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The Letter of King Kozoman
Once upon a time, in the Kingdom of Pomegranate, King Kozoman went for a walk with his son, Prince Farine, and his trusted advisor, Rayan. As they strolled through the palace gardens, Prince Farine shared something that had stayed in his heart for a year. “Father,” said Farine, “do you remember the girl I met last year during the royal festival? Her name is Princess Nadine.” Rayan nodded. “She is the daughter of King Ned, ruler of the Kingdom of Aubergine,” he added. “She would make a perfect match for your son, Your Majesty.” King Kozoman looked thoughtful. “Is that so? Then we should act on this.”
Back at the palace, the king turned to Rayan. “What do you suggest we do next?” Rayan smiled. “Let us write a letter to King Ned, asking for his daughter’s hand in marriage for Prince Farine. We can propose a beautiful wedding to take place two years from now.” King Kozoman agreed, and the letter was written with great care. Once it was finished, Rayan handed it to the fastest runner in the kingdom. “Deliver this with all your strength,” Rayan told the runner. “Do not fail.” The runner took off with determination, crossing deserts under the blazing sun. Day turned into night, and night back into day. But after several days, the heat and exhaustion overwhelmed him. He stopped to rest under a tree. When he awoke—disaster. “The letter... it’s gone!” he cried. He searched the sand around him, but the letter had vanished. Perhaps the wind had blown it away. Fearing punishment if he returned without a response, the runner disappeared into the wild. No one ever saw him again.
King Kozoman waited patiently—for days, then weeks, then months. But there was no sign of the messenger. “This is hopeless,” said the king one morning. “What shall we do now?” “We must try again,” Rayan advised. “Let us write another letter and this time, send it with our strongest knight.” And so it was done. The knight rode across plains, valleys, and mountains. He faced many obstacles with courage and strength. But misfortune struck one day—his horse tripped and broke its leg. The knight looked at his companion sadly. “Without you, I cannot go on,” he whispered. Unwilling to return in failure, he made a vow. “I will not face my king empty-handed.” And just like the runner, the knight vanished from history. Once more, the king waited. Once more, he was disappointed.
“This is unbelievable!” King Kozoman roared. “Let us try a different way,” Rayan suggested. “A homing pigeon. She will fly straight to King Ned and return with a reply. It cannot fail.” Although hesitant, the king agreed. The letter was tied to the pigeon’s foot, and she took off into the sky. She flew through storm clouds and rain, her wings strong and swift. But then—a hawk spotted her. A fierce chase began. The pigeon barely escaped, but not without injury. With a broken wing, she fell from the sky, never to return. This time, King Kozoman was furious. “Enough! Rayan, you have failed me for the last time!” He ordered his guards, “Take him away!”
Without his advisor, the king finally saw what needed to be done. “I must go myself,” he decided. “Farine, take care of the kingdom while I am gone.” With a large army behind him, King Kozoman marched toward the Kingdom of Aubergine. Along the way, they fought off jungle beasts and bandits, overcoming every obstacle. At last, the king stood before King Ned’s palace. “I come in peace,” said King Kozoman. “I have traveled far to ask: Will your daughter, Princess Nadine, marry my son and unite our kingdoms?” But King Ned raised his hand and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Kozoman. You have come too late. Princess Nadine is already married. She has six beautiful children now.” King Kozoman felt his heart sink. His long journey had failed. But as he rode home, he began to think. “How can I help my son avoid this mistake in the future?”
By the time he reached his kingdom, he had found the answer. The people cheered as he returned, joyful to see their king again. The next morning, he took a walk with Prince Farine. “Father,” Farine asked, “what happened in Aubergine?” King Kozoman placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. “Farine, I have something important to teach you. One day, you will be king. When that time comes, remember this—” He paused, then smiled. “—If you want something done, you must do it yourself.”
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