3) Amazing Singer

Even after losing Betaal once again, Vikram didn't stop trying and came back the next night again to take Betaal to tantrik.

It was a pure dark night and it was slightly raining. The sound of rumble is so loud that someone will think the sky becomes half. In the lightning different faces can be seen from different trees during the route. Raja Vikram was not fearful, he reached near the ancient tree and saw that a corpse really was hanging from the tree. He climbed the tree and put that corpse on his shoulder, then came down. While returning to that tantrik, en route when he walked 9 steps ( 27 square feet ), he was able to hear someone's loud laughter... "Hihihi Hihihi". Vikram asked loudly " Who is laughing ". The betaal inside that corpse said " Rajan !!! I'm a Betaal living inside this corpse from more than 800 years. I've seen many kings, people, changing of the throne and everything. I've just heard that there is a very virtuous and fearless king named Vikram ruling this kingdom now." Betaal continued " Now, I've even seen your charisma and your karma and I can understand why people like you. But even a knowledgeable king like you got trapped by that tantrik's mayajaal. That tantrik was a crooked one and he wanted to kill you to rule over the kingdom. The reason why he sent you to me so that I can kill you which will ultimately benefit him. Even if I failed and you succeeded in bringing me near him he had got enough tantra shakti to control me and use me against you. So it'll be better if you go back to your daily routine and don't be deceived by that trickster tantrik."

Vikram got very much confused about whom to trust and whom not to. Seeing Vikram confused about whom to trust Betaal sighed and continued "I've got enough power to kill you right now, But as you are a very virtuous person, I'll go on a condition to that tantrik with you. I'll tell you a story en route that I've seen in real life. And I've got a query I need an answer out of every story. I'll ask you the question. Upon knowing the answer you are bound to answer it. If you don't know the answer you can stay silent. But if you talk during our journey, I'll go back to my previous position in that tree. "

Raja Vikram knows that Betaal is very powerful. So he promised on the condition Betaal set. When he Took another 9 steps (27 square feet) Betaal spoke " Rajan !!! Hear this incident. "

[ Author Note : Upto this will always be there from the start of every story to the end of the novel ]

A long time ago there was a kingdom called Mithila. Alok-singh was the king of that kingdom. He had a special liking for artistic people. So he hired many folks who have acquired top positions in their art in his royal court. One day one gentleman came to his court and requested the king to hire him as a singer. The king denied that gentleman saying that he had enough singers in his court, so he didn't need anymore. The gentleman walked away without insisting.

The next day he came again to the court requesting the king the same thing. The king again denied saying " Didn't I tell you yesterday that we don't need any more singers." The singer went away. The next day he came again with the same request politely. Every time the king denied his request, the singer used to come again with the same request.

One day the king thought "The patience of this man is very good. Every day he is coming again and again with the same request." There must be some mystery behind his behaviour. So the next day the king said to that singer "Ok. I'll accept your request if the expert singers in the court will accept your talent. So sing a song and make them accept you." The singer politely said " Rajan !!! I've only one condition. I'll not sing on anyone's order or any special occasion. I'll only sing whenever I feel like it. This is my condition for becoming this court's singer."

The king became angry. He said " First of all you are requesting to become a court singer. Then you are putting on a condition on top of that. You can go away. There is no place for you in the king's court." The singer went away politely. The next day the singer came again with the same request. Some days passed away with the singer's request and the king's denial again. The king thought what mystery was there behind this unreasonable request of this singer. So the next day when the singer came, the king accepted his request of becoming a court singer. Everybody thought the king must have known his talent in secret.

The king and his Royal court was performing their work as usual except that one singer. He didn't show his talent even once in the royal court nor the king asked him to. The king was even thinking that this guy must be a thug, who is using my kindness to his advantage. This guy must not know anything about singing, that's why he mustn't be performing even once. Still I can't tell him to sing as well as can't remove him from the royal court singer position due to my words. I think I got tricked by his behaviour. Still I can do nothing. Not only the king even some royal court memebers were doubting him. Cause even if someone used to request the singer to perform, he used to decline politely saying it is not the time yet.

Some days passed away and then the king became a father. When he got a son every artist presented their arts including their singing talent too except that one singer. One court member asked that singer " Will you not even sing for one time." The singer replies "I'll definitely sing when the time comes."

5 years went by easily. When the young prince becomes 5 years old, he suddenly falls ill. Many experts from different fields were unable to decide which type of fever it was. The illness became so serious that, people thought the young prince was going to die.

When everyone in the court was sad and was checking by looking at the helpless young prince in the court, the singer, who never sang once, started singing with a melodious voice. The voice was so soothing that everyone including the king, were listening without a word. After 1 hour of listening, when the singer stopped, some court members remembered the crisis regarding the prince. When the king went back to check out on the prince, he saw that the prince was sitting in his bed and was listening to the song very attentively, the singer was singing.

Seeing the prince becoming relatively well and able to sit, everyone becomes happy including the king too. When the king is going to give the amazing singer prize for this, he couldn't be able to see him anymore. The singer had already gone away, the moment his song ends.

Betaal ended his story within 63 steps (189 square feet) .

He said to Vikram "O Rajan !!! Now answer my query !!! Why did the singer go without receiving his gifts and why was he hiding his talent. He could have generally to do his work as the king is going to reward him. Still he chose to go away. What was the mystery behind the singer's decision. I got the general idea why it was like that. But I still want to ask you. So answer me Rajan. Answer my query if you have know it. Even after knowing if you don't answer, I'll break your neck and kill you here."

Vikram answered " The singer always knew his own talent and he is a humble gentleman who wants to work using his talent. The moment he had revealed his talent he would have been bound to become the slave of the king. That's the reason the singer put that condition while joining. He just did his work and used his talent for getting salary money from the king. The reason he hides his talent is also due to its amazing-ness."

Upon hearing Rajan's answers Betaal laughed hard and spoke " Well done, king. I am amazed by your judgement and your thinking of the exact answer and now I can see why the people in your kingdom respect you for your behaviour. But you spoke in between our journey Which broke the promise I've set from the start. So according to the promise I'm going back to my previous position." "Hihihi hihihi !!!" laughter sound can be echoed from the jungle and Betaal returned back to the same tree branch he was hanging previously. All of this happened within 9 steps (27 square feet).

Only before 9 steps (27 square feet) the King Vikram failed in bringing the corpse like the tantrik said. He returned back to his kingdom learning the lesson by Betaal on the quality of a king and judgement. But he wasn't able to keep the promise of bringing the corpse. So he decided to come back tomorrow and bring the corpse back...