As told by Azizul Houk, 39 years old
Kutupalong Refugee Camp, Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh
***
There was once a king in ancient Arakan. Every year, the king employed three hundred laborers to help plant and harvest rice from his paddy fields.
As the king, one of his duties was to attend a meeting abroad at the beginning of each monsoon season. Every year the king sought out a highly qualified advisor. He needed someone that he could trust to oversee the harvesting of his paddy fields, and who would faithfully take over his duties and responsibilities while he was away. But one year, despite the king’s efforts, he was unable to find such a person.
As the date of the important meeting approached, the king became increasingly upset with his unsuccessful quest for an advisor. He had interviewed dozens of potential potentates with no success. Exasperatedly, on the morning that he was scheduled to leave, he declared an ultimatum.
“If no one is qualified and willing to serve as my trusted advisor, I hereby delegate all of my responsibilities and duties to my pet parrot.”
Satisfied with his decision, the king left the country to attend the important meeting abroad.
With one quick statement, the king’s pet parrot had become the most powerful being in the kingdom. This was despite the fact that he was an animal and could hardly speak a word.
In Arakan, the rice harvest occurs during monsoon season. One day, while the king was still away, the laborers came to the parrot and asked permission to begin the harvest. The time had come and the paddy was nearly over-grown.
“You lowly laborers! Listen to me! I am responsible for everything, so do as I say!” the parrot king squawked.
The laborers were surprised, yet they wanted to respect the parrot since he was the acting king of the country. The laborers knew that the rice soon had to be harvested or the crop would be spoiled. So, delicately, they asked the parrot again if they should begin the harvest.
Even though he had not gone to inspect the fields, the parrot arrogantly squawked, “It is not time to reap! First go to the forest and cut firewood!”
The laborers could not refuse a direct order from the acting king, even if he was only a parrot, so they went to the forest to work. One month later, the parrot finally went to the paddy fields. By then it was too late. He discovered that the crop had been completely devastated. The parrot realized his mistake, and feared what the king would do upon his return when he saw the destroyed rice. So, the parrot hatched a plan: he would pretend that the crop had been successfully harvested, but then had somehow caught fire and burned while it was in storage.
Satisfied with his plan, the parrot king called for the laborers to return to the palace. When they arrived, the parrot gave each man one hundred taka notes and instructions to go to the market and buy a firestarter; the surplus money was to be theirs. The laborers happily went to the market and talked about what they would do with the extra money. Still, they were confused at what the parrot king wanted with the firestarters.
The following day, the laborers returned to the palace. The parrot king told them to go to the rice paddies and burn down all the evidence of his failed crop. Again the laborers were surprised, yet they did not dare to deny the order. They went to the fields and burned them until nothing remained.
When the destruction had been completed, the parrot ordered the laborers to bring all of the ashes to the palace and to place them into storage. The parrot was proud of himself, thinking that his deception had been incredibly clever. The king would never know his mistake.
Unfortunately for the parrot, the fire had not been completely extinguished. A few tiny embers remained in the ashes. Carried aloft on a gentle breeze, the hot embers landed on a pair of curtains by the window. The curtains began to burn, and the fire rapidly turned into a blaze which swept from room to room. Within hours the palace had burned completely to the ground.
Fearful of the king’s return, the parrot flew back to the forest to live his life again as a regular bird. Still,he took with him some pearls and even the key to the palace to remember his time as a king.
The following day the king returned to Arakan. Longing to see his home, he proceeded hastily to the palace. He was horrified to find his paddies destroyed and his royal palace burned into ashes. The sight of all the destruction left him so stunned that his heart stopped from shock. The king toppled over and died in the grass, right in front of the ruins of his former home.
Rezuwan’s note: Always love and believe in your own people, instead of placing trust in outsiders – including pets!