The astrologer fulfils his prophecies

When a young man’s parents died they left him a very large amount of money. He became very rich and didn’t have to work at all. Instead of working, he used to enjoy all kinds of hobbies. One day he would become interested in music. The next day he would want to become a great tennis player. And the day after he would want to be something else. Each day he wanted to become something else. But because he couldn’t stick to anything, he was not becoming anything at all. In this way he wallowed in the pleasures of wealth and wasted lots of money. But he didn’t have to worry at all because he still had plenty of money left.

One day he started casting horoscopes and telling people what would happen in the future. Nobody took him seriously because astrology was only another hobby for him, but everybody liked to hear what he had to say. As long as he didn’t create any problems, nobody minded.

One day his uncle came to visit him, looking very sad. The young man asked his uncle, “Why are you so sad?”

His uncle said, “I am sad because I don’t have money. I am in tremendous financial difficulty.”

The young man said, “Let me take a look at your horoscope. Let us see what the future holds for you.”

When the astrologer looked at his uncle’s horoscope he said, “I see that in a month’s time, by a stroke of luck, you will get lots of money.”

The uncle said, “Oh, you are so kind. Are you sure?”

The rich young man said, “Your horoscope clearly indicates that you will. I can see it. I know your financial difficulties will definitely be over in a month’s time.”

The uncle was very, very happy to hear that he would get some money. Every day the uncle expected to get a large sum of money, but nothing happened.

On the last day of the month the uncle happened to be passing by his nephew’s house. His nephew was in front of his house and the uncle said to him, “A month has passed and it seems that I am not going to get any money. Why do you have to fool people in this way? For God’s sake, give up this astrology business. You were not meant to be an astrologer.”

The young man said, “Uncle, I told you to wait for one month. The month is not yet over.”

The uncle said, “You are so stupid! Today is the last day. Who is going to give me the money? No one! Either you are a fool or you are a liar. You know nothing about astrology!”

The young man said, “I do know about astrology. And I do know that you will get a large amount of money. Still the day has not passed.”

Then the so-called astrologer went into another room and came back with a large amount of money. He handed it to his uncle and said, “Look, my prophecy is correct.”

The uncle said, “Oh, yes! Your prophecy has come true. I am so grateful to you, so grateful to you.”

At that moment a schoolteacher happened to be passing by. The schoolteacher didn’t see the nephew giving his uncle money. He only overheard the uncle appreciating his astrologer-nephew because his prophecy had come true.

Now for some time the teacher had been thinking of going to this astrologer to have his daughter’s horoscope cast. So the teacher approached the young man and said, “I am in such trouble. It is now time for my daughter’s marriage. Can you tell me if there is a chance for her to get a good husband? I would like my daughter to marry a well-educated, rich person so that she won’t have to worry and I won’t have to worry about her future.”

The young man looked at the daughter’s horoscope and said, “In two months’ time you will find a good, rich husband for your daughter. From her horoscope I can see that she is a very nice girl. You will definitely get a rich person to marry her.”

The teacher was very excited and started all kinds of preparations for his daughter’s wedding. He even hired a special cook and servants for the ceremony. Meanwhile, the days were passing by, and still he was not getting any suitable husband for his daughter. But he had such faith in the young astrologer that he still thought that something would happen.

Finally, when the two months were almost up, the man went back to the astrologer and said, “Are you sure that my daughter will be married? I have spent so much money for the preparations. I have arranged for a priest and hired extra servants. So much jewellery we have got for my daughter for her wedding. But still I am not getting a rich person for a bridegroom. What will happen if your prophecy does not come true?”

The astrologer said, “Why do you have to worry? In this village is there anybody who is richer than I am? And do you not think I am handsome? Do you not think I am well-educated?”

The teacher said, “You? How can I expect you to marry my daughter?”

The astrologer said, “Why not?”

The teacher said, “Since you are the richest person and you are also very handsome and kind-hearted, will you marry my daughter?”

The young man said, “Of course, of course! You don’t have to worry. Tomorrow we shall get married, since you are fully prepared.”

So the astrologer married the teacher’s daughter, and in this way he kept his promise and made his prophecy perfect.

Now, the wife was very smart. She had heard how her husband had given money to his uncle because his prophecy was not coming true. And she knew that he had to marry her in order to make his prophecy come true. So she said, “I won’t allow you to continue with this occupation. Since you have so much money, you don’t have to work. But you do have to give up casting horoscopes because you don’t know anything about astrology. If you really love me, then you have to give it up.

“You are the richest person in the village, the zamindar. You have so many servants. If occasionally you go to the fields to supervise, then our servants will do a better job and we will have a bumper crop. This can be your job.”

So every day the young man would spend a few hours looking after the fields. The workers were very happy that he was showing such an interest in their work.

About three months later his uncle came again to him and said, “Nephew, again I am in need of money. Can you cast my horoscope and see if there is any hope for me to get some money?” The uncle was hoping that his nephew would again give him money to fulfil his own prophecy.

The young man said, “Sorry, sorry, sorry. I have given up casting horoscopes. My wife said I was no good in astrology, so I had to give it up.”