War babies

Story sent by : Shri B.G. Jhaveri, Delhi

Source : Not known

There were four War Babies. One girl and three boys. Infants at the start of the story, they gradually grew up to youth. They were almost of the same age, the girl was eldest and intelligent.

The Almighty looked after the war babies.  They should have been looked after by the super power, otherwise how they should have survived in the forest! There was no human being to look after them. Still, they survived through winters, extreme cold, heat of summers and rains. Who fed them? What they ate or drank? Who protected them from the wild animals and difficulties like sickness? Let it be mystery. It is unimportant in the story.

And let it be mystery, whose children they were, except that each of them had different parentage. And let it be mystery how they happened to be at the same place and at the same time.

They gradually became young enough to roam nearby places to collect fruits and to play and to pass time happily. They always remained united and moved together. When they became old enough to climb the trees, they saw remote areas from the tree tops. They ventured to roam further, climbed hills, swam rivers; enjoying the adventures and merry making.

They lived as close relatives. They loved each other. One day they reached outskirt of the forest and arrived at a village. There they saw human beings, persons like them. And they saw domestic animals cows, buffalos, oxen, dogs and goats and vehicles. They got afraid and flee.

After few days in the other direction they reached similar village. After many visits they became familiar with the worldly affairs. They learnt the spoken language and dwelling habits. They started earning by selling wild fruits and woods of the tree branches.

They built a hut in the region they used to live in the forest. The girl learnt to cook and thus happy days passed on.

Time passed on. Boys stepped into manhood and the girl stepped  into womanhood.( Still we shall continue to call them boys & girl). A separate hut was built for the girl. Their love bond was strong and pure. Slowly nature (rather cupid) started playing its part. The girl started shyness and boys boldness. Boys were experiencing curious feelings towards the girl.

More waters flowed in the river of time. By the time each boy had expressed his platonic love to the girl in secrecy.

The girl was in dilemma. She loved each boy profoundly and equally. She was not able to weigh any one above the other two. She could not establish the family affairs with all of three. And to choose one might develop tension.

She could not decide any thing for few days. One night she got brilliant idea. At the breakfast she declared them about developed situation in details. She also cleared to them that she could not grant her favor to any one on her own. After lapse of some moments she told them that she wanted to leave the matter to the Almighty. And as the superpower had shown her the way, she would, at the lunch, put a coin in one of the breads, which she would serve. The lucky (?) one to get the coin could claim her hand. She told them that with heavy heart.

She served them bread as per preprogrammed decision. After few minutes, while having lunch one of the boys cried with joy that he got the coin. The girl and two other boys looked at each others with dismay. The girl understood the look of the other boys.

They, the lucky boy and the girl, got married in simple ceremony. They started their wedded life happily. They lived in the hut of the girl. Though they all four remained united, lived, roamed and had their meal as usual. The girl was as friendly with all the boys, as if no marriage happened.

More waters flowed in the river of time. Then a problem got crawled, which Sir Thomas Hardy had included in one of his novels. Many more authors may have considered the same in their works.

Gradually the husband got jealous. He did not like his wife to be friendly with two other boys. He tolerated for few days. One night when they were alone he discussed that with his wife. The wife did not take it seriously, dismissing his fear that they were their family members and her relation with them was innocent. The husband was not satisfied. After that same was discussed between husband and wife many times. One night the quarrel reached extremity. The husband slapped his wife. She wept whole the night. In the morning the husband was apologetic. The wife stared at him stupendously for few seconds and told him, “Shall I tell you the truth?” It was the turn of the husband to stare at her stupefying. She continued, “That day, I had put three coins, one each, in each of three breads and served each bread to each of you.”

Interlude

The Story Teller concluded his story with a question.

He did not narrate what happened afterwards. Whether their marriage, happily or other wise, continued or not. Neither was narrated, that whether the other two family members, continued to live with them as that of previously or they shifted to some where else on their own. Will any of our nice friends be kind enough to satisfy the query of the story teller!

The Question

“The girl announced that she would put one coin in one of the breads. Then why did she put three coins, one each in three breads?”