King’s Gift and the Rainboard

In the city of Totapur lived a young man called Somnath. Despite being exceptionally clever, he was incredibly lazy and abstained from work. He resided with his elder brother and sister-in-law. They admired him for his intelligence but were saddened by his lazy and indolent lifestyle.

One day his brother said, “Somnath, everyone in this city knows you’re an intelligent lad. Why don’t you present your cleverness to the King and earn some accolades?” Intrigued by his brother’s suggestion, Somnath decided to head to the King’s court. The monarch of Totapur had a tradition of setting riddles on his birthday and rewarding those who could solve them.

The King’s birthday was celebrated with unrivalled grandeur. Many scholars came to the court to flaunt their wisdom, and among them was Somnath. The King asked, “How many people in this land are truthful?” While varied answers echoed in the court, Somnath answered that the King’s five thousand servants must be the most truthful as otherwise, they wouldn’t be in his service. Satisfied by the response, the King presented each scholar with a silken cloth and invited them to the royal dinner.

During the royal dinner, Somnath stood out for two reasons. Firstly, he wore his old clothes instead of the King’s gift, as he had given the gift to someone else. Secondly, he ate sparingly unlike the other guests who ate greedily. The King noticed and asked Somnath why he hadn’t worn the new dress. Humble Somnath replied that he could happily wear the new dress that day but not everyday, and he was satisfied with the simpler lifestyle which he was accustomed to.

The King admired Somnath’s sense of responsibility and his simplicity. He rewarded him with a thousand gold Mohurs and appointed him to his court.

Legend of the Rainboard

Assam is one of the wettest places on earth. In particular, Cherrapunji has probably the highest rainfall. Workers in the rice fields need a form of protection to carry on their tasks and in response to this, a type of shield is worn on the back in the Naga Hills. It is primarily used by women workers and is made of broad leaves pressed between layers of basketwork and bound with bamboo. This innovative shield, known as a ‘rainboard’, provides full protection against the rain.