???? The Gymnast King

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. This story is intended purely for satire and creative expression.

Once upon a time, in a deep forest ruled by generations of lions, a wave of discontent spread among the forest dwellers. The animals had grown weary of the lion's stern rule. “Why must we always be ruled by strength and fear?” they wondered. “Why not choose someone more entertaining, more... agile?”

A grand meeting was held, and it was unanimously decided: the new king would be the one who was most agile, most amusing — someone who could jump, dance, and keep spirits high. And so, the monkey was crowned the king of the forest.

Not long after his coronation, tragedy struck. One fine morning, a terrified goat ran to the monkey king, pleading for help.

“Your Majesty! A lion has captured my kid — please save him before it's too late!” cried the goat.

The monkey king, now adorned with a crown and flanked by his elite council of chatterers, rushed to the scene.

Reaching the spot, the monkey did not confront the lion. Instead, he leapt from branch to branch, flipped mid-air, performed backflips, and swung with perfect grace.

The goat wept, “Please, save my kid! He’s about to be killed!”

The monkey paused, puffed up his chest, and asked proudly, “Did you see that triple somersault? Who else is this agile? Isn’t that what you all admired?”

The lion, meanwhile, dragged away the goat’s kid.

Centuries passed. Civilizations rose and fell.

And as legends would have it, the monkey was reborn — not in a jungle, but in a modern land, where he once again entertained crowds with gestures, stunts, and wordplay. And once again, he became the ruler — agile as ever, but when the people cried for justice, he offered performance.

Moral:
When entertainment takes the throne, don’t expect protection — only performance.

Sanjay Pattnayak 
Sundargarh