The Beggar and the Diamond
- The Beggar and the Diamond
Infobox short story |
name = The Beggar and the Diamond
title_orig =
translator =
author = Stephen King
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Short story
published_in = "Nightmares and Dreamscapes"
publication_type = Anthology
publisher = Viking Adult
media_type = Press (Hardback)
pub_date = 1993
preceded_by =
followed_by =
"The Beggar and the Diamond" is a re-telling of a Hindu parable written by Stephen King which was published as part of his 1993 short story collection, "Nightmares and Dreamscapes". It begins with an author's note explaining that the origin of the story and that in the original Hindu version of the story, God is Shiva and the archangel is his wife, Parvati. It is not listed in the contents of "Nightmares and Dreamscapes".
Plot summary
It tells the tale of an old beggar named Ramu who has had a miserable life. One day Ramu is walking along thinking about his unhappy existence and feeling angry at God. God, at the request of an archangel who felt pity for the beggar, drops a massive diamond on his path in plain sight. The diamond is worth so much that it would feed him and all his descendents for several generations. On the ground, Ramu has decided after some pondering that he should not be angry about his life or blame God because he still has a few things to be grateful for, such as retaining his sight at such an old age. To illustrate to himself how much worse life could be if he was blind, he decides to close his eyes as he walks. Ironically, he does not see the diamond because of this and merrily walks past it, missing it by just inches. God takes back the diamond and puts an ironwood branch further up the path. Back in heaven, God says, "The only difference is that Ramu shall find the branch. It shall serve him as a walking stick until the last of his days." The archangel asks God, "Have you just taught me a lesson, God?" God answers, "I don't know. Have I?"
External links
* [http://www.stephenking.com/ King's official site] (note: the story is not listed on the site)
* [http://www.horrorking.com/dreamscapes.html#beggar The story at HorrorKing.com]
Wikimedia Foundation.
2010.
Look at other dictionaries:
The Little Bull-Calf — is an English Gypsy fairy tale collected by Joseph Jacobs in More English Fairy Tales .Ruth Manning Sanders included it in .ynopsisA little boy was given a little bull calf by his father. His father died, and his mother remarried. His stepfather… … Wikipedia
The Return of the Pink Panther — Infobox Film name = The Return of the Pink Panther image size = 210px caption = original movie poster director = Blake Edwards producer = Blake Edwards writer = Blake Edwards Frank Waldman starring = Peter Sellers Christopher Plummer Catherine… … Wikipedia
The Valley of the Lost — infobox Book | name = The Valley of the Lost orig title = translator = image caption = author = Emily Rodda illustrator = cover artist = Marc McBride country = Australia language = English series = Deltora Quest genre = Fantasy novel publisher =… … Wikipedia
The Phoenix (play) — The Phoenix is a Jacobean play, a city comedy written by Thomas Middleton c. 1603 4, and performed by the Children of Paul s. It may be Middleton s earliest surviving play.The play was performed at Court before King James on Feb. 20, 1604. It was … Wikipedia
The Go-Betweens — Жанры инди рок альтернативный рок инди поп Годы c 1977 по 1989 c 2000 по 2006 … Википедия
Characters in the Deltora Quest series — The Deltora series features a wide line of characters, both important and minor. The series also features many different monsters and creatures that appeared in all of the many different books. This article is a list of the many different… … Wikipedia
The Go-Betweens — Infobox musical artist Name = The Go Betweens Img capt = The Go Betweens during recording of Oceans Apart : l r Robert Forster and Grant McLennan Background = group or band Origin = Brisbane, Australia Genre = Indie rock, jangle pop Years active … Wikipedia
The Man in Grey (novel) — Infobox Book | name = The Man in Grey title orig = translator = image caption = Cover of the 1918 First Edition author = Baroness Orczy illustrator = cover artist = country = UK language = English series = genre = Historical novel publisher =… … Wikipedia
A Trick to Catch the Old One — is a Jacobean comedy written by Thomas Middleton, first published in 1608. The play is a satire in the sub genre of city comedy.The play was entered into the Stationers Register on Oct. 7, 1607 by the printer George Eld, and published by him in… … Wikipedia
List of The X Factor finalists (UK series 7) — The seventh UK series of The X Factor was broadcast on ITV between 21 August and 12 December 2010. The final 12 were declared on 3 October 2010. Four wildcards were announced on the first live show of the finals on 9 October 2010, bringing the… … Wikipedia
