Once upon a time there were five brothers who all looked alike. They also dressed alike and nobody could identify who was who.
Although they looked and dressed alike, each one was blessed with a special ability.
The first brother, if he desired, could swallow up the entire ocean.
The second brother had a neck made of iron and it was really strong.
The third brother could float on water.
The fourth brother could survive in a raging fire and come out unscathed.
The fifth brother could hold his breath for a long long time.
They all lived with their old mother in a little house in a small town and helped her.
One day, the first brother went to catch fish in the sea. He sat by the seaside for an hour and couldn't get a single fish.
As he was about to fill up the sea again with the water he had swallowed, he noticed a boy in the seabed dragging a big fish. The first brother tried to wave to the boy but the boy did not notice him. Since the first brother could not hold the water in his stomach for a long time, he spit it all out at once and filled up the sea. The water flooded the seabed and carried the boy away.
The first brother was upset.
Soon, the king's soldiers captured him and brought him to the court.
The king ordered,
The first brother went in and the second brother out.
The second brother told the guards,
A few hours later, the hangman, the guards, and other people who had gathered there noticed that the man was still alive. It was impossible! Little did they know that the second brother had an iron neck.
They released him from the noose and brought him to the king.
The king said,
The second brother went inside the house and the third brother came out.
He said to the guards,
They brought him to the king.
The king, who couldn't believe what had happened, suggested,
The third brother went inside the house and the fourth brother came out.
He said to the guards,
The guards thought this was some kind of miracle. They brought him to the king.
The fourth brother went inside the house and the fifth brother came out.
He said to the guards,
In the meanwhile, at the king's palace, there was some commotion. An old fisherman had rescued the boy who was feared to be drowned in the sea. He presented him before the king and said that the first brother was innocent and should not be put to death.
The king immediately ordered that the man who was buried should be removed from the box.
The fifth brother, who could hold his breath for a long time, was glad when he was lifted out of the box at last.
It was another miracle to find him alive and the king declared,
Once again, all the five brothers lived with their old mother in the little house in the small town and helped her.
(Retold)
Although they looked and dressed alike, each one was blessed with a special ability.
The first brother, if he desired, could swallow up the entire ocean.
The second brother had a neck made of iron and it was really strong.
The third brother could float on water.
The fourth brother could survive in a raging fire and come out unscathed.
The fifth brother could hold his breath for a long long time.
They all lived with their old mother in a little house in a small town and helped her.
One day, the first brother went to catch fish in the sea. He sat by the seaside for an hour and couldn't get a single fish.
"I think if I drink up the sea, I will find some fish at the bottom of the seabed" he said to himself and drank up the sea.Bloated with the water in his stomach, he walked carefully, picked up some large fish, and returned to the shore.
As he was about to fill up the sea again with the water he had swallowed, he noticed a boy in the seabed dragging a big fish. The first brother tried to wave to the boy but the boy did not notice him. Since the first brother could not hold the water in his stomach for a long time, he spit it all out at once and filled up the sea. The water flooded the seabed and carried the boy away.
The first brother was upset.
Soon, the king's soldiers captured him and brought him to the court.
The king ordered,
"I have been informed that you caused the death of a young boy. You will be hanged to death!"The first brother pleaded,
"Your majesty, please let me go home to say farewell to my old mother."The king obliged and sent the guards with him. They stood outside the house while he could bid good-bye to his mother.
The first brother went in and the second brother out.
The second brother told the guards,
"Let's go, I am ready to be hanged now."The guards led the second brother to the hangman who put the noose around his neck.
A few hours later, the hangman, the guards, and other people who had gathered there noticed that the man was still alive. It was impossible! Little did they know that the second brother had an iron neck.
They released him from the noose and brought him to the king.
The king said,
"Aha! So you survived the hanging? You must be drowned in the ocean."The second brother agreed to the change of plan but he pleaded,
"Your majesty, please let me go home to my old mother and inform her about this change of plan."Once again, the king obliged and sent the guards with him. They stood outside the house while he could bid good-bye to his mother.
The second brother went inside the house and the third brother came out.
He said to the guards,
"Let's go to the ocean."After the guards marched him to the ocean, they realised that he floated on the water for hours without drowning!
They brought him to the king.
The king, who couldn't believe what had happened, suggested,
"Fire will do the needful. Let him be burned."The third brother agreed to the change of plan but he requested,
"Your majesty, you are kind. Please let me go to my old mother and tell her about this change of plan."Yet again, the king obliged and sent the guards with him. They stood outside the house while he could bid good-bye to his mother.
The third brother went inside the house and the fourth brother came out.
He said to the guards,
"Lead me to the fire. I am ready to be burned."When the guards pushed him into the fire, the flames licked his body but did little harm. He just stood there smiling all the while.
The guards thought this was some kind of miracle. They brought him to the king.
"What? Not again? How could he escape from the fire? Let's put him in a box and fill it with sand so that he will not have any air to breathe."The fourth brother heard the change of plan and said,
"Your majesty, please let me go to my mother and bid her farewell again."The king once again obliged and sent the guards with him. They stood outside the house while he could bid his mother farewell.
The fourth brother went inside the house and the fifth brother came out.
He said to the guards,
"Come, where is the box in which you are going to bury me?"They put him in the box and covered him with sand completely. They left him there for a day.
In the meanwhile, at the king's palace, there was some commotion. An old fisherman had rescued the boy who was feared to be drowned in the sea. He presented him before the king and said that the first brother was innocent and should not be put to death.
The king immediately ordered that the man who was buried should be removed from the box.
The fifth brother, who could hold his breath for a long time, was glad when he was lifted out of the box at last.
It was another miracle to find him alive and the king declared,
"This man is pure of heart and therefore he did not die."The king gave him a reward and sent him back to his family who was overjoyed to see him.
Once again, all the five brothers lived with their old mother in the little house in the small town and helped her.
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| Art: Manjiri Bhave, India |
(Retold)
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