Trail for the Two Princes

Introduction

The king had two sons, and they were twins. Prince Lalit was brave but rash, while Prince Paresh was wise but shy. During one of the council meetings, the king expressed his dilemma regarding which of his sons should succeed him to the throne.

Deciding the Future King

“I do not know who should succeed me: Prince Lalit or Prince Paresh,” the king uttered before his council of ministers. “Why, my lord, we have no doubt that it is Prince Lalit who should make an able king. Courage is the most essential virtue for a king, and he has it in abundance,” said one of the ministers, prompting agreement from a few others.

Another minister disagreed, stating, “It is wisdom that should be considered the chief quality of a king. I have no doubt that Prince Paresh is the right choice for the throne.” This view was also supported by a number of his colleagues.

A Test of Capability

“Why do you keep quiet?” the king asked his chief minister. “Courage and wisdom are both great qualities. However, what is important for us is to determine which prince has the capacity to protect the kingdom,” the chief minister responded. The king inquired how they could find this out, to which the chief minister answered, “He who can protect himself when faced with difficulty can be trusted to protect the kingdom.”

It was decided that the chief minister should take the two princes on a journey to see how they would fare when confronted with challenges.

The Journey Begins

The three set out shortly thereafter, riding through a forest one evening. Suddenly, a jackal emerged and stopped them.

“Gentlemen, I was looking for a human to settle a disagreement between my wife and me regarding our son’s companionship while hunting. Can any of you help us?” the jackal pleaded.

“Why not,” said the chief minister, turning to Prince Lalit. He instructed Lalit to accompany the jackal and return after resolving the dispute.

A Woodcutter’s Dilemma

Just then, a woodcutter approached them. “I have a dispute with my friend. Can you kindly settle it?” he asked.
“What is it about?” inquired the minister.
“We agreed that any food found would be shared equally, but my friend has a stick of sugar cane and insists on taking the sweeter lower half, claiming he found it,” the woodcutter explained.

The chief minister then asked Prince Paresh to accompany the woodcutter to settle the dispute.

Returning from Their Tasks

The minister waited on a mound. Shortly after, Prince Lalit returned, whistling merrily.
“Did you resolve their dispute?” the minister asked.
“Of course, I did,” replied Lalit. “I cut the little jackal in two, insisting they each take a part. They howled and were ready to attack me, so I swiftly dealt with them and solved the problem with force and courage,” he said proudly.

The next moment, Prince Paresh arrived on the mound.
“Were you able to satisfy the woodcutter?” asked the minister.
“I was, luckily,” replied Paresh. “I cut the sugar cane into two equal halves, allowing both men to share the sweet portion and be happy.”

A Magical Encounter

They continued on their journey and soon came across a picturesque brook surrounded by flowering trees, aglow in the moonlight. Suddenly, a commanding voice said, “Wait, human beings!” Two gundharvas—supernatural beings—approached them.
“We do not visit this forest often,” said one gundharva. “I think the evening breeze is cooler than the morning breeze. What do you humans say?”
“But I believe the morning breeze is cooler,” argued the other gundharva.

The chief minister turned to Prince Lalit. “Both of you are wrong,” Lalit declared. “The breeze is equally cool in the evening and the morning.”

The gundharvas were displeased with his answer. “Please wait a minute,” said the minister, then turned to Prince Paresh. “What do you say?”
“Both of you are right,” replied Paresh. “The breeze is indeed equally cool at both times.”

The gundharvas were pleased and rewarded Prince Paresh with two golden lotuses.

Choosing the Successor

Needless to say, it was Prince Paresh whom the minister chose to succeed the king for his ability to balance wisdom and kindness, proving that true leadership lies not in force, but in understanding.