Rohini's Challenge
In a quaint old city, deep in the hinterland of the country, a rich merchant once announced a reward of a thousand gold coins for anyone who could spend a whole winter night standing knee deep in the river. In the same city, lived an old man and his young daughter, Rohini. The old man was poor and burdened with debt – he had nothing more to lose but his life. He decided to try his luck and accepted the merchant’s challenge. On a cold wintry night, the old man mustered up all his courage and waded into the river. A little off the bank, as the freezing water knocked against his quivering knees, he steadied himself and stood facing the bank. A little crowd gathered and twittered amongst themselves. Most concluded he wouldn't last even until midnight. As the night grew deeper, they grew impatient and drifted away homewards. Eventually, the river bank was empty, even the howling dogs having retreated into warmer corners of the city. When dawn broke the next morning, the old man wal