Page 23 - English Reader - 7

When the goldsmith looked at the ornaments, his eyes grew round with greed and he decided to

pocket some of the jewels himself. He told the Brahmin. “Wait here. I will go and get the money for
you,” and went into another room and hid some of the jewel. He took the remaining ornaments and
headed for the king’s palace and asked for an audience with the king.
He told the king that the jewels were stolen from the palace and that some of the pieces belonged

to the queen and that the thief was in his house. Without even bothering to find out the truth, the
king sent soldiers to the goldsmith’s house to arrest the poor Brahmin. The poor Brahmin was then
thrown into the jail. The king also ordered the thief to be hanged.

Shocked at the goldsmith’s betrayal, the Brahmin held his head in his hands and wept. Then he
remembered his snake friend, and called out to him for help. The snake appeared immediately, but
also chided him for his folly, “Didn’t I tell you not to save the goldsmith?” he asked sternly.
“You were right,” admitted the Brahmin, humbly. “But what can I do now? Is there any way you can

help me to get out of this mess?” he asked.
The snake thought for a while and said, “Listen to me carefully…I have an idea. I will bite the queen

and there will be just enough venom in my bite to put her into a deep sleep.”
“How will that help?” asked the Brahmin curiously.

“No one will be able to find an antidote for the poison except you,” said the snake and added, “you
will have to go up to the guards and tell them that you can cure her.

“How will I do that?” the Brahmin wanted to know. And the snake explained
to him that all he would have to do was, to go to the queen’s bedside and
put his hand on her head and she would be cured.

The Brahmin did not quite believe the snake, but he had no
choice.

The same night, the snake crept into the
queen’s chamber, as she lay asleep, and
bit her. There was a big hue and cry the
next morning when her attendants
discovered the queen lying
unconscious. The poison had
made her body turn blue.
When the king heard

the news, he left his
court and rushed
to her side. Doctors
were summoned
from all over the
kingdom, but none
could cure her.

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