The Big Mouth
The Big Mouth :
There lived a boy named Remus in a village. Remus was very talkative. His tall talk sometimes impressed people.
He was as lazy as talkative he was. He shirked away from work. He had inherited a great wealth and properties from his ancestors. So, He had no worries about making a living.
Remus spent money like a prince. He loafed around all day and night. Due to his careless spending, a lot of fellows had become his friends who enjoyed life at his expense.
Leaking drops can empty even a big tank. In the same way the money of Remus ran out as he went on spending. The friends left him one by one. Now he was penniless, No friend would help him.
Remus looked around for some job. One day he appeared in the royal court and asked the king to give him some work.
The king asked. “What can you do, Youngman?'
Remus had learned no art or skill for any work. The only art he knew was talking big and making boasts. So, he replied, “OH King! I can do any task that none of your men can do. Try me.'
The king thought that the Youngman was clever. His reply showed his smartness and guts. The king had an idea that Remus could prove handy in the difficult situation.
The king hired Remus to work for him on a high post. The salary was fixed at a gold coin a day. Remus was very happy to get a job with such fabulous salary. He shifted to the royal palace itself to live in corner room. He was served food from the royal kitchen.
He had no particular duty. So, he would move around the palace as an inspector and kept the servants in line. Being a high official of some mysterious rank, he was respected by others. Most of the time he lazed in his room.
There were hundreds of servants in the palace of the king. He never knew that how many of them worked and how many just received salaries for doing nothing. So, bossing around by Remus didn't trouble the king. Remus was envying himself.
Then, a neighboring king invaded that country. The king sent his army to meet the invader. But the king’s soldiers suffered heavy losses because they were not strong enough to stand against the enemy. The king held a meeting of his ministers to find out the way to face the challenge. But no minister had any worthwhile idea. They were hopeless.
The king brooded. Suddenly, he remembered Remus who had boasted that he could do what no other person of the king could do. That's why he got employed. Remus was summoned by the king. Remus appeared before the king and his ministers. The king spoke, ‘Remus…You had claimed that you could do what others couldn't. Remember?’
“I remember, you Majesty," Remus answered.
‘So, you must do a task for me,' the king announced.
Remus laughed, ‘Your Majesty' Just spell out what you wish and consider it done.”
The king paused and then spoke, "Remus' you know that we have been invaded by a neighbour king. Our small army is unable to face the might of the enemy. You must deal with the enemy.''
Remus was frightened inwardly. He didn't know how to satisfy the king and reassure him. He kept up his boastful stance and declared, "King! I will drive away the enemy army in a jiffy I will let loose my sword to cut down the enemies.”
The surprised king asked, "You know about the warfare, huh?”
Remus was a born braggart. He boasted, “What is there in this world that I don’t know. I only need chances. Now you will see what I can do.'
The king was by now assured of some miracle. He said to Remus, “Take whatever you need. Show us your works."
Remus retired to his room and sat down brooding. He knew that he could do nothing. He could only brag and make tall claims.
He packed his baggage and kept it in the comer of his room readied for departure. Then he went to the treasurer and said, "I need one thousand gold coins for the task the king has assigned me.”
The treasurer readily gave him the corns because he knew the king's order. Remus was happy that he had a nice amount to live like a prince. He already had his entire salary saved.
He made a plan to slip away from the palace. He realised that it would take a couple of days to get far away from there. So, he would need some food for the way.
He went to the kitchen in the evening. Being no cooking time there was no one there. But luckily a cook arrived there and the enquired, "What can I do for you, Sir.”
Remus informed, “I have to go on a royal duty I won't be here for dinner. If you could prepare some food and pack….”
"Don’t worry, sir. It will take half or three quarters of an hour,’ the cook said.
Remus didn't want to stay that long. He was afraid that some one might discover his escape plan. Hence he spoke, ‘I don't have that much time. Give me some left overs if there are any.’
The cook found three pieces of bread and some vegetable. Remus accepted that happily. He found his chance and departed from the backside with his luggage and the bag of gold coins.
The night was falling. No one noticed Remus going away. He walked and kept walking until he reached the jungle. Now it was pitch dark. He ate a slice of bread and spent the rest of the night on a tree.
In the morning he traveled ahead. After a few hours, he got tired and felt thirsty. He found a pond and thought of taking a rest, eat a little and quench his thirst.
First he drank some water. Then, he lay under the shade of a tree to take a breather before eating. Remus fell asleep as soon as he lied down.
He woke up after some hours. By now he was very hungry. He opened his food packet which now contained only two slices of bread and some vegetable. He thought that if he ate both the slices what would he do when he would feel hungry later. It was a tricky question.
In indecision, Remus muttered 'Should I eat one or both of them?’ Should I eat one or both of them?' By chance, two fairies lived on that tree. The muttering of Remus frightened them. They thought that Remus was talking of eating them.
The fairies appeared before Remus and begged to him to spare them in return for a reward. First Remus was puzzled. Then he heard their talk carefully and understood the situation. He spoke, “I will spare you. But what can you give me in return?"
One of the fairies said, “I will give you this mat. It will take you anywhere you want to go.'
Remus, at once accepted it. He was wandering around like a lost person. He wanted to go to his home.
The other fairy spoke, ’Here! I give you this ring. You will become invisible when you wear it. This will enable you to tackle the mightiest of your enemies. '
Remus was very pleased. He took both the things and sat down to eat. But before he could eat a gang of robbers surrounded him. He put on the ring and became invisible. In the invisible form he attacked the robbers. The frightened robbers ran away.
Remus couldn't believed that he had beaten the robbers out of sight. Now he decided to try the mat. He sat on it and asked it to take him to the battlefield. The mat flew him to the ground where the invading army was battling with the soldiers of the king he was employed by.
Meanwhile, the next morning, the king sent a messenger to summon Remus to ask what preparations he was making for the war. The messenger reported that Remus was missing along with his luggage.
It angered the king. Then, the treasurer also informed that Remus had taken one thousand gold coins The king realised that Remus had cheated him and run away. The enraged king ordered the search for Remus to punish him for treason.
The soldiers ran in all directions to nab Remus.
On the other side, the invisible Remus began snatching away weapons of the enemy soldiers and killing them. The enemy soldiers panicked at being attacked by some invisible power. They thought some demon was after them and they fled. When the invader king heard about the invisible force he at once made a peace offer and stopped the war.
When the soldiers saw Remus returning with the army in victory procession, they at once informed the king.
At the same time, the enemy king's messenger with the peace offer also arrived in the court.
The king was surprised at these sudden happenings. He sent back the messenger after accepting the peace offer. He asked Remus, 'Where have you been"7"
Remus made up a story, “Your Highness! I had gone to put a stop to the war as per your orders. I had promised you that I could do what no other man could do. I did it Didn’t I? Now what is you order?"
The king was very pleased. He promoted Remus to a higher rank and doubled his salary. Earlier Remus had made up his mind to go back to his village. But now the situation had changed. He at once agreed to the new arrangement. He had no worries for the future. He lived in the king's palace like a prince.
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