Queer Conduct of a Youth

Darkness and Despair

Dark was the night and fearful the atmosphere of the cremation ground. It rained continuously, and thunder shook the earth. Lightning revealed strange faces around, and from time to time, weird laughter could be heard.

But King Vikram did not waver. He climbed the tree and brought down the corpse. As soon as he started walking with the corpse lying on his shoulder, the vampire that possessed it said, “O King, I take you to be an intelligent man. But even an intelligent man may sometimes behave in a queer way. Take the case of Prasun. Let me narrate his story to you; that might give you some relief.”

The Tale of Prasun

And thus, the vampire continued: Prasun was born into a princely family famous for its nobility and honesty. However, when Prasun came of age, his father went bankrupt, losing his estates and ultimately dying heartbroken.

Prasun abandoned his home and traveled to a neighboring district. By chance, he met a merchant named Dipakchand, who offered him a job at his warehouse. Unbeknownst to Prasun, Dipakchand had deceived his father, contributing to his downfall. Regardless, Prasun knew he must work for his livelihood and accepted the job.

Dipakchand understood that, like his father, Prasun was completely honest and truthful, making him an asset to his business.

A Dark Turning Point

Days passed smoothly until one day, Dipakchand grew furious with one of his servants and severely beat him, leading to the servant’s death.

A clerk who attempted to save the servant was falsely accused by Dipakchand of the murder and handed over to the king’s police. Several servants, including Prasun, witnessed the incident. Soon after the servant’s death, Dipakchand grew panicky and called Prasun aside, saying, “The king knew your father. He will believe you. If you testify that it was not I but the clerk who killed the servant, I will give you a lakh of rupees and help you restore your father’s estates.”

Choices and Consequences

“All right,” replied Prasun.

However, Dipakchand was uncertain that Prasun would comply. To ensure his cooperation, he sent a servant to Prasun’s house. The servant told Prasun, “Don’t you think it will be wrong to implicate the innocent clerk in the killing?”

“I am not concerned with right or wrong. Dipakchand is my master. It is my duty to ensure that he is saved,” Prasun replied.

Dapakchand was pleased with the servant’s report. The following day, during a visit to Prasun’s home, Dipakchand overheard the dead servant’s wife saying, “Sir, my husband was killed unjustly. I would find solace if his murderer, Dipakchand, were punished. But I hear that you intend to save the real murderer and blame an innocent man. Is this true?”

“Must I explain my conduct to you? I am in Dipakchand’s service. I will serve him in whatever way he orders me! Don’t you understand this simple logic?” replied Prasun.

The King’s Judgment

The woman cursed him and left. Dipakchand felt assured that Prasun would indeed come to his rescue.

The next day, the case was brought before the king. Upon learning Prasun’s identity, the king felt confident he would hear a truthful account of the incident. His hope was soon rewarded, as Prasun unequivocally declared that it was Dipakchand, not the poor clerk, who had killed the servant!

The clerk was set free, while Dipakchand confessed to his crime and was arrested. The vampire paused for a moment and asked, “Tell me, O King, didn’t Prasun prove to be a fickle-minded fellow? Why did he change his mind and become a liar? Was it to avenge the wrong Dipakchand had done to his father? If he intended to reveal Dipakchand’s guilt, why didn’t he do so from the beginning? Answer my questions, O King, if you can. Your head would roll off your shoulder if you knew the answers but chose to remain silent!”

Truth and Wisdom

King Vikram replied, “Prasun cannot be said to have become a liar. He was truthful, but he was not a simpleton. Born into a princely family, he surely knew when to speak the truth. There was no question of avenging the wrongs done to his father. He served his master honestly.”

“If he agreed to Dipakchand’s offer, it was to pave the way for justice. Had he disagreed, Dipakchand could have bribed others and led false witnesses to the king’s court. In his desperation, he might have even conspired to kill Prasun. Thus, Prasun acted just as a sensible man should act.”

No sooner had the king finished his answer than the vampire, along with the corpse, slipped away.