and rice.
Thief killed under rich merchant’s wall – brother complained to the King : One day a thief broke into the house of a rich merchant. He met with an accident. When he was ready to decamp with the booty, the wall fell on him and he died on the spot. His brother complained to the King against the merchant whose weak wall had taken the fife of his poor brother.
Merchant charged puts blame on mason (bricklayer): The King assured justice in the case. He sent for the merchant and charged him with causing the death of the burglar. The merchant passed on the onus to the mason who had built the wall.
Mason puts blame on dancing girl: The King then summoned the old bricklayer for trial. The poor man came up at once with an excuse. He admitted that the wall was made weak but it was not his fault. The real culprit was that dancing girl who distracted his mind. She went up and down the road the whole day. Her jingling anklets made him do his job carelessly.
Dancing girl held goldsmith responsible : The King at once sent for that dancing girl to have her say. She accepted that she had walked several times up and down the street that day. But she had a reason for it. She had to go to the lazy goldsmith to get her ornaments. So he was at fault. Goldsmith puts the blame on Merchant : The goldsmith was brought to the court. He pleaded that he was innocent. He had to invent excuses because he was preparing ornaments for a rich merchant. The order was urgent and the merchant would not wait. He blamed the merchant. It was the same person in whose house the burglar had met with his death.
Merchant puts the blame on father : The merchant was presented before the King. But he had a ready excuse. He said that not he but his father had ordered the jewellery. So his father was at fault, and he was innocent. The King took the advice of his minister. He decided that the merchant should be executed because he had inherited all the wealth as well as sins of his dead father.
Merchant to be executed – too thin to fit in stake : A new stake was built for the execution. But it was found that the merchant was very thin and did not fit in the stake. So the servants were sent out to bring some fat person. The disciple was arrested and brought to the place of execution. He cried in vain that he had done no wrong. He suddenly remembered his wise guru’s words that it was unsafe to five in the kingdom of fools.
Guru arrived to save disciple : The guru saw everything in a vision. He arrived at once to save his disciple. He rebuked the disciple but whispered a plan into his ears. Then he went to the King and insisted that he should he executed first. He argued that the guru was greater than his disciple. On the other hand the disciple also insisted that it was his right to be killed first.
Guru told the King the mystery of being put to stake first : The King was puzzled by their behaviour. He wanted the mystery to be revealed to him. The guru agreed to tell the secret in confidence and on a condition. The King agreed to hang him first. The guru said that during all his wanderings he had found this kingdom and the King to be the best. Secondly, the stake was newly built and not had any criminal till then. So it was a holy stake. Whosoever died first on that stake would be lucky. He would be reborn as the king of the country. The next person to die would be reborn as the minister. The guru and the disciple were anxious to enjoy that position in the second life.
King and Minister freed Guru and disciple – took their places : This revelation made the King thoughtful. He consulted his minister. They agreed not to lose their power and position to strangers. They planned to die on the stake that very night. They fixed up with the loyal servants and the executioner. They set the guru and the disciple free. They put on their guise and were done to death.
People make Guru and disciple – the King and the Minister of their kingdom :
When their dead bodies were taken down, the people recognised them as their own King and the minister. They were worried. They needed a ruler at the earliest. So they held back the guru and the disciple from leaving the city. The two agreed to take on the responsibility on one condition. They changed all the old silly laws. The country became normal again like any other place.
II. Complete Text With Hindi Translation:
Text (Page 19): It is believed that fools are so dangerous that only very wise people can manage them. Who are the fools in this story? What happens to them?
Vocabulary: fools (फूल्स) opposite of wise/persons with little brain मूर्ख; kingdom (किंगडम) state राज्य।
अनुवाद : यह विश्वास किया जाता है कि मूर्ख इतने खतरनाक व्यक्ति होते हैं कि केवल बुद्धिमान लोग ही उनको संभाल सकते हैं। कहानी में कौन मुर्ख है? उनको क्या होता है?
Text (Page 19) : In the Kingdom of Fools, both the king and the minister were idiots. They didn’t want to run things like other kings, so they decided to change night into day and day into night. They ordered that everyone should be awake at night, till their fields and run their businesses only after dark, and go to bed as soon as the sun came up. Anyone who disobeyed would be punished with death. The people did as they were told for fear of death. The king and the minister were delighted at the success of their project.
Vocabulary : idiots (इडियट्स) fools मूर्ख; awake (अवेक) not to sleep जगे रहना; till (टिल्ल) plough खेत जोतना; delighted (डिलाइटिड) felt happy प्रसन्न, आनन्दित हुए: run (रन) operate, manage संचालित करना; project (प्रोजेक्ट) plan, scheme युक्ति, उपाय।
अनुवाद : मूखों के राज्य में, राजा और मंत्री दोनों ही मुर्ख थे। वे अन्य राजाओं की भाँति राज्य संचालन नहीं करना चाहते थे, इसलिए उन्होंने दिन को रात तथा रात को दिन बदल देने का निर्णय लिया। उन्होंने आदेश दिया कि हर व्यक्ति रात को सजग रहेगा, अपना खेत जोतेगा तथा अपना व्यवसाय उपक्रम करेगा। कोई भी व्यक्ति जो आज्ञा पालन नहीं करेगा उसे मृत्यु दण्ड दिया जायेगा। लोगों ने मौत के भय से आज्ञा का पालन किया। राजा तथा मंत्री खुश थे कि उनकी योजना सफल हो गई।
Text (Page 19): One day a guru and his disciple arrived in the city. It was a beautiful city, it was broad daylight, but there was no one about. Everyone was asleep, not a mouse stirring. Even the cattle had been taught to sleep by day. The two strangers were amazed by what they saw around them and wandered around town till evening, when suddenly the whole town woke up and went about its nightly business.
Vocabulary: disciple (डिसाइपल) follower शिष्य, चेला; stirring (स्टरिंग) moving about घूमता, फिरता; cattle (कैटल) cow etc. दुधारू पशु, amazed (अमेज्ड) surprised हैरान रह गये; strangers (स्टरेंजरस) newcomers अजनबी; wandered (वानडड) went about aimlessly घूमते रहे।
अनुवाद : एक दिन एक गुरु अपने शिष्य के साथ नगर में आये। नगर सुन्दर था। दिन का प्रकाश फैला हुआ था पर कोई भी व्यक्ति दिखाई नहीं दे रहा था। सभी लोग सोये हुए थे। दोनों अजनबी व्यक्तियों ने जो कुछ चारों ओर देखा, उससे हैरान हो गए तथा वे शाम तक भटकते रहे। अचानक सम्पूर्ण नगर जग गया तथा अपने रात्रिकालिक कार्मों में लग गए।
Text (Page 19) : The two men were hungry. Now that the shops were open, they went to buy some groceries. To their astonishment, they found that everything cost the same, a single duddu-whether they bought a measure of rice or a bunch of bananas, it cost a duddu. The guru and his disciple were delighted. They had never heard of anything like this. They could buy all the food they wanted for a rupee.
Vocabulary : groceries (ग्रोसरीज) eatables खाने-पीने की सामग्री, राशन पानी; astonishment (एसटोनिशमैन्ट) surprise, wonder आश्चर्य; duddu (हु) acoin सिक्का; measure (मैज़र) amount मात्रा; bunch (बंच) a number of together गुच्छा।
अनुवाद : दोनों व्यक्ति भूखे थे। अब चूंकि दुकानें खुल गई थीं, खाद्य सामग्री खरीदने निकले। वे विस्मित हो गये, उन्होंने पाया कि हर चीज एक ही सिक्का देकर खरीदी जा सकती थी-चाहे वह चावल की माप हो अथवा केले का गुच्छा हो, सभी का मूल्य मात्र एक सिक्का था। गुरु तथा उसका शिष्य खुश हो गए। उन्होंने इस प्रकार की स्थिति के बारे में कभी नहीं सुना था। वे अपनी आवश्यकता की सभी खाद्य वस्तुएँ एक रुपये में खरीद सकते थे।
Text (Pages 19-20) : When they had cooked and eaten, the guru realised that this was a kingdom of fools and it wouldn’t be a good idea for them to stay there. This is no place for us. Let’s go,” he said to his disciple. But the disciple didn’t want to leave the place. Everything was cheap here. All he wanted was good, cheap food. The guru said. “They are all fools. This won’t last very long, and you can’t tell what they’ll do to you next.”
Vocabulary: realised (रियलाइज्ड) felt, came to know पता चला; cheap (चीप) low priced सस्ती; last (लास्ट) go on चलेगा।
अनुवाद : जब वे भोजन पका तथा खा चुके तो गुरु को लगा कि यह तो मूखों का राज्य है तथा यहाँ ठहरना कोई अच्छा विचार नहीं है। “यह स्थान हमारे ठहरने के लिए उपयुक्त नहीं है, चलो, यहाँ से निकल चलें,” उन्होंने अपने शिष्य को बोला। पर शिष्य उस स्थान को छोड़कर नहीं जाना चाहता था। यहाँ हर वस्तु सस्ती थी। उसे तो अच्छा सस्ता भोजन की दरकार था। गुरु बोले, ये सभी मूर्ख हैं। यह स्थिति बहुत समय तक नहीं चल सकेगी, और कोई नहीं बता सकता कि वे तुम्हारे साथ कैसा बर्ताव करें।”
Text (Page 20): But the disciple wouldn’t listen to the guru’s wisdom. He wanted to stay. The guru finally gave up and said, “Do what you want. I’m going,” and left. The disciple stayed on, ate his fill every day – bananas and ghee and rice and wheat, and grew fat like a street-side sacred bull.
Vocabulary: ate his fill (ऐट हिज फिल) ate as much as he could पेट भरकर खाया; sacred (सेकरैड) holy पावन; bull (बुल) the male cow सौंड।
अनुवाद : पर शिष्य, गुरु की बुद्धिमत्ता पूर्ण सलाह सुनने को तैयार न हुआ। वह वहीं रहना चाहता था। अंत में गुरु ने अपना प्रयास छोड़ दिया तथा बोले, “तुम जो जी में आए करो, मैं तो जा रहा हूँ”, और वह चले गए। शिष्य उसी राज्य में ठहरा रहा, हर दिन वह पेट भरता रहता-केले, घी तथा चावल, गेहूं आदि खाता रहता, तथा सड़क के पवित्र साँड़ की भांति मोटा हो गया।
Text (Page 20): One bright day, a thief broke into a rich merchant’s house. He had made a hole in the wall and sneaked in, and as he was carrying out his loot, the wall of the old house collapsed on his head and killed him on the spot. His brother ran to the king and complained, “Your Highness, when my brother was pursuing his ancient trade, a wall fell on him and killed him. The merchant is to blame. He should have built a good, strong wall. You must punish the wrongdoer and compensate the family for this injustice.”
Vocabulary : broke into (ब्रोक इनटू) made a hole in the wall toget सेंध लगाई; sneaked in (स्नीक इन) entered stealthily चोरी से घुस आया; loot (लूट) stolen things चोरी का सामान; collapsed (कोलफ्ड) fell suddenly ढह गई; on the spot (ऑन द स्पॉट) there and then घटना स्थल पर ही; highness (हाइनैस) majesty सरकार, महाराज: pursuing (परसूयिंग) carrying on, doing कर रहा था; ancient (ऐनशिएन्ट) very old प्राचीन; is to blame (इज टू ब्लेम) isguilty अपराधी है। compensate (कम्पैनसेट) make good the loss क्षतिपूर्ति करना।
अनुवाद : एक प्रकाश वाले दिन, एक चोर ने किसी धनी व्यक्ति के घर में सेंध लगा ली। उसने दीवार में छेद किया तथा चुपके से घुस गया, तथा जब वह लूट का माल बाहर लेकर जा रहा था, उस पुराने घर की दीवार उसके सिर पर गिर गई तथा उसी स्थान पर उसकी मृत्यु हो गई। उसका भाई भागकर राजा के पास पहुंचा तथा उसने शिकायत की, “सरकार, मेरा भाई अपना पुराना धंधा कर रहा था, उसके सिर पर दीवार आ गिरी तथा वह चल बसा। इसका सारा दोष इस व्यापारी का है। उसे अच्छी मजबूत दीवार बनवानी चाहिए थी। आप इस अपराधी को अवश्य दण्ड दें तथा मेरे परिवार को इस अन्याय के लिए क्षतिपूर्ति करें।”
Text (Pages 20-21): The king said, “Justice will be done. Don’t worry,” and at once summoned the owner of the house. When the merchant arrived, the king questioned him, “What’s your name?”
Vocabulary : worry (वरी) be upset चिन्ता करना; summoned (सम्मंड) sent for बुला भेजा।
अनुवाद : राजा बोला, “न्याय मिलेगा। चिन्ता मत करो”, तथा तुरत उसने उस घर के स्वामी को बुला लिया। जब सौदागर आया तो राजा ने उससे प्रश्न किया-“तुम्हारा नाम क्या है?”
Text (Page 21): “Such and such. Your Highness.”
“Were you at home when the dead man burgled your house ?”
“Yes, My Lord. He broke in and the wall was weak. It fell on him.”
“The accused pleads guilty. Your wall killed this man’s brother. You have murdered a man. We have to punish you.”
“Lord”, said the helpless merchant, “I didn’t put up the wall. It’s really the fault of the man who built the wall. He didn’t build it right. You should punish him.”
“Who is that ?” “My Lord, this wall was built in my father’s time.
I know the man. He’s an old man now. He lives nearby.”.
The king sent out messengers to bring in the bricklayer who had built the wall. They brought him, tied hand and foot.
Vocabulary : burgled (बर्गलड) broke into with it accused (एक्यूज्ड) the guilty person अभियुक्त; pleads guilty (प्लीड्स गिल्टी) accepts that he is the offender अपराध मान लिया है; put up (पुट अप) built बनाई; fault (फॉल्ट) wrong doing the messengers (मैसेन्जर्स) message carriers संदेशवाहक; bricklayer (ब्रिकलेयर) mason मिस्त्री।
अनुवाद : “सरकार मेरा नाम यह है।”
“क्या जब उस व्यक्ति ने तुम्हारे घर में सेंध लगाई तो तुम घर पर ही थे?”
“जी हाँ, महाराज। उसने दीवार में छेद किया तथा दीवार कमजोर थी। वह उस पर गिर गई।”
“अपराधी अपना अपराध स्वीकार करता है। तुम्हारी दीवार ने इस व्यक्ति के भाई की जान ले ली। तुम उसके हत्यारे हो। हमें तुम्हें दण्ड देना होगा।”
“सरकार”, निरुपाय व्यापारी बोला, “दीवार मैंने नहीं बनाई थी। यह तो वास्तव में उस व्यक्ति का दोष है जिसने दीवार चुनी थी। उसने इसे ठीक से नहीं बनाया। आप उसे दण्ड दें।”
“वह व्यक्ति कौन है?”
सरकार, “यह दीवार मेरे पिता के समय बनाई गई थी। मैं उस व्यक्ति को जानता हूँ। वह अब एक वृद्ध व्यक्ति है। आप उसे दण्ड दें।”
राजा ने अपने दूतों को उस राजमिस्त्री को पकड़ लाने के लिए भेजा जिसने दीवार बनाई थी। दूत उसके हाथ पाँव बांध कर उसे ले आए।
Text (Page 21): “You there, did you built this man’s wall in his father’s time?”
“Yes, My Lord, I did.”
“What kind of a wall is this that you built ? It has fallen on a poor man and killed him. You’ve murdered him. We have to punish you by death.”
Vocabulary:build (बिल्ड्) to construct बनाना, बनवाना; murder (मर्डर) kill वध, हत्या।
अनुवाद : “तुम्हीं से कह रहा है, क्या तुम्हीं ने इस व्यक्ति के पिता के जीवनकाल में दीवार बनाई थी ”
“जी हाँ, सरकार, मैंने बनाई थी।”
“यह दीवार तुमने किस प्रकार की बनाई थी। वह एक गरीब व्यक्ति पर गिर पड़ी तथा उसकी जान ले ली। तुम उसकी मौत के दोषी हो। हमें तुम्हें मृत्युदण्ड देना होगा।”
Text (Page 21) : Before the king could order the execution, the poor bricklayer pleaded, “Please listen to me before you give your orders. It’s true I built this wall and it was no good. But that was because my mind was not on it. It remember very well a dancing girl who was going up and down that street all day with her anklets jingling, and I couldn’t keep my eyes or my mind on the wall I was building. You must get that dancing girl. I know where she lives.”
Vocabulary : execution (रोकजीक्यूरान) hanging till death फाँसी; pleaded (प्लीडिs) argued in self defence, requested विनती की; anklets (ऍकलैट्स) an ornament for ankles पायल: jingling (जिगलिग) producing low musical sound बजते हुए, झंकार करते हुए।
अनुवाद : इससे पूर्व कि राजा उसकी मौत की सजा सुनाए, बेचारे राजमिस्त्री ने निवेदन किया, “अपना आदेश सुनाने से पूर्व कृपया मेरी बात सुन लें। यह सच है कि मैंने ही वह दीवार बनाई थी और वह मजबूत नहीं बनी। पर इसका कारण यह था कि मेरा मस्तिष्क उस समय अपने काम में नहीं था। मुझे भली-भांति उस नर्तकी की याद है जो सारे दिन अपने पायल झनकारती सड़क पर आगे पीछे जा रही थी और मैं अपनी आँखें तथा मन उस दीवार पर स्थिर न रख सका जो मैं बना रहा था। आप उस नर्तकी को बुला लें। मैं जानता हूँ कि वह कहाँ रहती है।”
Text (Page 21): “You’re right. The case deepens. We must look into it. It is not easy to judge such complicated cases. Let’s get that dancer, wherever she is.” The dancing girl, now an old woman, came trembling to the court.
Vocabulary: deepens (डीपन्स) become complicated जटिल होता जा रहा है; complicated (कम्पलीकटिड) difficult उलझन भरा; trembling (ट्रैम्बिलिंग) shaking with fear डर के मारे कौंपती हुई।
अनुवाद : तुम सही कहते हो। मामला गंभीर है। हमें इसकी तह तक जाना होगा। ऐसे पेचीदे मामलों को निपटाना सरल नहीं होता। वह नर्तकी जहाँ भी हो उसे बुलाओ।” नर्तकी जो अब एक वृद्ध महिला बन चुकी थी, भय से काँपती राजदरबार में आई।
Text (Pages 21-22): “Did you walk up and down that street many years ago, while this poor man was building a wall ? Did you see him ?”
“Yes, My Lord, I remember it very well.”
“So you did walk up and down, with your anklets jingling. You were young and you distracted him, so he built a bad wall. It has fallen on a poor burglar and killed him. You’ve killed an innocent man. You’ll have to be punished.”
Vocabulary : distracted (डिस्ट्रैक्टिड) drew in different direction ध्यान हटाया।
अनुवाद : “क्या कई वर्ष पूर्व जब यह गरीब व्यक्ति दीवार बना रहा था, तुम्ही सड़क पर आ जा रही थी? क्या तुमने उसे देखा था?”
“जी हाँ, सरकार। मुझे भली-भाँति याद है।”
“तो तुम अपनी पायल झनकारती आ जा रही थी। तुम जवान थी और तुमने उसका ध्यान काम से भटका दिया, इस कारण उसने कच्ची दीवार बना दी। वह दीवार एक गरीब चोर पर गिर गई तथा उसकी जान ले ली। तुमने एक निरापराध व्यक्ति की हत्या की। तुम्हें दण्ड देना ही पड़ेगा।”
Text (Page 22) : She thought for a minute and said, “My Lord, wait. I know now why I was walking up and down that street. I had given some gold to the goldsmith to make some jewellery for me. He was a lazy scoundrel. He made so many excuses, said he would give it now and he would give it then and so on all day. He made me walk up and down to his house a dozen times. That was when this bricklayer saw me. It’s not my fault, My Lord, it’s the damned goldsmith’s fault.”
Vocabulary : jewellery (ज्वेलरी) ornaments गहनें; scoundrel (स्कांउडरल) rogue, mean fellow दुष्ट, बदमाश; excuses (एक्सक्यूजिज) giving false reasons झूठे बहाने; damned (डमन्ड) wretched, hateful निंदनीय; goldsunith (गोल्डस्मिथ) one who makes jewellery सुनार।।
अनुवाद : नर्तकी ने एक मिनट सोचा और फिर बोली, “सरकार, रुकिए। मुझे अब याद आया कि मैं उस सड़क पर क्यों आ जा रही थी। मैंने कुछ सोना एक सुनार को अपने आभूषण बनाने हेतु दिए थे। वह सुस्त और शैतान था। उसने अनेक बहाने बनाए, बोला कि आज आभूषण देगा, कुछ समय पश्चात् देगा। सारा दिन यही करता रहा। उसने मुझे एक दर्जन बार अपने घर दौड़ाया। तभी इस राज ने मुझे देखा था। दोष मेरा नहीं है। सरकार, दोष तो उस अधम सुनार का है।”
Text (Page 22) : “Poor thing, she’s absolutely right”, thought the king, weighing the evidence. “We’ve got the real culprit at last. Get the goldsmith, wherever he is hiding. At once!”
The king’s bailiffs searched for the goldsmith, who was hiding in a corner of his shop. When he heard the accusation against him, he had his own story to tell.
“My Lord”, he said, “I’m a poor goldsmith. It’s true I made this dancer come many times to my door. I gave her excuses because I couldn’t finish making her jewellery before I finished the rich merchant’s orders. They had a wedding coming, and they wouldn’t wait. You know how impatient rich men are!”
Vocabulary : absolutely (ऐब्सोल्यूटली) perfectly, totally पूर्ण रूप से, सर्वथा; weighing वियिंग) examining मापता हुआ; evidence (ऐविडेन्स) witness गवाही; culprit (कलिपट) guilty person अपराधी; bailiffs (बलिफ) law officers आसंघक कारिंदा; accusation (एक्यूजीशन) charges आरोप; wedding (येडिंग) marriage शादी; impatient (इम्पेशियन्ट) rash, unwilling to wait धैर्यहीन।
अनुवाद : बेचारी महिला, यह बिल्कुल सही कह रही है, “राजा ने सबूत को तौल कर सोचा।” आखिरकार हमने अभियुक्त को पकड़ ही लिया। उस सुनार को बुलाओ वह जहाँ कहीं भी छिपा है। फौरन बुलाआ।” राजा के अमीन ने स्वर्णकार की खोज कर ली जो अपनी दुकान के कोने में छिपा बैठा था। जब उसने अपने विरुद्ध आरोप सुना तो उसने अपनी कहानी सुनाई।
“महाराज”, यह बोला, मैं तो गरीब सुनार हूँ। यह सच है कि मैंने इस नर्तकी को अपने द्वार पर कई बार आने पर विवश किया। मैंने उसको बहाने बनाकर टाला क्योंकि मैं उसके आभूषण तब तक नहीं बना सकता था जब तक मैं एक धनी व्यापारी का आर्डर पूरा न कर लेता, उसके यहाँ विवाह होने जा रहा था तथा वे लोग प्रतीक्षा नहीं कर सकते थे। आप जानते ही हैं कि धनी लोग कितने अधीर होते हैं।”
Text (Pages 22-23): “Who is this rich merchant who kept you from finishing this poor woman’s jewellery, made her walk up and down, which distracted this bricklayer, which made a mess of his wall, which has now fallen on an innocent man and killed him? Can you name him?”
The goldsmith named the merchant, and he was none other than the original owner of the house whose wall had fallen. Now justice had come full circle, thought the king, back to the merchant. When he was rudely summoned back to the court, he arrived crying. “It wasn’t me but my father who ordered the jewellery ! He’s dead! I’m innocent !”
Vocabulary:made a mess of (मड ए मैस ऑफ) spoiled खराब कर दी; original (ओरिजनल) principal मूलभूत; come full circle (कम फुल सर्कल) completed पूरा हो गया; rudely (रुडली) harshly कठोरतापूर्वक।
अनुवाद : “वह धनी व्यक्ति कौन है जिसने तुम्हें बेचारी महिला के आभूषण बनाने से रोके रखा, उसे सड़क पर आने जाने के लिए विवश किया जिससे इस राजमिस्त्री का ध्यान इतना भटक गया कि उसने दीवार खराव कर दी और जो एक निर्दोष व्यक्ति पर गिर पड़ी तथा उसके प्राण ले लिए ? क्या तुम उसका नाम बता सकते हो?
सुनार ने व्यापारी का नाम बताया और वह वही व्यक्ति था जो उस घर का असली मालिक था जिस घर की दीवार गिर गई थी। अब न्याय अंतिम चरण पर आ पहुँचा है, राजा ने सोचा, अपराधी वही व्यापारी निकला। जब उसे कठोरतापूर्वक राजदरबार में वापस बुलाया गया वह चीख मारता आया, “वह व्यक्ति में नहीं था जिसने आभूषणों का आर्डर दिया था, वह मेरे पिताश्री थे। उनका देहान्त हो चुका है। मैं तो निर्दोष हूँ।”
Text (Page 23) : But the king consulted his minister and ruled decisively : “It’s true your father is the true murderer. He’s dead, but somebody must be punished in his place. You’ve inherited everything from that criminal father of yours, his riches as well as his sins. I knew at once, even when I first set eyes on you, that you were at the root of this horrible crime. You must die.”
Vocabulary:consulted (कनसल्टिड) took the advice of सलाह ली; decisively (डिसाईसिवली) finally and firmly निर्णायक तौर से; inherited (इनहेरिटिड) got legally after the death of father विरासत में मिली; criminal (क्रिमिनल) guilty of commitinga crime अपराधी; riches (रिचीज) wealth सम्पति; sins (तिन्स) faults पाप।
अनुवाद : पर राजा ने अपने मंत्री से सलाह की तथा निर्णय दे दिया। “यह सच है कि तुम्हारे पिता असली कातिल है। वह अब संसार से कूचकर चुके हैं पर उनके स्थान पर किसी को तो दण्ड मिलना ही चाहिए। तुमने अपने अपराधी पिता की सम्पति विरासत में पाई है, उनकी सम्पदा तथा उनके पाप भी। जब मैंने तुम्हें पहली बार देखा था तभी मुझे फौरन पता चल गया था कि तुम ही इस निर्मम अपराध की जड़ में हो। तुम्हें मरना ही होगा।”
Text (Page 23): And he ordered a new stake to be made ready for the execution. As the servants sharpened the stake and got it ready for the final impaling of the criminal, it occurred to the minister that the rich merchant was somehow too thin to be properly executed on the stake. He appealed to the king’s common sense. The king too worried about it.
Vocabulary : stake (स्टेक) a place for execution फाँसी का तख्ता; impaling (इम्पेलिंग) enclosing with railing रस्ती से घेरना; occurred (अकड) came to mind सूझा; struck (स्ट्रक) came to mind उपाय सूझा।
अनुवाद : और राजा ने आदेश दिया कि फाँसी के लिए टिकटी तैयार की जाए। जब सेवक खूटी को नुकीला बना रहे थे तथा उस अपराधी को शली पर चढ़ाने हेतु तैयार कर लिया, तो राजमंत्री को महसूस हुआ कि धनी व्यापारी इतना दुबला-पतला है कि वह शूली पर भली-भांति फिट नहीं हो सकता। उसने राजा की सहज बुद्धि से निवेदन किया। राजा को भी इस बात से चिन्ता हो गई।
Text (Page 23) : “What shall we do?” he said, when suddenly it struck him that all they needed to do was to find a man fat enough to fit the stake. The servants were immediately sent all over the town looking for a man who would fit the stake, and their eyes fell on the disciple who had fattened himself for months on bananas and rice and wheat and ghee.
अनुवाद : “अब हम क्या करें?” वह बोला जब उसे सहसा समझ में आया कि वह किसी भी मोटे व्यक्ति को खोज ले जो शली पर फिट आ जाए, और उन लोगों की दृष्टि उस शिष्य पर पड़ी जो महीनों तक केले, चावल, गेहूँ तथा घी खाकर मोटा हो गया था।
Text (Page 24): “What have I done wrong? I’m innocent. I’m a sannyasi !” he cried. “That may be true. But it’s the royal decree that we should find a man fat enough to fit the stake”, they said, and carried him to the place of execution. He remembered his wise guru’s words: “This is a city of fools. You don’t know what they will do next.” While he was waiting for death, he prayed to his guru in his heart, asking him to hear his cry wherever he was. The guru saw everything in a vision; he had magic powers, he could see far, and he could see the future as he could see the present and the past. He arrived at once to save his disciple, who had got himself into such a scrape through love of food.
Vocabulary:decree (डिक्री) order आवेश, royal (रायल) of the king and vision (fayrat) divine power to see things not present before eyes दिव्य दृष्टि; magie (मैजिक) specia/divine power अलौकिक शक्ति ; scrape (सकैप) a difficult situation कठिन स्थिति।।
अनुवाद : “मैंने कौन-सा अपराध किया है? मैं निर्दोष हूँ। मैं तो एक संन्यासी हूँ” वह चौखा। “यह सच हो सकता है। पर यह तो शाही आदेश है कि हम एक ऐसे मोटे व्यक्ति को खोज लें जो शूली पर फिट हो जाए.” वे बोले, तथा वे उस शिष्य को शूली के पास ले गए। शिष्य को अपने ज्ञानी गुरु के शब्द याद आ गए : “यह मूखों की नगरी है। तुम नहीं जानते कि ये लोग अगले क्षण तुम्हारे साथ क्या बर्ताव करेंगे।” जब वह अपनी मौत की घड़ियाँ गिन रहा था, उसने मन में गुरु को याद किया, उनसे निवेदन किया कि वह जहाँ भी हों उसकी पुकार सुन लें। गुरु ने सब कुछ एक स्वण छाया में देख लिया, उनमें चमत्कारी शक्ति थी, वह दूर तक देख सकते थे, और वह भविष्य को भी उसी प्रकार देख सकते थे जैसे कि वर्तमान तथा भूतकाल को। वह अपने शिष्य की प्राण रक्षा हेतु तुरन्त आ पहुंचे, जो अपने भोजन की लालसा के कारण ऐसी मुसीबत में फंस गया था।
Text (Pages 24-25) : As soon as he arrived, he scolded the disciple and told him something in a whisper. Then he went to the king and addressed him, “O wisest of kings, who is greater ? The guru or the disciple ?”
“Of course, the guru. No doubt about it. Why do you ask?”
“Then put me to the stake first. Put my disciple to death after me.”
When the disciple heard this, he understood and began to clamour, “Me first ! You brought me here first ! Put me to death first, not him!”
Vocabulary: scolded (स्कोल्डिङ) rebuked झिड़का: put me to stake (पुट मी टू स्टेक) to hang me मुझे फाँसी लगाओ; clamour (क्लैमर) shouted, cried चीखा चिल्लाया।
अनुवाद : जैसे ही वह आए. उन्होंने अपने शिष्य को डाँटा-फटकारा तथा धीरे से उससे कुछ कहा। फिर वह राजा के पास गए तथा बोले, “सर्वाधिक बुद्धिमान महाराज, दोनों में कौन बड़ा होता है-गुरु या शिष्य?”
“निश्चय ही गुरु। इसमें कोई सन्देह नहीं। तुम यह पूछ क्यों रहे हो?”
“तब आप मुझे ही पहले शूली पर लटकाएँ। मेरे शिष्य को मेरे पश्चात् शूली पर चढ़ाएँ।
जब शिष्य ने बात सुनी तो वह समझ गया और चीखने लगा, “पहले मुझे फाँसी दो। मुझे पहले मारो, उन्हें नहीं।”
Text (Page 25): The guru and the disciple now got into a fight about who should go first. The king was puzzled by this behaviour. He asked the guru, “Why do you want to die? We choose him because we needed a fat man for the stake.”
Vocabulary : puzzled (पजल्ड) confused हतप्रभ होना, घबड़ाकर कुछ न सूझना behaviour (बिहेवियर) conduct आचरण; mystery (मिस्ट्री) secret रहस्य, भेद।
अनुवाद : गुरु तथा शिष्य इस बात पर झगड़ पड़े कि कौन पहले मृत्यु वरण करे। राजा इस व्यवहार को देखकर हैरान था। उसने गुरु से पूछा, “आप मरना क्यों चाहते हैं? हमने तो इस व्यक्ति को चुना क्योंकि हमें शूली के लिए उपयुक्त मोटा व्यक्ति चाहिए था।”
Text (Page 25) : “You shouldn’t ask me such questions. Put me to death first,” replied the guru.
“Why? There’s some mystery here. As a wise man you must make me understand.”
“Will you promise to put me to death if I tell you?” asked theguru. The king gave him his solemn word. The guru took him aside, out of the servants’ earshot, and whispered to him. “Do you know why we want to die right now, the two of us? We’ve been all over the world but we’ve never found a city like this or a king like you. That stake is the stake of the god of justice. It’s new, it has never had a criminal on it. Whoever dies on it first will be reborn as the king of this country. And whoever goes next will be the future minister of this country. We’re sick of our ascetic life. It would be nice to enjoy ourselves as king and minister for a while. Now keep your word, My Lord, and put us to death. Me first, remember?”
Vocabulary : solemn (सॉलैम) holy, serious पवित्र; aside (असाइड) at one side एक ओर अकेले में; out of the servants’ earshot (आउट ऑफ द सर्वेन्टस ईयरवॉट) away from servants so that they could not hear सेवकों से दूर whispered (विस्पड) said slowly धीरे से कान में कहा, फुसफुसाया; for a while (फॉर अ वाइल) for sometime थोड़ी देर के लिए, ascetic (ऐसेटिक) of a sadhu/sannyasi साधु-संन्यासियों का; keep your word (कीप युअर वड) honour your promise वचन निभाओ।
अनुवाद : “आप मुझसे ऐसे प्रश्न न करें। पहले मुझे ही शूली पर चढ़ाएँ,” गुरु ने उत्तर दिया।
“क्यों ? इसमें कुछ भेद अवश्य है। बुद्धिमान व्यक्ति की भाँति मुझे भी समझाओ।”
“क्या आप यह वचन देते हैं कि यदि मैं आपको वह रहस्य बता दूं तो आप मुझे मृत्यु दण्ड दे देंगे?” गुरु ने पूछा। राजा ने उसे वह पवित्र वचन दे दिया। गुरु उसे एक ओर ले गया, जहाँ नौकर चाकर उनकी बात न सुन सकें। उसने राजा से कानाफूसी की,” क्या आप जानते हैं हम अभी क्यों मरना चाहते हैं, हम दोनों ही हम समस्त संसार का भ्रमण कर चुके हैं पर हमें आपके जैसी नगरी अथवा राजा नहीं मिल पाया। आपकी बनाई शूली परमात्मा की न्याय की शूली है। यह नई है। इस पर अब तक किसी अपराधी को मृत्यु दण्ड नहीं दिया गया है। जो व्यक्ति भी इस पर पहले पहल मरेगा वह इस देश का राजा बनकर पुनर्जन्म लेगा और जो उसके पश्चात् मरेगा वह इस देश का भावी मंत्री बनेगा। हम अपने संन्यासी जीवन से तंग आ चुके हैं। कुछ दिनों तक हम राजा तथा राजमंत्री बनने का आनन्द लेना चाहते हैं। अब आप अपना वचन पूरा करें। महाराज, हमें फांसी दे दे। याद रखो, मैं पहले मरना चाहूंगा।”
Text (Page 25): The king was now thrown into deep thought. He didn’t want to lose the kingdom to someone else in the next round of life. He needed time. So he ordered the execution postponed to the next day and talked in secret with his minister. “It’s not right for us to give over the kingdom to others in the next life. Let’s go on the stake ourselves and we’ll be reborn as king and minister again. Holy men do not tell lies,” he said, and the minister agreed.
Vocabulary : postponed (पोस्टपोन्ड) put off टाल दो।
अनुवाद : राजा गंभीर विचारों में खो गया। वह नहीं चाहता था कि अगले जन्म में कोई अन्य व्यक्ति उसके राज्य का स्वामी बन जाए। उसे विचार करने हेतु कुछ समय की आवश्यकता थी। इस कारण उसने फांसी दण्ड को अगले दिन सम्पन्न करने का आदेश दे दिया, तथा अपने राजमंत्री से उसने गुपचुप मंत्रणा की। “अगले जन्म में हमारे लिए यह सही नहीं होगा कि अपना राज्य अन्य लोगों को सौंप दें। आओ, हम स्वयं ही शूली पर चढ़ जाएँ तथा हम राजा और मंत्री के रूप में पुन: जन्म ले लेंगे। महात्मा लोग झूठ नहीं बोलते”, वह बोला तथा मंत्री सहमत हो गया।
Text (Pages 25-26): So he told the executioners, “We’ll send the criminals tonight. When the first man comes to you, put him to death first. Then do the same to the second man. Those are my orders. Don’t make any mistake.”
That night, the king and his minister went secretly to the prison, released the guru and the disciple, disguised themselves as the two, and as arranged beforehand with loyal servants, were taken to the stake and promptly executed.
When the bodies were taken down to be thrown to crows and vultures the people panicked. They saw before them the dead bodies of the king and the minister. The city was in confusion.
Vocabulary : executioners (ऐक्जक्यूशनरज़) people employed to hang culprits बधिक, यमदूत; released (रिलीज्ड) set free मुक्त कर दिया; disguised (डिस्माइन्ड) conceal to – misrepresent वेश बदला; promptly (प्रोम्पटली) immediately तुरन्त; vultures (वल्वस) a bird that feeds on dead bodies गिळ: panicked (पनिकह) terrified बहुत डर गए, खौफ खा गए।
अनुवाद : इसलिए उसने बधिकों को बोला “हम आज रात अपराधियों को भेजेंगे। जैसे ही पहला व्यक्ति तुम्हारे पास पहुंचे, उसे मार देना। फिर दूसरे व्यक्ति का भी वही हाल करना। यही मेरी आज्ञा है। कोई गलती मत करना।” उस रात राजा तथा मंत्री चुपके से कारावास में गए, उन्होंने गुरु तथा उसके शिष्य को मुक्त कर दिया, स्वयं दोनों ने गुरु तथा शिष्य का भेष बना लिया, तथा अपने स्वामिभक्त नौकरों के साथ जिस प्रकार पहले से व्यवस्था कर रखी थी, उन्हें शूली पर ले जाया गया तथा तुरन्त मौत के घाट उतार दिया गया।
जब उनके शवों को कौवों तथा गिद्धों को खिलाने हेतु शूली से उतारा गया तो लोग घबरा गए। उन्हें अपने सामने मृत राजा तथा मंत्री के शव दिखाई दिए। सारे नगर में उलझन अथवा व्याकुलता थी।
Text (Page 26) : All night they mourned and discussed the future of the kingdom. Some people. suddenly thought of the guru and the disciple and caught up with them as they were preparing to leave town unnoticed. “We people need a king and a minister,” said someone. Others agreed. They begged the guru and the disciple to be their king and their minister. It didn’t take many arguments to persuade the disciple, but it took longer to persuade the guru. They finally agreed to rule the kingdom of the foolish king and the silly minister, on the condition that they could change all the old laws. From then on, night would again be night and day would again be day, and you could get nothing for a duddu. It became like any other place.
Vocabulary : mourned (मोर्नड) grieved for dead शोक व्यक्त करना; unnoticed (अननोटिल्ड) secretly चोरी-छिपे; arguments (आग्यूमैन्टस) reasoning तक-वितर्क persunde (पहूंएड) make them agree सहमत कराना; silly (सिली) foolish मूर्ख।
अनुवाद : सारी रात उन लोगों ने शोक संताप किया तथा राज्य के भविष्य के बारे में चर्चा की। कुछ लोगों को अचानक गुरु तथा शिष्य की याद आई और उन दोनों को पकड़ लिया गया जब वे चुपचाप नगर से बाहर चले जाने वाले थे। “हम लोगों को एक राजा तथा राजमंत्री की आवश्यकता है,” एक व्यक्ति ने कहा। अन्य लोग सहमत हो गए। उन्होंने गुरु तथा शिष्य से विनती की कि आप हमारे राजा तथा राजमंत्री बन जाएँ। उन्हें शिष्य को राजी करने में बहुत तर्क-वितर्क नहीं करना पड़ा पर गुरु को राजी करने में अधिक समय लगा। अंत में वे दोनों मूर्ख राजा तथा राजमंत्री के राज्य पर शासन करने को इस शर्त पर तैयार हो गए कि उन्हें सभी पुराने कानूनों को बदलने का अधिकार होगा। तभी से यह तय हो गया कि रात पुनः रात रहेगी तथा दिन दिन रहेगा, तथा आपको एक सिक्के के बदले में कुछ भी नहीं मिलेगा। वह राज्य किसी भी अन्य स्थान के समान हो गया।