The Old Man of Washgookawilly

 Humphrey was the oldest man in the great country of Washgookawilly. Everyone loved and respected him, and fondly called him grandpa. The grandpa of Washgookawilly. No one knew his exact age. He was the oldest of them all, this they knew for sure.

Humphrey had lived his life to the fullest. He had traveled extensively around the world, had tasted all the delicious dishes, had friends in every city of the country; he was a dancer, a musician, a mathematician, an astrologer, and a philosopher. But as he grew old, he slowed down a bit. He couldn’t dance and play music anymore, but he still had a shrewd mind.

The legend says that he had been around to see five generations of the royal family. Was it really true, nobody cared. He knows all the secrets of the world, people talked among themselves. Sometimes, to know if he really was what people said he was, some questioned him about the things they knew and they didn’t know. The answers he gave them shocked them to the core. Some scared them and some surprised them.

To everyone, Humphrey was a magician. He knew all the answers, he knew how to solve people’s immature fights, he knew how to entertain children, he knew everything. To them, he was next to the king. The old man of Washgookawilly knew his importance, yet he remained humble and modest. He never raised his voice against anybody, he never hated anyone, he treated everyone equally.

Some people came to him to know about their future. Humphrey, however, didn’t entertain everybody. ‘You should only think about the present and work hard to build your own future,’ he used to say. Most of them were forced to go back disappointed. But there were some rare cases he didn’t mind predicting. One day, a mother came to him, crying: ‘My child is ill for the past two months. I am really worried about her. Please tell me what will happen. Please tell me she is going to be all right. If not, please tell me what to do.’ Humphrey took pity on her and went to her house. He sat down by the cot and looked at the girl child intently for a few minutes, took a deep breath and said, ‘She will be all right in a week. Nothing to worry.’ A week later, as he had predicted, the girl was up and shining.

Although Washgookawilly was enjoying its peace and prosperity, there was a time when there was no rain for two years. People were worried. The king supplied them enough food and did his best to take care of them. But in his heart, he, too, was worried sick. ‘What has come over Washgookawilly?’ he silently cried at night.

When everyone was sad and angry and confused, Humphrey looked calm and happy. ‘Why are you like this? Aren’t you sad?’ one of the people asked him. ‘There is nothing to worry. Just wait for forty three days, and the rain gods will shower upon us. It is just a test we have to go through.’ Then, the man had shook his head and left. But it rained torrentially on the forty forth day.

And during the reign of King Solomon, Humphrey looked worried most of the time. Some of them asked him what it was. He kept his silence. Several months later King Solomon died in the battle. It was only then the people of Washgookawilly realized that Humphrey knew the king’s fate all along.

When King Berthold took his father’s place, Humphrey exclaimed, ‘We need not worry anymore, for the King is here.’ The good people of Washgookawilly knew the king’s potential, of course. But when the old man said it too, their happiness knew no bounds. Peace prevailed in Washgookawilly once again.

What no one knew then was that the old man was going to play an important role in the king’s life. Funny as it may sound, even the old man himself didn’t know that. But the day was not too far …

What is the old man’s role in The Story of King Berthold? What is the relation between him and the king? What will he do that’s going to change the king’s life forever? Read The Story of King Berthold and find out the answers that will change the way you think and act.

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James Gilliband of Washgookawilly

James Gilliband was born in the month of lights and good wishes. King Solomon, Queen Candace, and Prince Berthold attended the naming ceremony. It was the royal hairdresser Gilliband’s wish that King Solomon named his child. King Solomon gladly did it. The king held the baby up in his arms and everyone cheered raucously. He named the child James. The whole city celebrated James Gilliband’s naming ceremony. Hairdresser Gilliband was never so happy in his life than he was now.

James Gilliband’s childhood days were filled with fun. With his father being a royal hairdresser, he didn’t have anything to worry about. He had everything he wanted: toys, good friends, good education. He was a happy child, no doubt. He was full of fun. All his friends loved him. But there was one thing they often complained: he couldn’t keep secrets. ‘I hate secrets,’ he said to his friends once, ‘Why should one have secrets? One should always be open and honest. And he was only seven years old when he said this.

James Gilliband never cared about his father’s profession. He was floating around in his own world – playing pranks on everybody, swimming in the lake, stealing apples from an orchard, getting chased by the plantation owner, giggling, laughing, telling stories to his friends and entertaining them. But everything changed when he was eight years old. King Solomon died in a battle. Although it didn’t make any difference to James Gilliband, he couldn’t look at his father’s unhappy face. A few days later he walked into his father’s shop and said, ‘May I try?’

His father laughed. James Gilliband smiled. He was happy his father was all right. ‘May I try?’ he asked again, extending his hand.

‘All right. You can try on me,’ his father said, gave him the comb and the scissors, and sat on a chair.

Excited, James Gilliband went shroof-shroof with the comb and the scissors. And when he was done, his father’s head looked like a chopped coconut. Both father and son laughed, holding their tummies. It was James’s first experience as a hairstylist, and he loved it with all of his heart. He was too young to make decisions for his life, but he somehow knew in his heart of hearts that he wanted to become a hairstylist like his father. Since then he went and sat in his father’s shop, observing and learning the art.

One day he asked his father if he could go with him to the palace to watch him trim the prince’s and the king’s hair. His father said no without even giving it due consideration. James was surprised and angry. He kept pestering his father with the same request for the next couple of weeks. His father neither agreed nor gave any reason for his stubbornness. As the days passed by, James stopped asking his father to take him to the palace. His father heaved a sigh of relief. After all, keeping a royal secret was no small thing. Someday James will understand, he thought.

As James grew up he became more and more skilled at hairstyling. People started taking notice of him now. If middle-aged men wanted Gilliband Sr. to trim their hair, all the young ones wanted James to give them the looks they desired.

Everything was going smoothly when tragedy struck. On a fateful day, James’s father passed away. James Gilliband had never known sadness until then. His misery only grew with each passing day. ‘You will make a great hairstylist one day, my son. I am proud of you,’ his father had told him a few days before his death.

James’s responsibilities had grown, but he was still the same playful boy at heart. Several days later, when James Gilliband had least expected it, a messenger from the palace came calling for him: the king wants to see you. James was obviously surprised. But then, had he known that a long time back his father had been called by the king in a similar fashion, James would have been more than surprised.

James went to the palace fearlessly. The king welcomed him with a smile. James bowed before the king. The king took James inside his private chamber where only a select few were admitted. And then James found out the secret. The secret his father had taken to his grave. He finally understood why his father never took him to the palace.

What was the royal secret after all? Why Gilliband Sr. never took his only son to the palace? And now that James Gilliband knows the secret, will he be able to keep it safe in his heart? Read The Story of King Berthold to unlock the secret.

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The Royal Hairdresser of Washgookawilly

Once upon a time, in the great country of Washgookawilly, there lived a hairdresser by the name Gilliband. He was poor, but very happy in his life. He trimmed people’s hair and shaved their beards and made them look the way they wanted to. Every man and child in the land knew him well. And he enjoyed that popularity to the fullest of its extent.

King Solomon looked after his people with love and care. Everyone loved and respected him, and so did Gilliband. He was twenty one when Prince Berthold was born. Just like everyone else, Gilliband, too, was eager to take a look at the little prince. ‘You can’t see the Prince for another four years,’ the King had said. Little did he know then that a huge life-changing opportunity was on its way.

One day, a messenger came by and delivered a message; a message he would remember for the rest of his life: the king wants to see you. He was surprised and tensed. What does the king want with me?

Unlike the things he had imagined, the king welcomed him with a big smile on his face.

‘Welcome, Gilliband. I’ve heard a lot about you.’

‘Thank you, your majesty,’ Gilliband said, bowing his head.

‘I may need your services from now on, for which you’ll be paid handsomely,’ the king said.

‘As you wish, your majesty,’ Gilliband said.

And then the king had taken him inside the royal chamber. For the first time Gilliband was given the opportunity to see Berthold. As he stood there, looking after the little prince, the King told him a secret he needed to carry in his heart as long as he lived. In return, the king would make his life a bed of roses.

‘I give you my word, my king. I talk to no one about this. Until my last breath,’ Gilliband said.

The king heaved a sigh of relief and held him by the arms. ‘I knew I could count on you.’

Thus began a new life for Gilliband. From an ordinary hairdresser he now became a royal hairdresser. There was a celebration in his neighborhood. Some were happy for him, some were jealous, but everyone congratulated him.

Gilliband’s new job as the royal hairdresser went on smoothly. He was one of the fortunate people to witness the growing up years of Berthold. No one had any doubt he would grow up to be a great king like his father. And Berthold’s respect for Gilliband only grew with each passing day.

Eight years later Gilliband got married. Even the king, the queen, and the prince attended the wedding and wished him luck for his future. It was one of the biggest occasions of the year. If some people were surprised as to why the king gave so much importance to an ordinary hairstylist, they didn’t evince it. Three years later Gilliband’s wife gave birth to a baby boy. It was, once again, celebrated with great fervor.

Prince Berthold was growing up fast. Washgookawilly was enjoying its peace and serenity. But things didn’t remain the same. Several years later King Mighton of Gandalokas attacked Washgookawilly. To everyone’s shock, King Solomon was killed in the battle. Although Berthold, who was now the king, avenged his father, the void was too conspicuous.

King Berthold proved to be a great king like everyone had prophesied. ‘Your father would have been proud of you,’ Gilliband told Berthold one day.

Years passed and Washgookawilly only prospered more and more under the rule of Berthold. But then, Gilliband grew old, too. And one day, he passed away. The only man outside the palace to know the secret of Berthold was gone; the man who had steadfastly protected the secret, who had not even talked about it to his wife or son, had gone forever.

Upon losing his loyal hairdresser, King Berthold became despondent. ‘Who will share my misery now?’ he wept in the nights. The man who had trimmed his hair and kept his secret was no more. It was no doubt a big loss for Berthold.

What is the secret that bound Gilliband and King Berthold? Why was Gilliband, an ordinary hairdresser, given so much importance by the royal family? Now that Gilliband is dead, what will happen? Who will guard the secret now? Read The Story of King Berthold to know the answers to these fascinating questions. Answers that will surprise you and enchant you beyond means.

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King Berthold of Washgookawilly

Berthold was born to King Solomon and Queen Candace. The great country of Washgookawilly prospered under the rule of King Solomon. Washgookawilly, which meant “peace” in the ancient script of the land of mountains, remained true to its name. There were no fights of any kind, everyone respected each other and lived happily. Festivals were celebrated with great fervor. Sometimes the great King himself attended the functions. His Majesty’s presence brought immense joy to people. They didn’t fear their King, but loved, respected, and worshiped him.

And when baby Berthold was born, the whole city celebrated with unalloyed pomp and glory. Everyone was eager to take a look at the little Prince. The palace looked like a city in itself when people flocked to see Berthold. But, to everyone’s disappointment, baby Berthold was not shown to them. The King sent a message to his people: ‘You can’t see Berthold for the next four years, says the court soothsayer. The little prince will face imminent death, should anyone, apart from the immediate family, set eyes on him.’

The people, although disappointed, went back, wishing good luck for the prince. King Solomon, on the other hand, was guilty of lying. But he had no other go. The King and the Queen nurtured a terrible secret in their hearts. They also knew that when Berthold grew up to be a King, he, too, should protect this secret.

It was only when Berthold was four years old did the citizens of Washgookawilly see him. Berthold had lengthy auburn hair and skin as smooth as silk. Everyone who saw him could not stop exclaiming: ‘Wow! He is such a beautiful boy,’ ‘Look at those locks of hair. He is gorgeous,’ ‘I’ve heard our King has appointed a special hairdresser for him,’ ‘Of course he has. He is the prince,’ and on and on they went praising. Although Berthold was playful like most children his age, he kept a watch on his talk and walk – true attributes of a King.

Berthold’s training started soon after his fourth birthday. The scholars taught him the basics of music, science, and mathematics. As he grew older they taught him astronomy, archery, swordfight, hand-to-hand combat, and fighting with knives and spears. At the age of fifteen Berthold was an expert in all the above. Everyone was proud of him. Young boys and girls his age treated him like a King. His father, King Solomon, beamed with pride.

On Berthold’s eighteenth birthday, the whole city was decorated with festoons of flowers. Fireworks and music and dance kept everyone awake throughout the night. Nobody complained. Everyone was in high spirits. Children danced and sang and clapped. People blessed Berthold all the good things in the world. The hairdresser who trimmed Berthold’s hair was given a royal treatment. And this hairdresser would go on to live until the actual story of (King) Berthold began.

A year later, King Mighton of the neighboring country Gandalokas attacked Washgookawilly. King Solomon led his army from the front. Prince Berthold supported his father by fighting valiantly. Berthold always believed his father to be immortal. ‘No can defeat my father,’ he used to tell his friends when he was a kid. But now, he was compelled to believe in something cruel: King Solomon died at the hands of King Gandalokas.

Prince Berthold was now King Berthold. The war was not over. King Berthold fought hard and defeated King Gandalokas, and acquired his army. Although everyone in the country was still mourning the death of their beloved King, Berthold’s victory brought some satisfactory smiles.

Over the next few years, several other Kings tried to conquer the country of Washgookawilly, but failed miserably at the hands of the mighty King Berthold.

Now, after conquering many kingdoms, King Berthold had a strong army of ten-thousand soldiers, eight-thousand horses, and five-thousand elephants. Just like his father, King Berthold came to be known as the King with the golden heart. The citizens loved him and worshiped him.

Peace prevailed in the great country of Washgookawilly. No one dared to attack King Berthold anymore. Everything was perfect. In spite of all this, King Berthold carried in his heart a secret that only one man knew: the royal hairdresser. But something terrible would strike soon, this no one knew. Something that would shake the King’s confidence and self-esteem…

Why didn’t King Solomon allow his people to see Berthold until he was four years old? What is the secret that’s troubling King Berthold? What role does the royal hairdresser play in this story? Read The Story of King Berthold to know the answers. Answers that will leave you spellbound and smiling.

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