ALL FOR THE BEST

Once, the prime minister of a kingdom said, "My Lord, whatever happens, happens for the best."

The king said, "I don't agree."

Just then a strong gust of wind blew and the heavy door closed right on the king's hand with great force, and one of his fingers got cut immediately.

The severed finger fell down and the wound started bleeding profusely.

The king was in great pain for a long time and then he looked at the prime minister.

The king asked, "What do you say now?"

The prime minister replied, "I would still say that this is for the best."

"Do you mean to say that even the loss of a finger, all this blood and this pain is for the best?" asked the king, surprised.

"Yes, my Lord," replied th prime minister confidently.

"Mr. Prime Minister, here I am in so much pain, and you say that it is for the best! How dare you?" said te angry king.

"But it is the truth, My Lord. I have full faith. Whatever happens in life always has some good reason, even if it may appear to be a bad thing to happen," replied the prime minister calmly.

The king was infuriated at the prime minister's words.

"Soldiers, arrest the prime minister," Commanded the king.

The prime minister was put in prison, and another minister was appointed as the new prime minister.

Then one day, the king went to the forest to hunt and som edacoits saw him.

As the king and his men camped to rest, some dacoits came and surrounded them and tied them with chains.

They took the king, the new prime minister and the soldiers to their chief.

The chief said, "You have done well to bring these people. Now we can sacrifice one of them to our Goddess."

The chief pointed at the king who looked th healthiest. The dacoits made the king stand at the sacrifice altar.

Suddenly, the chief said, "Wait. First check and make sure that this man has no cut or mark on him."

A dacoit checked and replied, "Chief, he doesn't have a finger."

"OH! then he cannot be sacrificed. Leave him and check the other man with him," ordered the chief.

The new prime minister was checked and found to be without any mark on his body.

So he was sacrificed by the dacoits, to please their Goddess.

Then the king and his soldiers were freed by the dacoits. The king rode to his palace at once.

The first thing he did, was to free the old prime minister who was in prison.

The king said to him, "You were right. This cut finger saved me from being killed."

"So it was for the best," said the old prime minister.

The king said, "Yes, but what benefit has come to you out of staying so long in the prison?"

The old prime minister said, "If I would have been with you and not in prison, I would have been killed instead of the new prime minister."

"You are right. I am sorry for treating you so badly. Now I am appointing you the prime minister again," said the king.

"Thank you, My Lord," said the prime minister, gratefully.