The Three Cornered Hat
One morning, a young man called Appu, came whistling down the road. He was leading a fat cow on a rope. He was going to sell it in the market for twenty rupees.
Suddenly a voice came from behind him, “Hey little fellow, where are you taking that skinny billy goat ?”
“Goat ?” Appu cried. He turned around and saw three big, ugly men behind him. “Goat ? Are you blind ? This is fine healthy cow. I’m taking her to the market, and I’ll sell her for twenty rupees.”
“Cow ?” One of the men laughed as he stepped forward to block Appu’s path. “Worth twenty rupees? Somebody’s cheated you, you little fool. This animal is a billy goat.”
The second man said, “You’ll never get twenty rupees for this goat, simpleton, it isn’t even a nanny goat. You might get three rupees.”
“Three rupees ? Now I know you’re mad,” Appu cried. “Now move out of my way.”
But the third man caught the rope. “Listen, my poor innocent friend, I’ll tell you what. I’ll buy the goat from you for four rupees. What do you say?”
“Look !” Appu said: “This is a cow. And I’m going to sell her for twenty rupees. Now leave me alone, please. I’ve done you no harm.”
“Young man, young man,” the first man said sweetly.
“You don’t seem to understand. We’re offering you four rupees for a skinny billy goat which is worth only three rupees. I think it would be very unwise of a certain young man walking alone on a lonely road to refuse this generous offer, eh ?” And he pulled hard on Appu’s nose.
Appu realized that if he refused the three bullies, they would beat him up. So he said : “Ah, yes! I see what you mean. It’s a goat. I’ve been tricked. How kind of you to be so generous. I’m most grateful to you. You are indeed my good friends.”
So the bullies gave Appu four rupees and took the rope and began to lead the cow away.
“Wait !” Appu cried. “You’ve been so kind to me. You are truly honourable gentlemen. I’d like to serve such gentlemen as you. Please may I go along as your servant? I’ll keep you comfortable and happy, I promise you.”
The three bullies looked at each other and smiled.
“Certainly, simpleton, certainly,” one of them said.
“You can go with us, but mind you serve us well. In return we’ll give you protection until we come to the market.”
So Appu went along. He was an excellent servant. He chopped wood. He lit fires. He trapped rabbits and killed birds with his slingshot. He cooked delicious meals.
When they reached the market town, the bullies sold the cow for twenty rupees and tucked the money on their money belts. By this time they were so pleased with Appu, that they asked him to go along with them. They set off for the next town. On the way they tricked and bullied other travelers, and their money belts became fatter.
When they came to the next town, Appu asked for two hours off. When he came back he was wearing a very strange hat. It was flat with round bump on top. It had three corners. It was dull grey in colour and trimmed with blue.
“Hei, what a very strange hat,” the first bully cried.
“You look very foolish in it.”
“Fools wear foolish hats,” the second bully shouted.
And three fell on the ground laughing.
Appu waited till they had finished. Then he said,”You may laugh, but this is a magic hat.”
“A magic hat?” And the three bullies laughed even harder.
“Well,” Appu said quietly, “with this hat on my head I can get anything I want to eat and drink.”
“Ha, ha, ha !! I never heard such a stupid story,” the third bully howled.
“We’ll try it if you like,” said Appu. “But I’m warning you, you’ll never get this hat from me. I’ll never part with it, no matter how much money you offer me.”
“Agreed fool,” the bullies said.
The next day Appu went into town. He spoke to the owners of three of the best restaurants. “Here’s money in advance,” said Appu. “When I come tomorrow with my friends, treat us like kings. Fuss over us.
Press us to eat more. Invite us to come back. Then don’t accept any money from us.”
The restaurant owner agreed. This was a boring town. It would be good entertainment.
The next morning Appu said,”Today I shall not cook for you, Masters. Today I shall let my three cornered hat feed us. Please come with me.”
For their morning meal Appu took them to the first expensive restaurant. The restaurant owner, upon seeing Appu, came running out.
“Ah dear sir, welcome. Welcome to my humble eating house. What can I serve you and your friends? Ask anything, and if I have it in my kitchen, it shall be yours.”
He personally took the orders and ask three waiters to wait on them. Appu and his friends ate as many string hoppers as they could. They ordered fruit and sweets and drank five cups of coffee each. And all the time the waiters said,
“Eat, please eat.”
“Please have some more.”
“You’re our honoured guests.” and so on.
When the time came to pay the bill the restaurant owner said, “Oh no! I could never accept payment from you, good sir. You’re my guests. Your coming here has been my good fortune. Oh! Please don’t insist.
Please do come again.”
Appu and the three bullies went away very satisfied.
For their afternoon meal they went to the second restaurant, and the same scene was repeated.
For their evening meal they went to the third restaurant and again, they ate all they wanted, and the restaurant owner would not accept money. The bullies were full of admiration. With a hat like Appu’s they wouldn’t have to worry about food for the rest of their lives.
“Give us your hat,” the first bully said to Appu.
“Oh no no! I told you I wouldn’t give you the hat. No matter what you offer me, I shall not give you my hat,” said Appu.
For two hours the bullies begged him, argued with him and threatened him. Finally, Appu agreed to let them have the hat for their three money belts and their bundles of goods. As he picked up his things, he said, “I’ll leave you now my good Masters. I’ve served you fully in return for your kindness and generosity. I’ve never had such masters as you. I’ve made you as rich as you deserve. So, farewell.”
And off he went down the road, whistling a merry tune.
The next day, the bullies had their morning meal at the same expensive restaurant. They ate till they nearly burst. Then they got up to leave. The restaurant owner came running after them.
“What is it?” asked the first bully.
“You haven’t paid for the food you ate,” sait the restaurant owner.
“Pay, but we don’t pay,” the second bully cried.
“How’s that ?” the restaurant owner who was a big man began to look fierce. The three bullies paid quickly and left.
“You fool,” the first bully said to the third, “you should wear that hat, no carry it. Appu wore it.”
For their afternoon meal they went to the second restaurant. Again they ate till they could eat no more. As they rose to leave the restaurant owner came after them with the bill. This time the bullies
got angry. “But we have the hat!!” they shouted. A crowd collected.
“These men think that because one of them wears a hat they don’t have to obey the laws,” the people said.
“We’ll show them! Hat indeed !”
“The hat doesn’t fit your head, I’ll wear it,” the second bully told the first.
But alas! After their evening meal at the third restaurant and when they refused to pay, a very large crowd of people who heard about the three strange men, caught them and beat them throughly.
“We pay for what we eat. What makes you so special ?” they cried. “We don’t want you special people in our town.”
So it was a sadder but wiser trio who rolled out of the ditch the next morning.
“Cheated by a fool !”
“Robbed by a simpleton !”
“Ruined by a servant !”
And they limped all the way to the next town.
