[Miss Jordan]

Forgiveness of the King


by BK Surat Singh Ayer

Once upon a time there was a King in a country who was on a tour with his Ministers, including his royal security and others. He was taking rest, under the shade of the mongo tree at the mango garden with his team when suddenly a stone hit him directly on the forehead. Immediately he started bleeding.

The king had no idea who threw the stone at him, but he did know that he was experiencing an intolerable pain. The royal securities left right away to find the person who threw the stone at the king. After searching they found only one old lady there, and they asked if she had thrown any stones recently.

"Yes," she replied. "I threw a stone at the mango tree."

They asked her, "Did you throw any stone at the king?" The woman's face showed how terrified she was, so the guard forcefully told her that she would be punished. The woman was arrested and presented before the King.

She trembled with immense fear and prayed that they would not kill her. After seeing the blood flow down the King’s face, she became more upset and felt hopeless. "What will happen to me?" she thought.

The king, very calmly asked her, "Did you throw the stone at me?"

She replied, "Your majesty, I threw the stone at the mango tree."

"Why?" the king asked.

She replied weeping, "Your majesty, my child has been starving for two days. I was collecting food for him but could not find any. I hoped that when I threw the stone at the mango tree, a mango would fall so that I could feet my son. Your majesty, by mistake the stone hit your forehead and that is my unknowing mistake."

The woman bowed down before the king begging pardon for her mistake. The king was a kind hearted one and understood the situation very clearly. He forgave her mistake and ordered his security personnel not punish her in any way. Instead of punishment he said to give her money, food, and return her safely to her home.