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        The Chessboard That Ate the Kingdom

Once upon a time, there lived a mighty and adventurous King named Vikram. He was brave, clever, and above all, he loved playing chess. He had a beautiful chessboard carved from fine wood and gleaming ivory, sitting right in the middle of his palace.

King Vikram had conquered many lands and was proud of his strength and smart thinking. Everyone knew he was not only strong in battle but was also sharp-minded.

One day, the King faced a different kind of battle - a battle on the home front.

His only son fell ill with a high fever. He was weak and tired, and no doctor could cure him. One by one, healers came and went, but the prince’s fever would not break. Days turned into a week, and soon, into two weeks. People started to lose hope.

Then, just when things seemed darkest, the royal minister brought a wise man to the court. His name was Ravi. He was gentle and calm and didn’t carry any fancy boxes of medicine—just a bundle of herbs.

Ravi looked at the prince, whispered a few words, and gave him some leaves to chew on. Then he bowed and quietly left the palace.

A week later, Ravi returned. And what did he find?

The prince was back on his feet, laughing, walking, and practicing sword drills in the garden. He was completely healed! The entire court was overjoyed.

King Vikram was so pleased that he stood up from his throne and thanked Ravi personally.

“Wise doctor!” the King said, “I owe you the life of my son. Ask for anything you want—gold, jewels, or land. Anything! I have conquered many kingdoms. I can even give you one of those. It’s

yours for asking.”

Ravi smiled humbly. He sensed pride in the King’s words. “Your Majesty, I am glad to see the prince well. That is reward enough for me,” said Ravi.

The King continued to insist. “No, no! You must ask for something. I won’t take no for an answer.”

Ravi looked around and spotted the King’s favorite chessboard sitting nearby. He walked over and gently placed his hand on the first square.

“If you insist,” Ravi began politely, “then all I ask is one grain of rice on the first square of this board. Then, two grains on the next square, four on the next, then eight, and so on—doubling the amount of rice for each square, until you reach the 64th.”

The King blinked. “That’s it?” he asked, puzzled and a little amused.

Ravi nodded.

The King chuckled to himself. 'I would have given him one of my kingdoms, and here he wants rice,' the King thought. Even after 64 squares, how much rice could that possibly be? Just dozens of barrels full? We shall see.

Do you know how much rice the King will need? Try doubling the grains for the first ten squares and see what you get.

The story continues in the book: 'The Jar of Secret Numbers'.

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                        See you next week for a new story.