A Royal Thief-Catcher by S.M. Mitra

Name: A Royal Thief-Catcher
Author: S.M. Mitra

In a small Indian city, a weary Brahman arrives, seeking to live a life of prayer and asceticism. He becomes well-known for his wisdom, attracting many who pay him for advice. However, he becomes obsessed with the wealth he accumulates, hoarding money and jewels in a hidden hole in the forest. His double life as a holy man and a miser continues until one day he discovers his treasure has been stolen. Devastated, he vows to starve himself in a pilgrimage, prompting concern among the townspeople who admire him. The king, Prasnajit, learns of the Brahman's plight and vows to recover the stolen treasure or compensate him. The Brahman, seeing a chance for restitution, reveals the location of his hidden wealth. The king, feigning illness, gathers doctors to learn about the town's ailments. One doctor mentions a merchant's servant who had sought a medicinal plant in the forest, leading the king to suspect the servant of theft. The servant, terrified, is summoned and ultimately confesses to taking the Brahman's treasure. Instead of punishing him harshly, the king orders him to return the stolen goods. The servant, remorseful, retrieves the treasure and returns it to the king. Prasnajit instructs him to reform and not steal again. The Brahman, overjoyed to have his wealth restored, is admonished by the king to use it wisely. However, he is displeased with the king's advice and demands punishment for the thief. The king, firm in his decision, dismisses the Brahman's complaints, emphasizing the importance of personal responsibility and the futility of greed. The story concludes without revealing the Brahman's fate, leaving readers to ponder the moral implications of wealth, greed, and the true nature of wisdom.

By S.M. Mitra · First published 2023 · Genre: Fable, Fantasy, Adventure · 12 chapters · 4,342 words

First lines

In one of the smaller cities of India called Sravasti the people gathered together on a very hot day to stare at and talk about a stranger, who had come in to the town, looking very weary and walking with great difficulty because his feet were sore with tramping for a long distance on the rough roads. He was a Brahman, that is to say, a man who devoted his whole life to prayer, and had promised to give up everything for the sake of pleasing the god in whom he believed, and to care nothing for comfort, for riches, or for good food.

What this Textopian page supports

A Royal Thief-Catcher is listed on Textopian as a short story by S.M. Mitra, dated 2023 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: S.M. Mitra
Date: 2023 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fable, Fantasy, Adventure, Drama, Historical Fiction
Length: 4,342 words
Structure: 12 chapters, 25 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Work identity for A Royal Thief-Catcher by S.M. Mitra
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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Fable — The story conveys moral lessons about greed, selfishness, and the consequences of one's actions, typical of fables.
Fantasy — The setting and characters, including a king and a Brahman, create a fantastical narrative that explores themes beyond reality.
Adventure — The plot involves a quest for lost treasure and the journey of the Brahman, which includes elements of adventure.
Drama — The emotional struggles of the Brahman and the interactions with the king provide dramatic tension and character development.