The Pandit and the Pathan

A swaggering Pathan, very much conscious that he belonged to the ruling race of Kashmir, sauntered along a street of the capital city. Among a crowd of Pandits, he saw a Pandit youth whose moustache was gummed and upturned like his own.

It was an insult to the Pathan that a subject should so groom his moustache as to look like a fierce-looking Pathan. He beckoned the Pandit stopped him, saying in a commanding tone, "Why is your moustache pointed upwards?"

The other Kashmiris seeing that the warrior was angry with one of them, fled away, but the Pandit with the challenged moustache said, "After all, the moustache is my own and I thought I could grow it as I please."

"No, that cannot be", roared the Pathan in righteous anger, "you have no right to shape your moustache after the manner of the imperial race, the formidable Pathans".

That impressed the Pandit. Still, he was bold enough to say,

"You ask, why?" - the Pathan stamped his foot on the road. "People must not think that you are as bold and brave as a Pathan."

"But I may be;" interrupted the Pandit, in an undertone.

This pert remark greatly upset the Pathan who drew his sword and challenged the Pandit to a duel to decide a who really was the braver of the two.

Seeing the flashing blade the Pandit drew back a few steps. Meekly, he addressed the Pathan, "Pathan Sahib, firstly, I have no sword with me. Secondly, I am aware that in the duel either of us will be killed. The survivor may even be disabled. I shall go home to fetch my sword. I will also kill all members of my family so that I've no worry later as to who will be the breadwinner when I die."

That gave the brave Pathan a mighty idea. He said, '"Yes, I will also go home to kill all members of my family."

They fixed the time of the duel and each left for his home. The Pathan did as he said, killing all members of his family, including a baby.

The Pandit went home only to unloosen the gum on his moustache. He had a merry chat with his wife, and children. He even forgot to get a sword with him to the venue or the duel.

The Pathan way already there. He was rubbing dry the spots of blood on his sword.

Seeing that his adversary bore no sword, the Pathan shouted, 'Now, what is that, Pandit? Where is your sword? You know you have come for a duel with a scion of the imperial race."

The Pandit, replied slyly, "What is all this pother about? Look here, my moustache is no longer upturned. So we make up our quarrel".