King Shibi Put To Test

Once upon a time there happen to be a ruler called King Shibi. Everything he did was right and noble. He was very kind hearted .He loved his subjects like his children. He loved animals too and looked after their welfare. He protected the weak against the strong. His fame as great King spread far and wide.

Even Gods were getting a little jealous of King Shibi. One day when King Shibi was holding court, a dove flew in. He was in great fear and took shelter in King's lap. He cried, " O King protect me from my enemy. The King replied," Don't worry, nobody would harm you here." Soon a huge hawk that was persuading the dove arrived. He urged the King not to protect his lawful prey.

I have earned it after hard labour. O King, "I am hungry and moreover you have no right to take away whatever belongs to me. You interfere in the case of human beings but birds are free in the sky." But King said that in place of dove he would arrange the meat of a bull or a boar or that of a deer. But hawk said that doves are my natural food and I should be allowed to take my natural food.

" But there must be some other food which you like" said the King, " and if you tell me that, I shall arrange that immediately. " The hawk agreed to the proposal and demanded flesh from the King's body equal in weight to that of the dove. The King accepted the hawk's demand without any hesitation. He immediately ordered a pair of scales and a sharp knife to be brought to him.

He put the dove on one side of the scale and started cutting his own flesh to weigh it against the dove. Then a strange thing happened. The King cut pieces of flesh from his body but the bird always weighed heavier. More and more flesh was added from the King's body but still the dove was heavier. Then King finally placed himself on the scale and the scale balanced.

He asked the hawk to eat him up. But to everybody's surprise both the dove and the hawk were nowhere to be seen and in their place appeared God Indra and God Agni. They made the King's body whole. The Gods told Shibi who they were and they just wanted to test him. The King bowed low and thanked them. After blessing the King again, the divine beings left for their heavenly abode.