The Wrestling Match
Royal Dilemma: A Challenge from Afar
The grand audience chamber of King Ranjit echoed with the restless steps of its ruler. The air was thick with tension as the king, in the throes of a tantrum, paced back and forth. His face was a storm of emotions as he glared at the document in his hand. Suddenly, the chamber doors swung open, and his chief minister quietly entered. Without missing a beat, the king hurried over, thrusting the document into the minister’s face.
“Read that,” he thundered, veins pulsing with anger. “That braggart King Sambal has sent a challenge for a contest between his wrestling champion and our own. If I refuse, he’ll brand me a coward. If his champion defeats our man, he’ll never cease his boasting.”
The Problem with the Champion
The minister sighed, acknowledging the predicament. “I know, Your Majesty. But our champion, Bhola Shankar, is no longer in his prime. Age has caught up with him, and he is currently unwell. He has never lost a bout in all these years, yet now, he is in no condition to even fight a novice.”
The king threw up his hands in exasperation, his frustrations growing by the minute. “Why tell me what I already know? Bhola Shankar has been the unrivaled champion wrestler of all India. Now, King Sambal has found a colossal brute to challenge us. What are we to do?”
“Leave it to me, Your Majesty,” the minister replied with a hint of confidence. “Perhaps I can devise a strategy to defeat this challenger.”
Meeting the Challenger
With determination etched on his face, the chief minister hurried out to meet the challenger. Upon seeing the man, his eyes widened in disbelief. King Sambal’s champion was an enormous brute, more reminiscent of a gigantic ape than a human being.
“So, you’re the challenger,” the minister addressed him, attempting to contain his surprise. “Preparations for the bout will take a few days. Meanwhile, we will provide a comfortable tent for you to reside in.”
“Bah! Let me at him,” snarled the challenger with palpable arrogance. “I will tear your champion limb from limb.”
Once the minister had settled this boastful wrestler in his tent, he swiftly went to work on a plan to ensure victory.
A Match of Wit and Strategy
Several hours later, the challenger was drawn from his tent by a tumult of noise. Peering outside, he saw the minister directing a group of laborers who were struggling with massive iron bars, which they deposited nearby with sighs of relief.
These bars were gargantuan, towering above a man and as thick as a man’s thigh, requiring the strength of six men to move each one. Intrigued, the challenger called out to the minister, “What are these bars for?”
“Ah,” the minister responded with a mischievous smile. “These are for our champion’s practice. He throws them about, bends them into intricate shapes, and even ties them in knots.”
The challenger’s eyes widened in disbelief. Without another word, he retreated to his bed, overwhelmed by the minister’s words.
The Final Blow to Confidence
The next morning dawned with an uproar of clashing gongs and trumpeting elephants. Alarmed, the challenger darted outside, where he found the minister overseeing a chaotic scene of an army trying to tether a wild elephant.
“Why is this dangerous beast so near my tent?” the challenger yelled, visibly shaken.
Feigning innocence, the minister replied, “Dangerous? Our champion regularly practices his holds on wild elephants.”
“He practices with a wild elephant?” the challenger stuttered in shock.
With a smug look, the minister nodded. “Indeed, I’ve seen our champion lift a wild elephant by its leg and toss it over his shoulder with the greatest of ease.”
These revelations proved too much for the challenger. Muttering under his breath about iron bars and elephants, he stumbled back to his tent, a shadow of doubt clouding his mind.
An Unconventional Victory
The next morning, the minister walked into the audience chamber, a broad smile adorning his face. “I am pleased to report, Your Majesty,” he announced with mock humility, “that our would-be challenger left rather hurriedly during the night.”