long long time ago, along the River Nile was a village called ‘Promethius’. The village was blessed with abundant natural resources. The village folks men were very simple people who toiled hard to earn their livelihood. They were hardworking and industrious.
Every morning at the break of dawn, men and women would get up early in the morning. After completing their set of daily chores, they would pack food for themselves and leave for their fields. They would work untiringly in the fields throughout the day to ensure healthy production of crops. After working hard during the day time, during night time the village men and women would assemble in the community hall located right in the middle of the village. They would light a bonfire and sing and dance happily around the fire. The community hall would resonate with sounds of laughter, merriment and chuckles of children playing around.
The seasons changed from Autumn to Spring, Spring to Summer and from Summer to Winter. The simple village folks men enjoyed the fruits of the hard labour earned.
Alas, with the passage of time, the village of Promethius was struck with extreme misfortune. The weather gods ‘Sun’ and ‘Wind’ stopped gracing the village with their presence. The land no longer received sunlight. The crops suffered. There was no produce from the land. Gentle winds did not blow across the land. Draught like conditions developed in the village of Promethius which was once an abode of heaven.
The village men were concerned about the deteriorating economic condition of the villagers. A meeting was planned in the community hall of the village to find a solution to the worsening weather problem.
On the appointed day of the meeting, village men discussed the various kinds of concerns that the adverse weather conditions in the village of Promethius had brought about. After several village men spoke and suggested solutions to the problem, an old man, lean in structure spoke with a wavering voice. He said that he had once read about the curse of the weather gods. He said that the village of Promethius could be saved from the curse of the weather gods by meeting the Sorceress ‘Diana’. Only a young man who was well built, with a broad forehead, wide shoulders and blue eyes would be able to rescue the village of Promethius from the wrath of the weather gods. Such a man would have to swim across the river ‘Nile’ to reach a place called ‘Netherland’. He would have to meet the sorceress ‘Diana’ there. Only the sorceress ‘Diana’ would be able to suggest a way to appease the weather gods.
An extensive search was conducted within the young men in the village to find a young man with the suggested physical traits as suggested by the old man. Finally, a young boy named ‘Alexander’ was identified as the man who would meet the Sorceress,’Diana’.
The village men and women wished Alexander good luck with his endeavour. Alexander slipped a small dagger in his backpacks before he moved towards the river Nile. The river Nile was flowing more violently than ever before. Alexander jumped in the waters of the river to swim and fight the strong undercurrents of the waters.
After swimming continuously for over two days, Alexander finally reached Netherland. The arduous exercise had caused Alexander extreme fatigue and exhaustion. He found a few coconuts near the shores of the island. He was also fortunate to have found some fresh fruits around. Alexander had some fresh fruits and coconut. He wandered in Netherland for several hours before he found Sorceress Diana.
The Sorceress was almost like a divine fairy with two large wings on either side of her arms. A divine white light surrounded her divine aura. Alexander narrated to Diana about how the wrath of the weather gods that had befallen upon the village of Promethius. Diana recognized Alexander immediately and said that he was destined to save the land of Promethius from the wrath of the weather gods.
Diana said that Alexander had to mount a white horse and gently gallop across the island to reach a palace located in the middle of the Netherland. After carefully entering the palace, he had to take the steps that would lead to a wide board below the palace.
The board had a pattern similar to the game of ‘Snakes and Ladders’. Extremely poisonous snakes guarded the ‘Snakes and Ladder’ board. There were two ivory dices placed above the board.
In order to appease the weather gods, Alexander would have to first fight the poisonous snakes guarding the board. He would then have to play the game of ‘Snakes and Ladders’ by gently rolling the two ivory dice placed on the board. Only after he had reached a score of ‘100’, would the weather gods ‘Sun’ and ‘Wind’ grace Alexander with their divine presence. Alexander would then have to humbly request the weather gods to uplift the village of Promethius from the curse of the weather gods.
Alexander did exactly as had been instructed by the Sorceress ‘Diana’. He mounted the white horse and gently galloped across Netherland to reach the palace.
After carefully entering the palace, he entered the wide board below the palace through a narrow staircase beside the entrance.
As Diana had warned poisonous snakes were guarding the board. Alexander fought the poisonous snakes with great bravery and fortitude. After fighting a tumultuous battle with the snakes that lasted for several hours, Alexander succeeded in the killing the snakes. Alexander gradually walked to the ‘Snakes and Ladder’ board then.
The board had a pattern similar to the game of ‘Snakes and Ladders’. There were two ivory dices placed above the board. The entire view was three dimensional and Alexander almost felt as if he was participating live in the game.
In order to appease the weather gods, Alexander played the game of ‘Snakes and Ladders’ gently rolling the two ivory dices placed on the board. Alexander played the game continuously for several hours since then. After landing on several ladders and several snakes, Alexander finally managed to reach a score of ‘100’. The weather gods the ‘Sun’ and ‘Wind’ graced Alexander with their divine presence.
Alexander humbly requested them to restore perfect weather conditions in the village of Promethius. The weather gods blessed the village of Promethius and also as a reward for Alexander’s efforts bestowed on him the title of the village chief.
When Alexander returned to the village of Promethius, he was greeted with great pomp. A vast multitude of villagers happily celebrated his return back to the village.
The village of Promethius regained its lost glory. Bright sunlight returned to the village of Promethius. Gentle winds blew across the village. Barren fields were converted to green pastures of land. The community halls once again resounded with sounds of laughter and gaiety. Alexander had thus saved the village of Promethius from the wrath of weather Gods.
