THE STORY OF THE TWO PEBBLES

(A Story from India)

I am Agamya, the heroine in the Story of the Two Pebbles. I am the

pretty daughter of a poor farmer, Jahan.
Do you know my story? I was nearly married by an old, ugly rich man
named Akshay. My father owed a large amount of money from him and this
Akshay wanted me to be his wife to pay for my father's debt.
"I will forgo your debts if I marry your daughter Agamya," Akshay
proposed a bargain to my father. I was horrified by the proposal!
So, this cunning money-lender, Akshay, suggested that we let
Providence decide the matter.
"I will put a black and a white pebble into my empty money bag. Then
you Agamya, will have to pick one pebble. If you picked the white one, you
need not marry me and I will forget your father’s debt, too! But if you picked
the black one, you will become my wife! But your father's debt would still be
forgiven. If you refuse to pick one, your father would be thrown into jail!”
We were standing on a riverbank full of black and white pebbles. As we
talked, Akshay bent over to pick up two pebbles but my sharp eyes saw that he
picked up two black pebbles and put them inside his bag! What should I do?
At last, I found a solution!
I put my hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking
at it, I fumbled and let it fall into the pebble-strewn path where it immediately
became lost among all the other pebbles.
“Oh, how clumsy of me!” I exclaimed. “But never mind, if you look into
the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.”
My father took out the remain pebble. Of course, it was black!
"My daughter picked the white pebble!" my father, Jahan, jumped with
joy.
We left Akshay fuming in surprise and anger.
I won!
Moral lesson?
Most problems have solutions; we just need to think in a different way.

I thank you. (Bow)