The Story of Kalidas(Kalidas and the Ass)
The Story of Kalidas(Kalidas and the Ass)
Raja Bhoj and Kalidas liked each other very much and their friendship grew into a close personal relationship. They often engaged themselves in a battle of wits in which the Raja was invariably the loser. Raja Bhoj often thought of novel schemes to humble Kalidas but the latter was always one up.
Both of them used to visit a particular dancing girl. Once the Raja took the dancing girl into confidence and told her that she can win a prize of thousand gold coins if she acted in accordance with his instructions.
When Kalidas visited the dancing girl she admitted him into her sitting room but did not entertain him. She went inside the house and did not come out. Kalidas waited for some time and then went in to find the girl lying on her bed in a depressed mood. Kalidas tried to cheer her up but in vain. Kalidas coaxed and cajoled her and at last the girl told Kalidas that she did not like his long hair and the flowing beard. She asked him to shave them off To please the girl, Kalidas had his hair and the beard removed then and there. When the girl saw Kalidas without his hair and beard, she smiled. Kalidas suspected some trickery.
When Raja Bhoj visited the dancing girl, he was pleased to find Kalidas without beard and hair. He told the dancer that she had done him a great favour and he would never forget it.
The dancing girl begged the Raja to grant her a favour in return. She told him that she had not heard an ass bray for a long time and she would be happy if the Raja imitated an ass. To please her, the Raja brayed like an ass.
When Kalidas came into the court without his hair. Raja Bhoj showed feigned surprise and wanted to know the reason why the great poet had shaved off his hair and the beard.
Kalidas replied without any hesitation that the day the Rajas brayed like an ass, was celebrated by the poets, by shaving off their hair.
Once again the Raja was beaten by Kalidas. The courtiers took this as another exchange of banter and none knew the story.