The Hat Of Gold

And now a relatively short story from Grumpy Grandpa Pandemonium 

The Hat of Gold 

( In Marathi ... Sonya chi topi ) 

Once upon a time long long ago, an old woman lived with her son and daughter in law in a remote village. All was well in this small household except for the fact that the old woman yearned to see the chubby face of a grandchild. But years passed by and despite many prayers and pilgrimages and vows promised to be fulfilled should her wish to be granted ( called Navas in Marathi ) to almost all deities there was no sound of any toddler squeals in her home. Finally out of sheer desperation and frustrated with the non obliging deities, the old woman called out to the Devil ( Shaitaan ) himself 

Oh great Devil, Satan, Beelzebub, Lucifer, Pandemonium, whatever be your name, please bless me with a grandchild and I will gift you a hat of Gold! 

In a flash, there was lightning and thunder and the smell of a rotten fart and a Devil resembling this author appeared before her! " Okay old hag, " cackled the apparition, flashing his gold-filled chipped dental cavities " I will grant your wish but will you promise to keep your promise? Will you promise to give me a hat of Gold? " 

A bit startled by this sudden entry and surprised at the quick response to her appeal, the old woman swiftly gathered her wits and replied, Yes O great Devil. It's my Lord's promise that if you grant me a healthy wealthy happy long-living obedient grandchild who will happily play with me in his palace along with his parents and siblings, I promise to gift you a hat of Gold! 

This seemed a simple enough wish to grant in exchange for a hat of gold for the Devil and he readily agreed. He plucked a strand of grey hair of the old woman as proof and witness of her promise and disappeared at once. 

Soon enough true to the Devils promise the old woman was blessed with a bonnie bouncy cute grandchild. The old woman's joy knew no bounds and she was busy tending to her baby grandchild care and upbringing. As per the other conditions, the old woman was blessed with more grandchildren and the whole household soon moved into a grand palace where she lived merrily with her family. However, the wicked Devil could not bear to see her happy and reappeared before the old woman and demanded his hat of gold. The old Grandma readily agreed to fulfill her promise and bade the Devil come the next day to collect the promised hat of Gold. 

The whole night Grandma was busy sewing a hat of the coarsest cloth for her dear grandchild and as soon as it was ready she put it on the head of her dear grandchild. Early the next day the Devil came to claim his hat of Gold. At once the old Grandma took the hat off her grandchild's head and flung it hard upon the Devils face... " Here is your hat of Gold as promised ! Now Get lost and Stay lost ! " said the old Grandma! 

" But but " 

 sputtered the Devil furiously, " This is an ugly hat of the coarsest cloth. It is not of Gold! " 

Hearing this the old Grandma smiled cunningly and called out to her grandchild, "Dear grandchild what is your name? And is this your hat? "

The innocent grandchild said 

" Why dear Grandma how forgetful of you! It was you who insisted on naming me Gold! And yes it was my hat before you threw it on the face of this stranger who looks like our grumpy old grandpa Pandemonium! " 

At this, the old woman triumphantly looked at the Devil and said "Is this not a hat of Gold? Technically I have fulfilled my promise to you for I have given you a hat of Gold! Now begone before I whack your backside with my broom of thorny thistles! " 

Hearing this, so scared was the poor Devil, that he vanished faster than he had arrived. Because he knew that the old Grandma was a woman who was true to her words! 

And thus the old Grandma lived happily ever after with her grandson Gold and her family! 

And that is the reason dear friends that all lawyers are picked up by the Devil lest any other human cheat him on technical legal grounds! But never again did the Devil dare to interfere with Grandmas and their blessings for their grandchildren! And hence it is that every kiss that a grandchild gives and receives from his or her Grandma drives the Devil far far away! 

Moral of the story?

Grandmas are wise enough to outwit even the Devil. Better listen to them. 

May our story be short and funny 

May your life be long and happy!

Result of my nocturnal activities .... a Story Rehashed by Grumpy Grandpa Pandemonium aka Parag Raje

Authors note : 

This story is 

Dedicated to

Late Mr Bhalchandra and late Mrs Shobhatai Pednekar an extremely rare to find couple who nursed and cared for me for many years .

Mr Sunil and Mrs Neelima Mane 

Mrs Anita Bhagat 

Mrs Seema Kolle 

Mr Mahesh and Mrs Nitya Mane 

Mr Bapu and his sister Megha Gawli

Narrated to me by my friend  Mrs  Seema Kolle as an ancestral  hand me down tale from her grandmother .. 

The original is in Marathi  language .