Becoming a sleeve snake

The Treacherous Minister

A long time ago, in the land of Greece, there was a wise and just king who ruled his kingdom with fairness. The king trusted all of his ministers and often consulted them on matters of governance. Among all his ministers, there was one whom the king favored above the others—a man named Faisal. The king valued Faisal’s advice and often sought his counsel for important decisions.

Little did the king know, Faisal’s heart was filled with deceit. Though he appeared loyal, Faisal secretly desired to overthrow the king and take the throne for himself. The king trusted him completely, unaware of the treachery brewing right under his nose.

Days passed peacefully, and Faisal began quietly plotting. He gathered a few other ministers who were greedy or easily tempted, promising them rewards and honors if they supported his schemes. Many ministers, lured by the promise of riches and power, joined Faisal. Together, they hatched a plan to eliminate the king and seize the throne.

One day, the king decided to inspect the state of his kingdom personally. He set out with a convoy of his ministers and guards. Faisal saw this as the perfect opportunity. He approached the king and said, “Your Majesty, rare and exotic partridges have been spotted nearby in the forest. Shall we hunt them?”

The king loved hunting, and his eyes sparkled at the suggestion. He readily agreed, and the entire group entered the dense forest, unaware of the danger awaiting them. The forest was wild and dangerous, home to fierce animals and hidden pitfalls.

Faisal, acting with cunning, led the king deeper into the forest. At a strategic moment, he abandoned the king, leaving him alone and vulnerable, while he returned to the palace with the other ministers. Once safely inside, Faisal announced, “Your Majesty has been devoured by a lion in the forest. Since I was closest to him, I shall now assume the throne.”

Some ministers who had remained loyal to the king were heartbroken but feared for their lives, and so they reluctantly accepted Faisal as their new ruler. Days went by, and the kingdom remained under the false rule of Faisal. The palace walls echoed with his arrogance, and the people, unaware of the king’s fate, mourned the supposed loss of their just ruler.

Meanwhile, the real king survived in the forest. Though hungry, injured, and exhausted, he remembered the words of faith and courage instilled in him since childhood. He knew that as long as God willed him to live, no harm could truly befall him. Using his knowledge of the forest and his courage, the king gradually made his way back to the palace, enduring hunger, wild animals, and harsh weather.

Finally, one day, the king appeared at the palace gates. Those ministers who had sided with Faisal were stunned and speechless to see him alive. Their faces turned pale with fear, for they realized that their treachery had failed. The king’s loyal ministers, however, rejoiced and offered their deep respect and gratitude to their true ruler.

The king confronted Faisal, saying, “Faisal and his accomplices abandoned me in the forest, believing that I would be devoured by wild beasts. They thought my life would end there. Yet, as long as God has written my life to continue, no harm can be done to me. I trusted you above all, Faisal, and this is how you repaid me. Truly, you were a snake hidden in my sleeve.”

The king ordered Faisal and his conspirators to be captured and imprisoned. Faisal, once proud and arrogant, now trembled in fear as he realized that his greed and betrayal had brought him nothing but disgrace and punishment. The loyal ministers were restored to their positions, and the kingdom returned to peace and prosperity under the wise and just rule of the rightful king.

From that day forward, the people of Greece learned an important lesson: loyalty, honesty, and integrity always triumph over deceit and treachery, and those who trust in God and righteousness will never truly fall, no matter the schemes of the wicked. The king, though tested and betrayed, ruled with even greater wisdom, ensuring that fairness and justice prevailed in every corner of his kingdom.