Spell that helped a king to rule

"If the speech of birds and beasts is clear to you, you will grow wise, and perhaps you need no advisor close to you," said the sage who lived in the mountain. The king of the country went to see this sage as he was advised by the late wise man who served the king in the palace.

When the wise old man, who served the king, died, the king was in search of a new wise man to advise him. So the king remembered the words of the old wise man: "Go forth to the mountain range where a sage lives with birds and beasts around him. But go alone."

The king went alone. He saw an old sage surrounded by birds and beasts. They seem to be saying something in whispers. The sage too was seen listening and responding in their language.

"I am the king of the country. I came to see you as my wise man died," said the king. The sage smiled and replied: "Yes I know the birds around here brought me the message."

"I want to see if you can be my advisor," the king said. Then the sage said smilingly.

"How can I leave this place? I am accustomed to live with these birds and beasts who help me to live a happy life."

"Can you visit my palace from time to time and advise me on matters that concern my ruling?"

"If you wish to rule the country well you should know the speech of birds and animals." This made the king enter a deep brooding.

"But surely how can I learn the speech of birds and beasts?" Asked the king.

"I know you are an honest ruler. I can teach you a spell and then you will hear what the birds and beasts say, but on one promise. When I teach you the spell, you should not pass that spell to another. You follow?"

"Yes."

"If you pass that spell into even the dearest one in your life, you will die on the spot."

So the sage of the mountain requested the king to come closer, and taught him the spell. The king had a good perceptive power. He memorized the spell and murmured to himself. Then it happened to be a wonderful moment when he heard the speech of birds and beasts. The king bid farewell to the sage and walked to the royal palace. It was the time when the king and the queen had to sit together to partake of the royal meal. The queen offered the king some sweetmeats. A bit of the sweet fell to the ground. Two ants got at it and talked about the taste. A smile appeared on the face of the king as he heard what the two ants were talking to each other. The queen was not aware of it. She did not hear the murmur of the spell that king made before tasting a bit of the sweetmeat.

"What made you smile?" Asked the queen in surprise.

"I heard what the ants were speaking to each other."

"How did you hear that?"

"I learnt it from a great sage in the mountain range."

"Will you please teach me that?" Asked the queen.

"Oh no, I am advised not to pass it on to any other person."

"I'm your dear queen. Why don't you teach me the spell?"

"Oh no you may do anything on earth, but not the spell that I learnt."

The queen felt sad and dismayed. Right at the moment two birds flew from the royal park and wanted to see what the king was doing. They were talking to each other as if they heard what the queen said. Another smile appeared on the face of the king. The king was once again happy. The queen had never seen the king so happy.

"You look very happy," said the queen.

"Yes I am. I feel I am the happiest king on earth. I heard what the birds said."

"What did they say?" Asked the queen.

"They were saying to each other that I could rule without a wise man to advise."

"Is it due to the spell you learnt?"

"Yes certainly."

"Oh I am your chief queen consort. I beg you to teach me the spell which helps learn the speech of birds and beasts."

The king felt that the queen was quite adamant. She was worried too much.

"Let's walk out to the royal park," said the king. Then they walked and sat under a mango tree. The king murmured the spell. Two monkeys who lived in the mango tree were talking to each other. One monkey said to the other.

"If the king acts foolishly the queen will know all what we say. Then she will, with the help of her relatives, bring disaster to all of us. I only hope that the king will not fall a fool to listen to the queen." The king listened to the dialogue that ensued between the two monkeys.

"I cannot understand why the king cannot control the queen."

"The queen should be whipped," said the other monkey. A smile appeared on the face of the king. The queen saw it.

"The monkey is wiser than me," thought the king. The queen was once again inquisitive.

"Oh my dear king, please teach me the magical spell."

"I can teach the magical spell only if you can bear up five whiplashes," said the king.

"Oh whiplashes!"

"These birds and beasts advise me to get a royal slave to give you five whiplashes in order to teach the magical spell."

"All right," said the queen.

A royal slave was summoned. He was ordered to give five whiplashes to the queen. With great difficulty she managed to bear up the first two whiplashes. But with the third whipping which was unbearable she cried out.

"Oh no, please stop I don't want to learn the spell. Please leave me alone.

"Stop. Stop," ordered the king.

The royal physician was summoned to treat the whip lashed wounds of the queen. The king listened to more and more of what the birds and beasts said. The king ruled the country well. The queen never troubled the king.