Sanjay Prasad Paudel
Once there was a beautiful mountain country. There was a king who followed the rule of his dynasty and reigned the country for a long time. She fought with its neighbors and invading empires tooth and nail to keep her sovereignty intact and was never under the control of any empire. She was rich in natural resources, culture, hydropower and ethnicity. Her neighbors always salivated at her natural beauty, peace and stability. They felt that they could not take any kind of benefit from the mountain country as long as the monarchy was in power. They also realized that they could not take such kind of benefit until they entered an alliance between them. So, they decided to join hands each other to make a business.
They funded some unemployed people to trigger instability and revolt against the monarchy. They did not want to work hard to feed their family. They were lazy, highly ambitious and corrupt. They succeeded to mobilise the citizens to rebel against kingship. The king was finally moved out of his palace. He took a shelter in an old royal house located on the outskirt of the city. The citizens installed a lady as head of the country on the first April. She was very young and as beautiful as queen used to be. They believed that she might rule the nation well and also would ensure gender equality. Now she lived in the palace with the full security provided by the soldiers.
One day she proclaimed herself as queen and usurped all powers to impose her rule in the nation with the help of military. She suppressed the people’s uprising, sending many of them into prison. Next day the neighbors sent their two businessmen to meet the new ruler of the country. She was happy to welcome the businessmen. She served them in the guest room with delicious food and state privileges. They weaved lucrative plans. Before sleeping they negotiated themselves with fifty – fifty share of their business with the queen.
Tomorrow morning they went to the queen to express their gratitude and hold talks on their business deal. The queen was very greedy for the diamond, gold and expensive clothes. She asked them to prepare a uniform that she was going to put on while ascending to the throne. The businessmen said to her, “We will prepare a uniform for you. But there is a condition, your highness!”
“What kind of it?” asked the queen.
“Only a wise man can see the uniform,” they replied to the queen. The queen provided them with gold, diamond and other materials they needed to prepare the uniform.
One day she called her minister to watch about making the uniform. They minister entered the room where the businessmen were working on it. Looking at him one of the businessmen said, “Welcome sir in our workshop! I know that you have come here to watch us how we are working. Your queen said that you were the wisest minister of this country. Only does a wise person see the uniform. No one can see the uniform who is stupid.” The minister was very clever to know the fact. He knew that they were not making anything. But the queen was so stupid that if he told the truth she would fire him from the job. “Fine! I am looking at the beautiful uniform. How long does it take to finish it? “
“By next Sunday,” said the other.
The minister asked, “What is the fee?”
One of them said, “I just want a way to enter a railway into your country from where I sell my product all over the region adjacent to your country.”
“Okay! Keep on,” said the minister.
The minister raised his eyebrows to the next.
He said, “I want to bring a ship here. So, I need your river.”
“What will you do with the ship here?” said the minister.
“I will bring my people to visit your beautiful country”, said he.
‘’Okay! Keep on”, said the minister.
The minister was confused himself whether he was intelligent or stupid. So, he sent other bureaucrats to examine himself and their intelligence. But no one told the truth because they were afraid being a stupid.
One day the queen asked her minister about his projects in the country.
“Tell me your projects in the development of the nation,” asked the queen.
“I am building stations for ships and railways”, said he.
“Good! I would like to see it. When will you finish the projects?”
“On the occasion of your coronation!” said the minister.
“Very good! she said happily. She went on, “What about the uniform?”
“It is beautiful.”
“Did you see it?’’
“Yes, madam!
“Then, you are genuine.”
It was the first April on Sunday. People were already informed to celebrate the occasion of her investiture. Children were not allowed to take part in the event. The minister informed her to see the ship and railway stations on the day celebration. She wore the clothes that the businessmen prepared. She was very happy to wear the uniform and see the stations. People were waiting for her to welcome. She approached the stations to watch the ships and trains. People welcomed her warmly with a bunch of flowers. But, she saw nothing there.
“I do not see any projects”, she said.
The minister replied, “A fool person cannot see my projects. Only a wise person can see them. The queen pretended that she had seen it.”
“I am very much impressed by your projects. How beautiful are they! How the ship is floating! How attractive the trains are! I really like them,” she said. For a couple of moments, she became confused about either she was naked or she was covered with the clothes. But she thought herself of she was so stupid that she could not see the clothes and the station. She was walking along the way among her people who were welcoming her.
No one dared to say that their queen was naked because they did not want to be called to be a fool. A child disobeyed his parents and come to see the function. He burst into laughter by looking at the queen. A soldier asked him why he was laughing at. He replied to him, “Your queen is completely naked. There is no any clothes on her body.” Listening to the child, people said,” Our queen is naked. The child is telling truth. She did not wear any clothes today.” Now the queen knew that she was naked. The two businessmen and the minister made her fool. When she realized she had abused her power to make herself great in the eye of the people, it was already late.
(Paudel is a freelance writer.)
