The valley of Chitral is full of
folk stories with great moral values, teachings and lessons. This short folk
story revolves around an ordinary mother whose love for his son wasn't ordinary
and to uphold his son’s honor and his son who was the kind and honest player.
Mother loved his son too much that she faced the King despite her grief. This
story is also considered one of the most repeated and admired stories of
children.
The story goes like this……Begal,
a peasant by birth, but folk hero for the people of Chitral, has lived many
years ago. Begal and his mother lived alone in their small house. Life was
tough for both of them but they were lively, sprightly and great full to God for
blessing with a healthy life and most importantly with their gracious horse and
the great game of Polo! Polo is considered one of the folk festival as well as
international festival.
History witnesses! Begal was the
excellent player of Polo which in Chitral and other northern region is
considered The Game of Kings’ back then and still now. Back in Begal’s era, it
was said that no peasant was allowed playing Polo besides the Royals, but
whenever Begal dared to play opposite King, he always won and the King and his
team loosed.
Many a time went when King tried
to win against Begal, but Begal was such an excellent player that King always
loses to him. This was making King frustrated because the people in his kingdom
consider Begal the finest player of Polo and known him as “The HERO of POLO”.
This was very insulting to the
proud King, because Polo is considered “The King’s Game” and “The King of
Games”. This got more insulting for King when his wife and Queen of kingdom
have also started to praise Begal.
King decided to have this matter
settled once and for all by beating the Begal through trickery in the game. He
have his loyal servants dug the wide hole in the Polo ground (where Polo game
is played), so when Begal goes through it, he fell and loses either his life or
his horse’s. Then King announced and challenged Begal to have Polo match so the
title “The HERO of POLO” can rightfully be given to the deserved.
Begal accepted and the match
begun. King was hoping that Begal would be careless in the game and fell, but
Begal has clever horse and the horse sensed the hole in the ground and jumped
long to cross it and King yet again loses to Begal.
People were happy that a peasant
like Begal has rightfully earned the title “The HERO of POLO”, but King was not
done yet, he once again challenged Begal to one last match. You see, King
wanted to humiliate Begal in front of all the people so King shall be called
“The HERO of POLO”, but none the things he has done, could make difference.
So finally King has done what a
King can do. He have Begal murdered the night of the Polo match by his trusted
servant and was hoping that when Begal won’t show in the match next day, people
will think that he was afraid to lose if he face the King again.
King was waiting in his full
pride that today he will reclaim the title, but he was shocked to see Begal in
the ground, covering his head and mouth. Game started and once again Begal won,
fair and square.
When the match has finished and
King summoned Begal and asked him to remove his covering, when he did, King was
shocked to see Begal’s mother in Begal’s dress.
You see, Begal’s mother loved his
son too much and couldn't bear his son’s honor be ruined like this, so she
masked herself and posed as Begal and won the match against King to prove that
his son is the true and rightful owner of the title “The HERO of POLO”.
King was ashamed not only in
front of entire kingdom, but in his eyes too.
