Story: Goddess of Wealth Commits Crime!

Abhiram became rich overnight. He pulled down his hut and raised a palace. He bought an iron chest and stuffed it with gold. He began to live more lavishly than the king would do.

‘What would have been the reason?’ The king queried, having summoned his ministers.  Did he find a treasure? Or an Aladdin’s lamp? Did he indulge in road robberies in a big scale? The king was bound to know the source of his riches.

The king visited Abhiram’s house making the latter shocked. Abhiram didn’t know whether it needed to be overjoyed or scared with the king’s visit.

‘Open the Iron Chest’, the king ordered.

Abhiram did it dutifully bearing the gold coins with the seals of the king’s mint.

‘Stolen money?’ the king grilled him.

‘No Your Majesty! This is the money that The Goddess of Wealth has bestowed upon me.’

‘If that’s the case, it’s the Goddess of Wealth, who committed theft. We need to nab her. You are the only one who can trace her. Till she is arrested you need to be in the jail,’ the king said.

-Kodavatiganti Kutumba Rao

Translation: Satish Chandar

image by: trader_john