Tricksters & Fools

One Sunday after lunch, severe cold forced me to go to bed for a little of warmth. Reading composes me, so, I need not to swallow any sleeping drug to get a sound sleep.

I picked up a story book on Tricksters & Fools and slipped down into bed. The book contains stories on the subject that handed down to us from centuries. One of the stories was the Brahman that was robbed of a heifer. A few more stories and I got intermittent naps. I had hardly finished the story on The Emperor in New clothes, when I heard my own feeble snores.

Now dreams started to pour like film, one scene after the other.

I landed as an ambassador in a country named Jambustan. It was ruled in proxy by Dr. Meata Singh. The country was infested with pests and rats. The Home Minister, Charles Shobh Raj Patil was too weak to handle the pest. To please the nuisance, at times he tried to robe likewise. One day Meata Singh was approached by two tricksters, one from Vijbehara, Anantnagh and the other form Doda with a solution.

They said: “We weave a mysterious cloth. No corrupt person can see the cloth. Besides, pests and rats will vanish if you wear the robes of the mysterious fabric and promise the pests that their progeny will be taken care of after their demise”.

The fabric in the civil has the branded name ‘Feeling Touch’ and in the belt forces ‘Lootbhavna’ or ‘Loot-khasote.’ For both the pests have become the hen that lays the golden eggs. And both are wise enough to rear the pest and allow the pest to get multiplied.

Without a second thought, Dr.Meata sanctioned Rs.24, 000 crore for the project and said: “On the Independence Day I shall address the Nation from the Pink Fort in the robes made of the fabric".

A few days later impatient Meata deputed one of his ministers to see the progress of the weavers. The weavers took the minister for sight-seeing for all the days at his disposal and intoxicated him with deep drinks. On his visit to the loom, the weavers pretended to be at work. The Minister remembered his event of corruption while dealing with the files on coal mines and praised the invisible fabric. He was cautious that otherwise he would have to face corruption charges.

Praise of the fabric made Meata more impatient and he deputed all his ministers one by one to see the progress of the weavers. All the tainted ministers praised the invisible fabric to escape corruption charges.

Finally one day before the Independence Day, Meata was given a trial of the mysterious suit. Invisible stitches and invisible scissors were applied to fit the loose fittings. Meata regretted his stupidity for his acquiescence to corruption committed by his ministers and expressed his pleasure and praised the fabric.

On the Independence Day all assembled in queues on either side of the road leading to the Pink Fort to welcome Meata in the mysterious robes. All but one child praised the fabric. The innocent child who had never lied cried: “SHAME…SHAME….SHAME; ULTI-TALI; SHAME SHAME”

Meata realized his folly but it was too late.