Stolen Ruby
The Sun, while going on his daily rounds saw a princess and
fell in love with her. Whenever he could slop away from the heavens he would
take human form and go down to the princess to spend some time with her. The
princess too became quite fond of him and would wait for him to come. One day
the Sun decided to send her a blood-red ruby as a token of his love for her. He
put the gem in a silk bag, and calling a crow that was flying past, asked the
bird to deliver the gem to his beloved. Crows had milky white feathers in those
days and it was considered auspicious if a crow came anywhere near you. So the
Sun was pleased that he had found a crow
to deliver the gem. As the crow to sped through the sky with the silken bag,
the aroma of food lured him. Looking down the crow saw that a wedding feast was
in progress, and immediately it was distracted from its mission. Food was one
thing it could never resist!
Alighting on a tree nearby, it hung the bag on a twig and
went off to find some food. While the crow was feasting, a merchant passing by
saw the bag on the tree, and knocked it down with a pole. When he opened the
bag and saw its content he almost swooned in joy. Quickly pocketing the ruby,
he filled the bag with dry cow dung that was lying there, and then deftly
returned the bag to the branch. It was all done so quickly that the crow missed
all the action. After having its fill, it flew up to the tree, and picking up the
bag took in to the person it was intended for. The princess was in the garden.
When the crow gave her the bag, she took it eagerly, knowing that it was form
the Sun. But When she saw its contents she reeled back in shock and anger.
Believing that it was the Sun’s way to telling her that he did not care of her,
She flung the bag away, rushed to her
palace, and never come out again. When the Sun learnt of what had happened he
was furious. So great was his anger that when he turned his scorching gaze on
the crow, its feathers were burned black. It’s feathers have been black ever
since. The ruby did not stay with the man who stole it. If fell out of his
pocket and rolled into a deep pit. Men have been found in the process, making
Myanmar one of the richest sources of rubies and sapphires, but the ruby that
the Sun sent to the princess is yet to be found.
Moral of the Story : Never steal anything.
0 comments:
Post a Comment