Outwitting Fate – the last part

Thus solving the problems of his guru’s children the disciple set off……..

He went to live under a tree near her house to see if his plan worked. He was happy to see that it did.

When he was satisfied with the happy turn of the events for his sage’s son and daughter, he took leave of her to go on another pilgrimage.

On the day of his departure, he woke up too early. The moon was up. He had heard the crows cawing and mistaken it for the signs of dawn. He got up and begun his journey. He had not gone too far when he met a beautiful person walking towards him leading a buffalo: he carried a sack of rice on his head, and a bundle of pearls was slung over his shoulder.

‘Who are you, sir, walking like this in a forest?” asked the disciple.

The man with the buffalo threw down the sack at this question and almost wept as he replied, ‘Look, my head has become almost bald from carrying this sack of rice every night to that coolie’s house. I lead this buffalo to that man’s shed. Than I dress up and carry these pearls to his sister’s house. My iron pen wrote their fates on their foreheads, and thanks to you, you wretched clever man, I have to supply them whatever was promised at their birth. When will you relieve me of these burdens?”

Brahma wept, for it was none than Brahma himself.
‘Not till you grant them a good ordinary life and happiness” said the holy man. Brahma did exactly that and was relieved of his troubles in these two cases.

Thus were fate and Brahma outwitted.

I hope you all liked this folktale.