Treasure Thief

King Vikram was so worried. The lines of anxiety could be clearly seen on his forehead. The reason was that his treasure was decreasing day by day. He left his coffers full every evening, but when its doors were opened the next morning, the coffers would lie almost empty. If it continued long, soon he would be bankrupt. He was unable to understand why it was happening and who was behind it. He asked his councilors and ministers, and on their advice also increased the security of his treasure, but nothing came out of it. At last, he got it proclaimed in his throughout the country that whosoever would catch the treasure thief, he would give him his daughter in marriage. Many so-called wise people arrived at the capital to try out their luck, but one by one they all failed and returned empty-handed.

One evening, when the king was strolling alone in the park right in front of the palace, he was so upset. He knew that if the thief was not caught soon, there would not be left a single coin in his coffer, and he would have to stop all the welfare schemes going on in his country. He was lost in his thought. Just then a voice struck his eardrums. He looked around to see who it was, but no one was around there. He thought it was an illusion, and again got lost in his brooding. After some time he again heard someone's voice.

" King, take me out of here. King, take me out of here. King take me out of here. "

It seemed to be a child's voice. But who was it and why was it calling him? He was curious to know all this. He moved in the direction of the voice, and soon found himself standing in front of the palace temple. Suddenly he felt very tired and he lay down on the soft grass, and soon fell asleep. While asleep, the goddess of his country, appeared before him and told him that his life was in danger, because his most trusted minister was plotting to depose him. This very minister was behind the stealing of his treasure. The goddess also warned him that if he did not take timely action, he and his family would be killed by the hands of his enemy. Having said this, the goddess disappeared. The king then opened his eyes and returning to his palace, called a meeting with the commanders-in-chief of the army, in which it was decided anyhow to catch the treasure thief and the main culprit whose mind was active behind this. They made a plan to catch the culprit red-handed, according to which they all in the uniform of soldiers would spread in and around the palace, and keep an eye on the activities going in and around it. They did the same. King Vikram himself hid behind the thick trunk of a palm tree near the main gate. Gradually the night deepened. Silence spread everywhere. Just then, there was some movement. Two men in a black robe appeared in the corner, not very far from Vikram. They came straight to the stone statue put in front of the main gate and turned its head in the left. Soon a tunnel appeared on the ground. Both of them went into it. After they had gone into the tunnel, the king whistled twice. Soon the commanders of the army arrived there and surrounded the tunnel with a nacked sword in their hands. After about half an hour or so, they came out of the tunnel with two trunks with them only to find the commanders waiting for them. When the masks were removed, they were shocked to see that it was none other than his own brother with the chief minister of his country. The next day they were produced in the court, where hey accepted their crime and returned the stolen treasure to the king. Normalcy gradually returned to the palace.