Betaal Pachisi - Story 24 - Dagroo and his dreams

Vikram again controlled Vetala and took him on his shoulder. Vetala started narrating him a story so that they could easily complete the long journey. He however warns him not to speak anything, else he would go back to his place again.

There was poor lady who used to earn living with stitching clothes and by embroidery etc. She had a son named Dagroo who did nothing except dreaming. One day Dagroo while sleeping saw a dream that y dacoits had looted a party who were going with a bride. When he woke up he shouted they looted, they looted. Then there came a lady to enquire about her suit which his mother was stitching. She said that today her son was bringing her daughter in law and so she needed the suit urgently. Dagroo enquired whether her son was coming on the horse through the forest. She said yes. Then Dagroo relating with his dream said that he will be looted and beaten by the dacoits enrooted. She should be prepared to call a doctor for their treatment

Instead the lady did not like the prediction. She threatened that if anything happens to his son, she will not forgive Dagroo for his black tongue. Dagroo protested saying that today she is not believing me but afterwards she will believe that I was speaking the truth and that my dream was true.

Exactly it happened the way Dagroo had said. The lady got wild and she charged that how Dagroo came to know about it in advance. He must have told the dacoits. The villagers gave a nice beating to Dagroo for predicting the tragedy.

Once again in a sleep Dagroo saw a dream. He saw that curtains of a new house came in contact with a lamp and the entire house was burnt. A lady came to distribute Ladoos for the construction of their new house. When Dagroo took the Ladoos he enquired about the house. Are there new curtains in the house? She said yes. There is a lamp also there. She said yes. Then Dagroo pronounced and told the lady not except congrats for the house, as the house will soon get burnt to ashes. The lady did not like the remarks and left the place annoyed. She said that Dagroo never speaks well of others. This is bad habit. If anything goes wrong she will not forgive him.

Unfortunately, the curtains caught fire from the lamp and the entire house got burnt. But Dagroo had to pay heavily for it. The villagers blackened his face, made him ride on a donkey and garlanded him with a garland of shoes and broken pitchers on his head. He was also turned out of the village.

Dagroo said that he only spoke the truth. Why people do not understand it. Anyhow he was turned out of the village.

He was roaming in the forest thirsty and hungry. After a while he got tired and slept. He again saw a dream that the king was helping him. When he woke up to his surprise he saw king men waking him up. The king happened to have visited the forest and his men saw him lying there. When he saw king’s men he said that he had seen that king would definitely help him. What you can do, asked the king. I will do anything honestly and sincerely replied Dagroo. The king appointed him as a watchman.

Dagroo was much excited wearing the dress of a watchman and was required to remain awake throughout the night. But after everyone slept Dagroo also fell asleep. He saw that there was big earthquake in Sonepur. The next day morning the when the king was about to leave for Sonepur, Dagroo told the king that a disaster will befall at Sonepur. Hence the king should postpone his visit there. Exactly as predicted by Dagroo, the earthquake took place and property and peoples’ lives in large number were harmed. When the king came to know about it, he called Dagroo and asked him as to how he came to know about it. Dagroo said that he saw it all in a dream and that his dreams turn out to be true. The king rewarded Dagroo with his diamond necklace and at the same time dismissed him from the job.

After having narrated the story, the Vetala asked the king Vikram to tell why the king rewarded Dagroo and at the same time dismissed him from his service. To this the king replied that he rewarded him because by his forecast his life was saved. And turned him out of the job because he had slept during the course of his duty, which he disapproved.

Right you are. But since you have spoken, I am going back. Stop following me.