Two Queens and A Prince
Long, long ago, there was a king who married for the second time after his first queen failed to bear him any children.
The Joy of Expectation
Both the king and his subjects were delighted to learn that the younger queen was expecting a child. Their joy intensified when the maids of the elder queen announced that she too was expecting a baby.
Strange Rumors
Amidst the excitement, a strange rumor began to circulate: an elephant in a forest bordering the kingdom had given birth to a camel! Some said that such odd occurrences foretold bad times, while others noted that nothing was impossible in this world; even stranger events had transpired in the past.
The Births
A few months later, both queens went into confinement for their deliveries. The elder queen joyfully gave birth to a healthy prince. However, when the younger queen regained her senses, she was shocked to find that she had given birth to a kitten.
“If a camel can be born from an elephant, it’s no surprise that a human mother could give birth to a cat!” was the comment that rippled through the kingdom.
A King’s Concern
While the younger queen remained stunned, the king and the court rejoiced at the arrival of an heir. Little attention was paid to the anguish of the younger queen.
The Astrologer’s Visit
Time passed, and one day an astrologer visited the court. The king asked him to prepare the prince’s horoscope. He was sent to the elder queen’s apartments to study the stars governing the prince’s birth.
After a while, the astrologer sighed and said, “I regret to inform you, O queen, that the boy is destined to be raised not by his mother, but by another woman. And that woman shall die soon.”
A Shocking Prediction
The elder queen was taken aback. “How can we avoid such a fate?” she asked anxiously.
“It would be easy for me to offer you false hope for a reward. However, what I’ve predicted is unavoidable,” replied the astrologer.
“What is the way out then?” she implored.
“When circumstances arise that transfer the child’s care to someone other than his mother, she must be prepared to die,” replied the astrologer.
Sisterly Bonds
As soon as the astrologer departed, the elder queen hurried to the younger queen’s apartment, tears in her eyes. “Listen, my sister, this child belongs to both of us. Let him be raised by you.”
“Thank you, my sister,” replied the younger queen. “But I have heard what the astrologer said. I do not wish to die so soon.”
“You will not die, my sister,” assured the elder queen, tears streaming down her cheeks. “You are the prince’s true mother. According to the astrologer’s prediction, it is not you, but the other woman who raises the child who shall die!”
The Revelation
The elder queen then confessed to the deception she had orchestrated. Through her maids, she had spread false news that she was also expecting a child. After the younger queen gave birth to the prince, her maids placed the child in the elder queen’s lap and set a kitten beside the younger queen.
“I suspected as much. My doubts grew stronger when I learned that the rumor about the elephant giving birth to a camel had been spread by your maids. I believe it was meant to prepare the people to accept the unnatural—that is, my giving birth to a kitten!” expressed the younger queen.
Understanding and Acceptance
The elder queen fell silent, continuing to weep. However, the younger queen embraced her and said, “You must forgive me for the deception I practiced on you. The astrologer was a courtier of my father. It was I who brought him here and instructed him on what to say to reveal the truth.”
She then added, “But always remember, the prince is as much your son as he is mine. In truth, the people need not know whether he was born of you or me.”