Govind, Gopal and Subbu

There was once a great king. He had three sons. Their names were Govind, Gopal and Subbu. All people thought that Govind and Gopal were intelligent and Subbu was an idiot. The king became very old and wanted to give his kingdom to the most efficient son. So one day he called Govind, Gopal and Subbu and told them, "“I am going to give a test to you. I will throw blue, red and white feathers on to the sky. Govind has to go where the blue feather falls and bring a carpet. Gopal has to go in the direction of red feather and bring a carpet. Subbu has to follow the white feather and bring a carpet. Whoever brings the best carpet will win.” The blue feather fell on the road to the right of the palace. Govind went by that road in search of the carpet. The red feather fell on the road to the left of the palace and Gopal went by that road. The white feather flew for some time and fell in a thick forest far away from the palace. Subbu went to the forest. Govind and Gopal traveled by their roads and went to big cities and went to very big shops and brought back the costliest carpet. Subbu sat crying in the forest. Then he saw a very big hole near to the place where the feather fell. He went down through the hole and came to a town of the frogs. As soon as he went there he was taken to the frog king. The frog king asked him, “What do you want Subbu?” Subbu told that he needed a good carpet. Then the frog king sang, “Little, little girl, Of the city of frogs, Subbu wants a carpet, So bring our big box.”

As soon as he finished the song, the princess frog bought a very big box. The king fox opened the box and took out a carpet and gave it to Subbu. It was a rare carpet from Kashmir. Pearls and corals were woven in it along the wool. Subbu took this carpet and came back.

The king called all the great judges of his kingdom, to say which is the best carpet. They immediately said that the carpet brought by Subbu was the best. Govind and Gopal then told the king, that Subbu should not be made the king just because of one test. They asked the king to give one more test. The king then asked Govind, Gopal and Subbu to bring a very good gold ring. Govind went to the road to the right, Gopal to the left and Subbu to the forest. Govind and Gopal went to far away cities and employed very famous jewelers and got the best possible ring made and came back. Subbu again went to the forest and went to the city of frogs. He met the king of frogs. The frog king asked him, “What do you want Subbu?” Subbu told that he needed a good ring. Then the frog king sang, “Little, little girl, Of the city of frogs, Subbu wants a ring, So bring our big box.” As soon as he finished the song, the princess frog bought a very big box. The king fox opened the box and took out a golden ring and gave it to Subbu. The ring was made of gold and had all the precious stones inlaid on it. There was a very big diamond on the ring. The king called all the great judges of his kingdom, to say which is the best ring. They immediately said that the ring brought by Subbu was the best. Govind and Gopal then told the king, that Subbu should not be made the king just because of two tests. They requested the king to give him one more test.

The king agreed and asked all the three of them to bring the prettiest girl on earth. Govind went to the road to the right, Gopal to the left and Subbu to the forest. Govind and Gopal went to far away cities and met great kings and married their daughters and came back. Subbu again went to the forest and went to the city of frogs. He met the king of frogs. The frog king asked him, “What do you want Subbu?” Subbu told that he needed a Princess Then the frog king asked to bring a big pumpkin. He kept 4 stones under it. He tied seven mice to the Pumpkin. He asked the frog princess to climb on the Pumpkin. He then said Abracadabra. Then the pumpkin, stones and mice became a most pretty chariot drawn by seven horses. The frog princess became the most pretty princess ever seen anywhere. Subbu took her to his father. The king called all the great judges of his kingdom, to say which is the best princess. They immediately said that the princess brought by Subbu was the best. They all said that Subbu was the best prince and he should be made the king. The king agreed and Subbu became the king. He married the princess and they ruled the country well.