The Orphan and The Tyrant

Introduction

This story took place nearly a hundred years ago, but if you visit the village of Kushigarh, you are likely to hear it still:

The Life of an Orphan

Kishan was a poor orphan, living in a small hut with his grandmother. He labored in the fields of other villagers while his grandmother worked in several households to earn their livelihood.

Though they struggled, Kishan was ambitious. He often dreamed of a better life and believed that if he ventured to the town, he could find new opportunities. However, he hesitated to step into an uncertain future.

An Opportunity for Change

One season, their cashew tree yielded a bountiful harvest. Kishan knew that cashew nuts fetched a high price in town, so one morning, with hope in his heart, he carried two baskets to the market.

As he walked through the town, calling attention to his wares, he caught the eye of the zamindar, who had a fondness for cashew nuts. The landlord’s watchman summoned Kishan into the mansion, where the zamindar examined the nuts and found them of excellent quality.

A Clash with the Zamindar

“Leave all here,” ordered the zamindar, handing Kishan a small coin.

“You must pay me a rupee if you wish to buy all my cashew nuts,” replied Kishan.

The zamindar was furious. “Don’t you know who I am? How dare you bargain with me? I decide the price of the goods I buy!”

Kishan, undeterred, prepared to leave with his two baskets. “Seize this audacious lad and give him a thrashing!” shouted the zamindar. Immediately, one of his servants tore off Kishan’s shirt and began to lash him. The baskets containing the cashew nuts were taken to the zamindar’s store.

A Vow of Retribution

“Leave me! Leave me!” cried Kishan, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. As he counted the lashes on his back—fifty in total—he shot a furious glare at the zamindar, who merely laughed.

Kishan met a fellow villager and sent word to his grandmother that he would return home after a month. He found work in a timber merchant’s godown, earning the employer’s trust through his diligence.

Years of Transformation

Ten years passed. The zamindar was constructing a new house when a cartload of timber arrived at his residence. Kishan, passing by, took a look and warned, “Huzoor, do not use these pieces if you wish your house to last!”

Impressed by Kishan’s knowledge of wood, the zamindar asked him to accompany him to his forest to identify the best trees for timber. Kishan gladly obliged.

The Turn of Fate

Deep in the forest, Kishan pointed out the suitable trees, while the zamindar’s men began to fell them. Leading the zamindar further, Kishan indicated a stout tree and said, “Huzoor, measure the bulk of this tree by putting your arms around it.”

As soon as the zamindar encircled the tree with his arms, Kishan deftly slipped a loop around his wrists, binding him tightly to the tree.

“Zamindar, do you remember depriving a poor village lad of his nuts for sale and whipping him for no reason? I am that lad, Kishan. You whipped me fifty times, and I vowed to repay you with a hundred and fifty lashes. But you are old now. Instead, I will make you pay for my lost cashew nuts,” he declared as he took the zamindar’s purse from his pocket.

The Fall of the Tyrant

Kishan then took another path and exited the forest, leaving the zamindar groaning helplessly. It was late at night when his men finally found him, but he was suffering from a high fever and had to be carried home.

In his delirium, the zamindar cried out for Kishan repeatedly, though no one knew who he was talking about. His fever persisted, and local physicians failed to cure him. Someone reported that a traveling physician was setting up camp nearby, and he was summoned.

The Final Encounter

The physician examined the zamindar and asked for various items while the attendants stepped out to fetch them. Suddenly, the physician leaned closer and revealed, “I am Kishan in disguise!” He opened the zamindar’s safe and took out whatever money was inside, insisting, “This is not enough. I must see you once more to collect the full value of my cashew nuts!” By the time the attendants returned, Kishan had vanished.

Legacy of Kindness

A year passed, and the zamindar continued attending a weekly market on the outskirts of town. One day, Kishan observed a man trying to sell a horse. He offered to buy it if the man could prove it could run fast and devised a plan involving the zamindar’s carriage.

Everything unfolded as Kishan had anticipated. When the zamindar’s coachman detached the horse to chase the horse trader, Kishan approached the zamindar’s carriage and declared, “I am the real Kishan.” He took the zamindar’s purse once again, stating, “Now I am satisfied. I need not meet you again.”

A New Beginning

In time, Kishan became a wealthy and well-known figure in Kushigarh. The villagers still speak of his generosity and compassion, which became his lasting legacy.