The Prince’s Abduction

A long time ago, a wise and just king ruled a prosperous kingdom. Because of his fair governance, the people lived in peace and contentment. The kingdom thrived as everyone remained busy with their work, contributing to its growth. The king was not only intelligent and brave but also a peace-loving ruler who maintained friendly relations with neighboring nations.

The king had a young prince, barely two or two-and-a-half years old. The little prince was cheerful and playful, crawling around the palace all day. To ensure his comfort, the king had laid luxurious carpets throughout the palace so the prince could move freely without getting his feet dirty.

Next to the king’s kingdom lay another nation ruled by a deceitful man who had once served as a minister. Through treachery, he imprisoned his former king and claimed the throne for himself. However, he could not kill the previous king because he possessed the keys to the royal treasury, which the new king desperately wanted. Obsessed with wealth, the treacherous king conquered smaller neighboring states, seizing their riches, which inflated his pride and greed.

One night, driven by envy and ambition, he attacked the prosperous neighboring kingdom, thinking it would be easy to take over. However, the wise king had prepared his army meticulously. The invading forces were met with fierce resistance, suffered defeat, and even lost some of their own territories. The victorious king celebrated his triumph, appointing governors to the reclaimed regions, but he deeply missed his little prince, who had been away for several days.

Infuriated by his failure, the treacherous king devised a cruel plan for revenge. Knowing the people were celebrating the victory, he sent a group of men to abduct the young prince from the palace. The king returned home to chaos—the prince was missing. The palace was in an uproar, the queen was inconsolable, and the guards were terrified of the king’s wrath.

After gathering himself, the king summoned his ministers and the chief of police (Kotwal) to investigate. They determined that during the celebrations, the prince’s disappearance was unnoticed, but it was unlikely any palace staff acted alone. The king decided it was crucial to locate the prince before punishing the guilty party.

The Kotwal’s eighteen-year-old son, Dilawar, volunteered to help. He requested permission to question the palace attendants responsible for the prince. Five attendants were accounted for, but one maid, Gul Ara, was missing. She was closest to the prince, feeding and caring for him regularly. It became apparent that she was involved in the abduction.

The king issued a royal decree to return the prince safely, along with a ransom of five hundred thousand gold coins, but Dilawar knew a careful, strategic approach was required. That night, he embarked on a journey to the neighboring kingdom with the king’s letter. Crossing rivers and mountains, he reached the enemy’s territory by midnight. Exhausted, he paused to rest with his horse near a forest stream.

Ahead, he saw lights and cautiously approached, discovering enemy soldiers preparing for their night guard. Dilawar secretly followed them to a secluded mansion outside a nearby village. The estate was heavily guarded. Using the cover of a thunderstorm and heavy rain, he sneaked inside, avoiding detection.

Inside, he located the prince and Gul Ara. Gul Ara explained that the traitorous palace servant, Jafar, had informed the enemy of the prince’s attachment to her, so they abducted both to prevent the child from crying and revealing their plan. Dilawar understood the full situation. He quietly carried the prince and, with Gul Ara guiding him, exited through a small unguarded door. The prince, suffering from fever, was kept warm and protected from the rain.

Riding swiftly, Dilawar returned to the Kotwal’s residence by dawn. The prince was reunited with his worried parents. The queen embraced her child, tears of relief streaming down her face, while the king immediately summoned royal physicians to care for the young prince.

Following this, the king dispatched his army under the command of the brave general to capture the treacherous neighboring king. Dilawar was celebrated for his courage and intelligence, given rewards, and appointed as the palace guardian. His parents were immensely proud, recognizing that their son’s bravery and wisdom had saved the prince and safeguarded the kingdom.

As for the traitorous servant Jafar, he was arrested, imprisoned, and punished for his betrayal. The king restored order, ensured justice, and reinforced the security of his palace, never allowing such treachery to threaten his family again.