A Criminal

In times not long ago, a tyrant king was famous for giving absurd type of
punishment for crimes in his state. One day, guards of the king caught a thief, who
has been suspected of stealing a loaf of bread from bakers shop. He was brought
before king for his trial. Did you steal? It is crime in my state and punishment is no
less than death said the King. No your highness said the thief. I have been
wrongly accused of stealing from the bakers shop. I will die hungry rather than
steal continued the thief. I was sure of your innocence but just now you stole a
look at my daughter which is also punishable by the law. Since you already under
trial, let me pronounce the judgment. I have invented a special punishment in which
there is every chance that you may be able to save yourself said the tyrant king.
The thief had already lost any hope of acquittal, he was expecting a death penalty
by the looks of the King but this surprise punishment would be more brutal than
death itself, he was sure of this. Why have I come into this world, to work for living
and die for nothing? Next time if anyone wants to bring me in this world, he should
bloody consult me said his anguish as tears rolled down his face.
He was taken to a dark cell in prison, not given food to eat and beaten 50 lashes. He
thought this was the last time he was suffering for no reason; soon this will all be
over. I have existed for no reason but will this end be even more meaningless than
my life. How do I prepare myself for this unknown end? Will my life have any
meaning in face of what is to come? Why is there so much injustice? Well, I think
that there is no such thing as injustice, there is only will to power. Strong mashes up
the life of weak between his two fingers. This king has been a source of misery for
his whole country. Who sent him here? He has killed hundreds of them depending
upon his mood at that moment. I think life has no meaning for the weak, it only
relishes strong. The weaklings struggle for livelihood, they work for leisure of strong.
They have no meaning of existence for their own lives. They are mere factories to
produce more labor and I am one of them his soul cried.
Next day he was taken to open public platform, his neck was tied in iron chain. The
rope was tied to the pole in the middle of the platform. The length of rope was 6m.
You have to open the box which is lying there, in that box there is a key for opening
the lock which is in your neck, get it and you will be free said police officer to the
thief. The thief couldnt believe his ears; he got up and went straight for the box. By
the time he reached there, guard pushed it beyond the length of his chains. He ,
now understood the game. He was to get hold of this box while people were free to
tease him. Guards left him in his new game. At first, the thief was confident of his
release; he thought someone would toss the box in the circle. People gathered near
him to participate in this game. The box was suddenly tossed and this thief jumped
to get hold of it. He was stopped by a jerk because of iron chain in his neck which

he had forgotten. After lot of jumping around, he got exhausted and finally gave up.
It was evening and game was over for the day to begin next day.
He couldnt sleep in the night. His death was to come either by starvation or
exhaustion as no one was willing to pass the box to him. All of them just played with
him. He thought I am like a dog that is bound to pole and made to dance on the
sight of bone. Should I strive to get the box tomorrow which contains my release? Or
is it all futile.
Next morning was particularly dull and gloomy for it brought no respite for him. He
prepared himself again for the torture of the day. He was at loss to understand his
situation. He had no food in his stomach and no strength in his mind to continue to
suffer this torture. He saw a dog passing by which made him realize that finally he is
worse than a dog. People again came to play the game. The thief jumped around to
catch hold of that box but ended in failure. He was finally ready to give in when a
small boy passed by and handed over the box to him. He couldnt believe his luck
that he was so desperate to get to this box and finally he had got it. He thanked the
boy hundred times for he saved his life. Only a boy uncorrupted with the ways of
world could do this. Knowledge of world makes a man corrupt in his wisdom.
Now time had come to open the box and get the keys to the lock. The moment the
box was opened, he looked at the face of death. There was a venomous snake
waiting to strike him. Just few minutes back, he was in same shock except the end
was different. He didnt close the box, allowed the snake to bit him, for he thought
it would be better to end this game. In the end, everyone loses, I am no exception.
Let this game end.
The snake, which was in the box, being tossed around, injected his venom with full
force. Then it crawled over his body went to the box again. People gathered to
witness final moments of his death.
His body changed his colour to blue, the poison was working.
In the end, he died. The bystanders dispersed, he had been punished. The justice
was served in the eyes of the people.