Priest and Robbers

Once upon a time, In a kingdom lived a priest who had magical power and knew a special spell that was given to him by his teacher. There was a condition on the use of that special spell that it could be used only once a year at a specific time.

Priest had a disciple who was a very good student and was intelligent and able to understand his teacher even most difficult lessons. He was obedient and faithful and always wished to honor and protect his teacher.

One day priest had to go on a trip far away from the village. Since the trip was long and he had to pass through a dangerous road, he asked his disciples to come with him.

Both the priest and his disciple were going on their trip and along this road, they were attacked and kidnapped by a gang.

The gang demanded 5000 gold coins to release him. So, the priest sent his disciples to get them from his village.

Before leaving disciple knelt before the priest and bowed respectfully.

He said to him in a low voice, “Master, Tonight is the night when you can use your special spell once a year but please do not use this spell. I will come back with ransom money. Please bear till then.”

After the disciple left. In the evening, kidnappers tied up the priest tightly and left him and outside their cave for the night, and gave him nothing to eat and drink.

At night the moon came out. Priest was in pain. He looked at and saw the lining up of planets and knew that this was time his spell could work. He thought to himself, “Why should I suffer like this when I can pay my own ransom using my magical spell? My life is much more worth than jewels.

Besides this lucky night comes only once a year. I can not waste this cane to use my great power.”

Priest decided to use the spell. He called out kidnappers and said, “I can make you rich beyond your wildest dream. For I am great and powerful. You must trust me and untie me. Treat me properly, let me wash my head and face, and dress me in new clothes. Then after honoring me properly, leave me alone to do my magic.”

Kidnappers wanted money so they agreed and did as said. But they didn’t trust him completely, they hid in bushes and secretly watched him.

They saw that. The priest looked up into the sky and calculated that planets were lined up in a special pattern then he lowered his head and muttered a spell into his hands and then gazed up into the sky and clapped his hands.

Suddenly he was showered with the most beautiful jewels from the sky.

Seeing such beautiful jewels, kidnappers came out of hiding and grabbed all the precious stones. They thought that if a priest could give them so many jewels why leave him? They tied him up again and took him with them.

On the way, they were stopped by another gang of robbers. That gang demanded money from them.

Kidnappers were less in number. They knew they couldn’t win against them so they brought a priest to them and said, “Leave us alone and you can get all the riches from this priest. he knows a magical spell with which he can make precious jewels shower. He can do this for you also.”

Priest replied, “Of course I can give but now you have to wait for another year as I can do this spell only once a year. You can come see me next year and I will give you all the jewels I get at that time.”

Robbers didn’t believe him and angrily said, “You tricky priest you are lying. You made the kidnapper gang wealthy but now refusing to do the same for us.”

Saying this they killed the priest.

Then they attacked the kidnapper gang for jewels and killed them all. After getting the jewels robbers started to fight between them and in a bloody battle all died.

A few days later, the disciple returned with ransom money. He went inside the forest but couldn’t find the priest and kidnapper gang. Instead, he found only things left by the kidnapper gang before they left in a hurry.

When he continued in search and he found his teacher’s dead body. Disciple mourned his death and built a funeral pyre and covered it with flowers. He burned his body as per rituals and gave his last respects to his teacher before leaving.

Little further on his way, the disciple found the body of the kidnapper gang. Then he walked a little further in search of what may have happened. He found the bodies of another gang then near them he found bundles of jewels.

Seeing jewels he could tell immediately what had happened.

He thought to himself, “It is so sad. My teacher had great knowledge but not enough wisdom. Regardless of the result, he couldn’t resist using his magical spell, and that resulted in the end of so many people.”

The disciples took that bundle of jewels and took it back to the village and used it for the benefit of many.