Luck – The Lost Ring

Introduction

In days gone by, there was a landlord named Vijay Verma. He had a charming daughter named Vijaya. On her sixteenth birthday, her father gifted her a beautiful ring, a priceless present that once belonged to Vijaya’s late mother.

The Lost Ring

One afternoon, Vijaya enjoyed boating on the river and playfully dipped her hand into the water. In an unfortunate moment, the ring slipped off her finger, causing her to shriek in distress. The boatmen jumped into the river and made several dives to retrieve the ring, but their efforts were in vain.

A Father’s Anger

When the landlord learned about the loss, he felt both sadness and anger. He confronted Vijaya, saying, “I gave you my dearest possession, and you lost it in no time!”

A Proposal Rejected

A few days later, a young man named Mahesh from a nearby village proposed to marry Vijaya. The landlord, confident that Mahesh would make an excellent groom, rejected the proposal due to past enmity between their families. Mahesh insisted, “But Vijaya would be happy to marry me!”

The landlord then asked Vijaya if she had chosen Mahesh as her husband. “Yes, father,” she replied shyly. But the landlord, filled with anger, declared, “I do not consider him a suitable groom for you. I hereby declare that whoever finds the lost ring shall win your hand!”

The Search for the Ring

As soon as the eligible youths of the region heard about the landlord’s decision, they eagerly attempted to find the ring. It was a sight to behold as they plunged into the river, emerging with pebbles or dead shells, but no ring in sight!

Mahesh, however, chose not to participate in the frantic search. He was deeply hurt by the landlord’s rejection.

A Twist of Fate

One day, while Mahesh wandered along the riverbank with his bow, he spotted a deer across the water. He took aim and shot an arrow. Just then, a big fish leaped out of the water, and the arrow pierced it as the deer vanished into the forest.

Mahesh entered the water, collected the dead fish and his arrow, then returned home. “What luck! I wanted a deer but got a fish!” he exclaimed. However, when he cut open the fish in his kitchen, out popped the lost ring of Vijaya!

Love Wins

Overjoyed, Mahesh wasted no time in taking the ring to the landlord. The landlord, feeling remorse for his earlier rudeness to both his daughter and Mahesh, was now delighted to welcome his soon-to-be son-in-law.

Mahesh reflected, “What luck! I wanted a deer, but I got the bride of my heart!”