A Strange Wrestling Match

There was once a wrestler named Vijay Singh. He was tall with massive shoulders and muscular arms. He had a shortcoming. He was fond of boasting. One day he boasted that he was not afraid of ghosts. Then one of them challenged him to go through the Haunted Desert at night. Vijay Singh accepted the challenge.

Vijay Singh set out for the journey. An old woman gave him strange gifts. She gave him an egg and a lump of salt. As he walked the night deepened. The moon was bright and the stars shone clearly. As Vijay Singh stepped into the Haunted Desert He heard the voice of a ghost

The voice said” Vijay Singh, you will get lost in the desert.Come with me. I am your friend Natwar”. Vijay Singh called him back and asked him to come closer. He wanted to size up his enemy. Soon the ghost appeared at his side. Vijay Singh peered into his face and told that he was a plain lying ghost.

Vijay Singh told him that he wanted to meet him and wanted to wrestle with him. The ghost was speechless. The ghost tried to frighten Vijay Singh. He said ”You don’t appear that strong to me ”At this Vijay Singh said ”Appearances can be deceptive.”

Vijay Singh picked a piece of rock from the sand. He asked the ghost to squeeze and bring out the fluid from it. Meantime he brought out the egg stealthily. Then he snatched the rock from the ghost and placed it between his hands and squeeze it hard. At once the yellow yolk of the egg oozed from around his fingers. The ghost was astonished.

Then Vijay Singh picked another piece of rock and gave it to the ghost. The ghost examined it carefully. He found it a piece of stone only. Vijay Singh asked him to crumble it and take out salt from it. The ghost tried hard. At that time Vijay Singh took out the lump of salt from his pocket. He snatched away the stone from the ghost and crumbled the lump of salt.

He held out his hand and asked the ghost to taste it. The ghost was surprised. He thought to trick him some other way. He invited Vijay Singh to his house. Vijay Singh agreed to this. The ghost fed him dry fruits and a lot of milk. Then he made him sleep on a luxurious bed.

In the middle of the night Vijay Singh slipped of his bed. He placed a bolster in the centre of the bed. It looked exactly like a sleeping man. Just before the break of dawn, the ghost approached him with a stout club. He brought down the club to what he thought was Vijay Singh’s head. Not hearing a groan he thought that he had killed his enemy. In the middle of the night Vijay Singh slipped of his bed. He placed a bolster in the centre of the bed. It looked exactly like a sleeping man. Just before the break of dawn, the ghost approached him with a stout club. He brought down the club to what he thought was Vijay Singh’s head. Not hearing a groan he thought that he had killed his enemy.

Satisfied he returned to his bed. Meanwhile Vijay Singh crept into his bed. Then he got up and said to the ghost ”Friend, there are many insects in your house. Here I was enjoying a good sleep and there comes this insect to trouble me. I counted its seven flappings. ”The ghost panicked. Those seven blows would have reduced any other man to pulp.

He thought it was not right to live with such a formidable wrestler. He fled from there living behind the ill gotten wealth. Then Vijay Singh returned to his village with the wealth.Then he went to the old woman to thank her for her gifts.