The King

• Iram Shazadi, Grade 11
• Short Story
• 2022

Late morning The young king was sitting alone on his beautiful chamber.
He was very wild eyed, like an animal of a forest. He was found in the forest by one of the servants of the old king,
At that time the boy believed that he was poor foresters son, but now he know that his the son of the old kings daughters.
The kings daughter married a poor painter. He used to paint pictures and sale them for a few coins. But one day he disappeared leaving the unfinished pictures behind. The week old baby was taken away from his mother side while she was asleep.
The forester had no children's the baby was given to him. Some years later the princess died.
when the old king was at his last breath he said that my heart is heavy because I have done a terrible thing.
The king didn't wanted the crown to pass from his family so he announced to bring the princess son back from the forest,
when the boy was brought to the palace, he showed a happy and a strange love for the beautiful things. when he sew his new clothes and jewels he gave a smile. Then he walked through room to room, looking at everything. In bed that night the king was thinking about the clothes and the gold jewels while people were working hard day and night. The young king was imagining himself dressed as a king and he slept.
He woke up on his bed in the palace the bright sunlight was shining into the room, and in the garden outside the
birds were singing in the trees. The servant's came into his room with the golden crown and clothes, but the king said 'take them away!! I will not wear them. As those clothes were made by the white hands of pain and the jewels were covered with blood. When the king went out with the clothes which he used to wear when he was in the forest. He stood in front of the people while there was music and singing happening and as the people saw him they fell on their knees.