The Delayed Revenge

A Dark Night

It was a dark and desolate night, filled with an atmosphere of fear. Thunder roared occasionally, and rain fell intermittently. At times, King Vikram could hear unsettling peals of laughter, and flashes of lightning revealed terrible faces. Yet, nothing terrified him. Climbing a tree, he retrieved a corpse and, throwing it over his shoulder, began to cross the cremation ground.

The Encounter with the Vampire

Suddenly, he observed the vampire that possessed the corpse. “O King,” it said, “whatever your motive may be, it is wise for you to carry out your tasks personally rather than delegate them to someone else. One can never be sure of others. Take, for example, the case of King Gunasingh. You haven’t heard of it, have you? Let me tell you the story. It should bring you some relief.”

The Story of King Gunasingh

The vampire continued its narration: King Gunasingh was a strict ruler who often donned a disguise to roam his kingdom, supervising the condition of his subjects. One day, while passing through a region of his kingdom, he desired to test the honesty of an officer in charge of the area. Disguised alongside his minister, he approached the officer and reported a false dispute between them, asking him to meet the following day for a decision.

The report suggested that the minister was right and the king was wrong. However, that night, the king met the officer and, pushing a bag of gold mohurs into his hand, pleaded with him to announce a judgment in his favor. Bribed, the officer declared the king’s judgment the next day. Immediately, the king removed his disguise and clapped his hands, summoning his sepoys, who arrested the officer. Accused of accepting a bribe, the officer was executed.

Public Outcry and Subir’s Support

Many people disapproved of the king’s actions, arguing that the punishment was too harsh. Taking a bribe could warrant a fine or imprisonment, not death. Surprisingly, among those who supported the king was Subir, the executed officer’s young son. He asserted that the king had every right to execute a criminal if it served to set an example of sound governance.

Subir was a smart and intelligent young man. When the king sought someone to fill the role of his personal emissary, Subir excelled among all candidates and secured the position. He quickly earned the king’s confidence and became a trusted adviser for complex issues.

The Crisis and Betrayal

Suddenly, King Gunasingh faced a crisis as the neighboring king attacked his kingdom. There had been longstanding enmity between the two kingdoms, but Gunasingh had defeated the enemy king three times before. This time, however, the enemy came prepared for a long and valiant battle.

One night, Gunasingh summoned Subir to his private chamber. “We have won over one of the bodyguards of the enemy king. He has promised to kill his king for one lakh gold mohurs. You must meet him, give him half the amount, and assure him that he’ll receive the rest after completing the task. You alone can undertake this perilous journey into the enemy camp.”

Subir nodded and set off. However, upon entering the enemy camp, he met the enemy king and revealed the assassination plot. He then enlisted as the enemy king’s lieutenant and led his army against Gunasingh. In the fierce battle that ensued, Subir killed King Gunasingh, claiming he was avenging his father’s murder. The victorious neighboring king appointed Subir as governor of the conquered territory, and Subir proved himself a just ruler, punishing criminals according to the severity of their crimes.

The Vampire’s Challenge

The vampire paused and addressed King Vikram in a challenging tone: “Wasn’t Subir extremely revengeful? If he sought revenge for his father’s death, why did he wait so long? Answer these questions, O King, if you can. If you remain silent, despite your ability to answer, your head will roll off your shoulders!”

The King’s Insight

The king responded promptly, “Subir was not revengeful at all. He was an idealist who believed that King Gunasingh was also an idealist. Yet, he became disillusioned with the king. Gunasingh had executed his father for what he deemed a grave crime of bribery. But now, Subir saw that the king himself was employing bribery to achieve his ends. If Subir’s father deserved death, then Gunasingh deserved the same fate. Upon realizing that Gunasingh was not an idealist but an opportunist, Subir felt compelled to avenge his father’s death. To him, what had seemed a just punishment for his father now appeared as cruel murder executed by the hypocritical Gunasingh. This rationale explains his actions.”

No sooner had King Vikram completed his explanation than the vampire, along with the corpse, vanished into the night.