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A boy and a king (A moral story) By- Shah Pravinchandra Kasturchand I am a B.Com. graduate from Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai, of 1957 batch. I have worked in diverse capacities like Teacher, Accountant, Sole Proprietor, Building Contractor etc...all for sustaining life. All the time heart remained attached to WORDS. I have a feel and confident one that writing, mainly poems, is my religion. The other side is my ignorance of academic side of English Literature as such, literary dignitories of present time and their contribution to literature. I am sorry for this but this does not come in my way. I have little to cling to from them and therefore I am more dependent on self alone. My companions are my friends who read me and feed back me. I express my sincere thanks to them. Shah Pravinchandr is facilitating sawf with material for building a children section. He invites all others interested to join in his efforts.

Once a king set out on his horse to visit the city he ruled.

As he was going around the city he saw a very unusual sight. He saw a little boy on the road who was playing with mud and dust. As the king looked at the boy he saw something that struck him immediately. He understood that this was no ordinary boy. He had a mystic look in his eyes and the king was curious to know more about him.

The king called the boy to his side and asked him as to why he was playing with the dust and mud. The boy with his piercing eyes looked at the king and asked him who he was.

The king answered that he was the king of that country and repeated the same question to the boy as to why he was playing with the mud and dust. The boy without looking up at the king continued playing and said "this human body is made up of mud and dust and ultimately is going to mingle in that only. Therefore I am playing with it because I am made from it." "O mighty king now you tell me what else should I play with"

The king had no answer to such a profound question and did not know what to say in reply to such a little boy. He immediately realized that he was no ordinary human being. Therefore he asked the boy to accompany him to his palace and stay with him for the rest of his life. The boy said "O mighty king, I am willing to live in your palace if you can fulfil my two conditions. First, you have to be with me through all twenty four hours and second, you have to remain awake when I am asleep"

The king was slightly startled. He said " Alright, I shall remain with you for all twenty four hours. But I shall not keep awake when you are asleep"

The boy at once jumped up to his feet, saluted him and said "In that case I cannot go with you to your palace. Here my God remains with me through twenty four hours and looks after me when I am asleep" "I am not a fool to leave my God and come with you. O mighty king, thank you and good bye"

Saying that the boy went his way.
The king was dumbfounded and had nothing to say to the divine boy.
What a great little boy!
What a little great king!

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