The False Boon
The Arrival of the Hermit
The king of Shripur had a guest, a hermit who was renowned for his wisdom. The hermit approached the throne and made a bold claim, suggesting that the king should be cautious of impending danger from neighboring kingdoms. He warned the king that his foes might unite and attack, asking if any preparations had been made to counter such threats.
The King’s Realization
“Oh great seer! I had never given it much thought,” confessed the king, realizing his oversight. The hermit observed, “That is unwise. If you wish, I can utter a mantra over your general that will make him invincible. If your general cannot be defeated, what do you have to fear from your enemies?”
The Chief Minister’s Warning
However, the chief minister interrupted, “My lord, please do not allow this farce to continue.” Offended by the minister’s words, the hermit left the court in a huff. The king dismissed the court and scolded the minister for his rudeness towards such a powerful figure.
The Disguise and Discovery
“Let us lose no time! We must find out what the hermit is truly up to,” the minister implored. Soon, the king and the minister donned disguises and set out to track the hermit to his cottage. To the king’s surprise, he found his general in private conversation with the hermit. They quickly discovered that the hermit was, in fact, a well-known cheat who had been sent to the court by the general himself.
The Truth Unveiled
“How did you realize the hermit was a fraud?” the king asked the minister. The minister replied, “It was simple, my lord. If the hermit truly wanted to help you, he should have offered a way to make you invincible, not your general. In truth, the general had already claimed to be invincible in the court. If he were to rise against you afterwards, who would dare to oppose an invincible general? The false boon would have endangered your very life.”
The Conspiracy Exposed
Faced with the truth, the false hermit confessed to the conspiracy. Both he and the general faced the consequences of their deceitful actions, leaving the king relieved yet wary of the treachery that lurked in his own court.