The Tenth Boon
Saboo’s Encounter
Once upon a time, there was a young man named Saboo, the son of a landlord. He was smart, brave, and quite proud of his intelligence and courage.
One day, while hunting in the forest, he encountered a hermit seated under a tree. Saboo had heard that hermits could do great good for those they favored.
He left his sword, bow, and arrows on a nearby rock, plucked some flowers, and gathered a variety of fruits. Carrying them to the hermit, he knelt down and placed them before him, ensuring that his head touched the hermit’s feet.
“Get up, my boy, get up. I’m impressed by your gesture,” said the hermit. Saboo, eager to please, awaited further words from the wise man.
The Search for a Boon
Minutes passed, and the hermit remained silent, showing no further interest in his visitor.
“Holy man, you’re great!” Saboo exclaimed, desperate to gain his approval. “How did you know?” The hermit countered, but Saboo had no answer. He quickly shifted the topic. “Holy man, what about granting a boon to me?”
“Oh!” smiled the hermit, finally understanding the intention behind Saboo’s respect. “I have no power to grant you any boon. Moreover, filling your heart with goodwill, kindness, and faith in God is the greatest boon. That is something you must cultivate in your own mind and heart,” he advised.
However, Saboo refused to give up so easily and continued to pester the hermit for a boon. Eventually, the hermit relented. “As I told you, I have no power to grant you a boon. But there is a lake a few miles east of this forest. Once every year, the lake dries up, revealing a shrine. If you visit it at night and ask the deity for a boon, it will be granted. But remember, the deity grants only one boon.” The hermit also told him when exactly the lake would dry up.
The Boons Granted
Elated with this information, Saboo forgot to thank the hermit. The day arrived for the lake to dry up, and he spent it anxiously waiting. He set out for the lake east of the forest early on the fateful morning. By noon, he reached the lake which was full, but as evening approached, it began to dry up.
Gradually, a deserted shrine became visible. When all the water finally drained away, Saboo entered the shrine. Darkness enveloped him, but soon a strange light filled the inner chamber. Though he could not see the deity, he prostrated himself before its seat.
“Ask for any one boon,” commanded a resonant voice.
“Grant that next time you must grant me ten boons!” Saboo boldly replied.
With a wall-shaking laughter, the voice echoed, “Granted!” Although the laughter frightened him, Saboo was pleased that he had outsmarted the deity, believing he could obtain a multitude of wishes with a single request.
The Consequences of Greed
He returned home and squandered his money, confident that riches would soon come his way. As he anticipated his newfound power, Saboo grew cruel towards his neighbors and servants, unkind to everyone around him, as he believed he was destined for greatness. Consequently, everyone began to despise him, but he did not care.
A year passed, and the anticipated day arrived. Saboo rode towards the lake in the evening. As the water slowly receded, he entered the shrine once more. At midnight, a strange light enveloped the chamber.
It was time for him to ask for his boons. Prostrating himself, he listened to the voice asking, “What boons do you wish to have?”
“Grant that my house becomes a treasure of wealth!” he demanded.
“Granted.”
“That my house becomes a castle!”
“Granted.”
“That I become the most handsome man in the world.”
“Granted.”
“That I can humiliate my enemies at pleasure.”
“Granted.”
Saboo continued to make wish after wish, feeling the water begin to rise once more, but he was too focused to notice.
Having already asked for nine boons, the voice cautioned, “You fool, ask for the boon of safe return from the lake!”
But Saboo, preoccupied, had resolved to wish for the death of his greatest foe. However, before he could complete his sentence, the lake filled with water, and the world’s richest and most handsome man was gone, never to be seen again!
