THE MIRACULOUS CONCH

A ve^ poor moni is given d magical conch - when it is put in a pot

and 'food^ is cook J with it, the pot supplies an endless quantity of AND A GAME OF CHESS
very delicious foe . When the conch goes missing, the man and his
companions, a 31 |iand a cat, must find it before they starve.
ft ' A ^ 9

A tyrannical king eerfes that anyone who wants a favour ifrom him,
has to ploy chess with him. SittingI near by will be the king's cat, with
seven lamps balanced on her tail-ilf she moves and even a drop of oil
is spilt, the king will do as ihis opponent wants. But if the cot rimdins
still, the person will become the kinig's slave!
iThe hilarious adventures inI this book,
boc are taken from John Dbrairaj's
collection of\folk tales.

OTHER,ACK FABLES & HUMOUR

THE PIOUS CAT THE BRIDEGROOM'S THE GREEDY
RING ll^ THE MAGIC CHANT MOTHER-IN-LAW
I

1 / mrf^
[ ^ '_ im M

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• NARAYAN MURTHY, CHIEF MEKTOR, INFOSYS
788lk 82
 I tit MIKAUULUUS t^VJINUn

ONCE UPON /? TIN^E THERE H*9S

/J /M/?/V WHO WHS POOR Bi/T GENER
Hib ONLT COMPHNtONS WERE
H CAT ANP A POO.

0H,THERE’5
SOMEONE AT
THE POOR.

USE THE WATER IN THE MAN GAVE HIS OUEST

THAT POT IF you WANT ALL THE RICE HE HAP
TO HAVE A WASH FIR5T. COONEP FOR HIS
. I’LL OET you SOMETHING COMPANIONS ANP HIM-

1
 amar chitra katha
THE MIRACULOUS CONCH
THE GUEST HTE UP EUERV GRAIN OF IT.
EARLV NEXT MORN/NG-
THAT AFTERNOON AS THE OLP MAN
WAS COOKING A HANPFUL OF RICE
NOW IF I COULP WHICH HE HAP BORROWEP FROM A
lie POWN NEIGHBOUR —
&OA1E WHERE... _I I’LL PROP THE
CONCH IN ANP SEE WHAT
HAPPENS. IT MAV <
IMPROVE THE TASTE . J

THE CHT, THE POG HNP

THE MOMENT HE
THEIR MHSTER. WENT
PROPREP THE CONCH
HUNGRY THRT NIGHT.
INTO THE POT...

BEFORE I GO,
PROP THAT CONCH
HERE 15 SOME¬ mmm!
INTO THE POT THE
THING FOR VOU
NEXT TIME VOO
V COOK RICE. y

Mi

fvj <zi W »•
> t \

I WONPER
WHAT THE OLP MAN
IS COOKING !

NOW IF IT HAP BEEN

MONEV, OUR MASTER
COULP HAVE BOUGHT
US SOME FOOp. I AM
V STARVING.

what’s
^ T>iE USE
J OFA
\ \CONCH P

3
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA THE MIRACULOUS CONCH

TWE’LL HAVE TO GO
HUNGRY AGAIN .ALL
THIS FASTING IS BAP
for MV HEALTH...
/V\V FUR IS BEGINNING
TO FALL OFF.

RUT THE APPETIZING WHEN THE OLP MAN HAP SERVEP ALL
AROMA KEPT ATTRACTING
MORE ANP MORE PEOPLE
ANP THE GENEROUS
OLP MAN PIP NOT ^
HAVE THE HEART \
TO SENP ANV OF
THEM AtVAV. ^

SO INHEN THE RICE t HAVE SOME I COULP PO THE OTHERS TOO ASKEP FOR MORE. WHEN
there were a lot MORE, y WITH A SECONP ALL OF THEM HAP BEEN SERVEP-^
waiting to eat it. HELPING TOO.
k I THIS RICE IS
, \ SIMPLY
PELICIOUS!
i'll be able
TO GIVE GNLV
P FEW GRAINS
TC> EACH OF

5
AMAR CHITRA KATHA
THE MIRACULOUS CONCH

...PEOPLE WOULD FLOCK TO H/S HOUSE.

SOON THERE WERE SO AIHNV PEOPLE COMING THE CAT ANP THE DOG TOO
EVERV P/?y TH/IT HE BEGHN TO CHBRQE P became fat with the good
SMALL PRICE FOR THE RICE. FOOD THEV ATE.

THE PEOPLE PAID

WILLINGLY AND HE
MADE A LOT OF MONE^.

PATS AND weeks PASSED. ONE MORNING HlS

FIRST CUSTOMERS WERE SOME TRAVELLERS.

7
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA THE MIRACULOUS CONCH
THEY CAN’T
HAVE GONE FAR
1 MUST FINP
M THEM. r

WHAT’S WRON^ SOMETHING

WITH OUR /must have
V MASTER ?y HAPPENEP.
50/HE TIME L/)TER /)S THE OLP MAN INAS WHEN HE HAP TAKEN OUT A FEW HE MAY NEEP
SERVING HIS OTHER CUSTOMERS — more LAPLES - r~y>- V ME.
ARE my EVES there can be
PECEIVING NO POCIBT ABOUT
ME ? THE IT NOW. THE
rice seems QUANTITY HAS
TO PE PIMI-
GREATLY
nishing. /
PECREASEP. i

MAN ANP POG &EGAN TO SEARCH &UT THOUGH THEY SEARCHEP ALL
OH, MY GOP ! THE FRANTICALLY FOR THE TRAVELLERS. AFTERNOON THEY COULP FiNP NO
THE CONCHj CONCH IS GONE ! TRACE OF THEM. i-
WHERE IS THE IT MUST HAVE
CONCH P r- gone with the THEY SEEM TO
rice I POLEP HAVE VANISHEP
OUT TO THOSE INTO THIN AIR.
travellers. >

J—.

9
8
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA
THE MIRACULOUS CONCH

THE VILLAGERS WONOEREP NHV THE OLP

MEiN HHP STOPPEP COOKING MI5 PELEC-
TH&LE RICE. SOME OF THEM WHO WENT TV
ENQUIRE CAME 3HCK WITH PUZZLEP
LOOKS ON THE/R. FHCES.
HE KEEPS MUMSLINQ
ASOUT SOME CONCH

WHAT POES A
CONCH HAVE
TO PO WITH
V THE RICE 2 ,
THE NEWS SPREHP THfifT
THE C?LP MAN HAP
TAKEN LEAI/E OF HIS
SENSES ANP El/ERY^
BOPY began AVOIP-

W//£/V T/Vfy RETURNEl? HOME

vou STUPip creature ! po you HE GOT ON FAIRLY WELL IN THE BUT IN COURSE OF TIME
WHAT’5 GOING ON? TMINK OUR MASTER WOULP RUN BEGINNING. HE HAP MONEY ANP HE HIS MONEY BEGAN TO
PON'T TELL ME after someone^^r a few / COULP BUY the FOOP HE WANTEP. RUN OUT.
SOMEONE RAN OFF N COINS 1
WITHOUT paving.

’ \

THE CONCH IS GONE! THe'

TRAVELLERS MUST HAVE WE’LL GET LESS TOMORROW
GOT IT ALONG WITH ^ ' V., JUST WATCH.
V

I
IT’S NO USE
GRUMBLING ANP
WHAT ARE COMPLAINING.
you SAVING 1

11
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA
THE MIRACULOUS CONCH
I m GOING TO SEARCH FOR HE ALWAYS WANTS
AS THE CAT ANP THE POG WENT ROUNP I CAN GET A
THE CONCH.VOU TO PO SOMETHING. FAINT SMELL OF
MAV COME IF WHY CAN’T HE
THE RICE THE
VOU WANT TO. JUST WAIT ANO
CONCH USEP
SEE WHAT HAPPENS
S TO PROPUCE..
THIS
POG t

r//£ D06 TOOK THE CAT TO A mVER..

WHY HAVE GET ON MY YES, I CAN SMELL IT
I HAVE A FEELING
WE COME &ACK. I’LL TAKE TOO ! I THINK WE HAVE
THE TRAVELLERS
HERE ? YOU ACROSS. FOUNP THE conch!
CR0S5EP OVER TO THE
IT SEEMS
OTHER SIPE. THAT'S
WHY OOR MASTER TO BE COMING
ANP I COULP NOT FROM THAT
WOOPEN TRUNK
FINP them that
CAY.

■-H

HOORATl

THE POG SH/AAf WITH THE

CAT TO THE OTHER S/OE. WE’LL HAVE TC?
BREAK INTO IT
SOMEHOW. PO YOU
THINK VOU COULP
WHAT ARE
CATCH A RAT P
YOU WAITING
FOR P GET

13
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA
THE MIRACULOUS CONCH
)F COURSE, I COULP \ THERE5 ONE Tff£ R/rr 3£<jAN 70
I AM OUT OF PRACTICE THERE’S A CONCH THEN GET TO WORK.
... COMING 6NAW AT THE TRUNK,
BUT... hush! IN THAT TRUNK. WE WE WILL SET YOU
OUl OF THAT
WANT TO TAKE FREE AS SOON /¥5
HOLE \
. IT OUT FOR US. A YOU RNISH.

THAT should
NOT BE
DIFFICULT.

HAVE MERCV ON
ME, FRIEND CAT.
1 HAVE A LARGE SUOPENLT
family to SOMEONE'S
LOOK AFTER. A

WE WON’T HAJ?/V\ you IP

you po /AS you ake
TOLP.

14 15
AMAR CHITRA KATHA THE MIRACULOUS CONCH

/iNP REfiCH£P THE RIX/ER

WE'VE PONE
IT! WE'VE 60T
THE CONCH.

NOW 6ET
ON m BACK
ANP HOLP
THE CONCH
IN YOUR
Sv MOUTH.

/9S THE POG WHS SWIMMING TO

THE OTHER SI PE WITH THE CHT-
HEY, LOOK AT
THOSE TWO J
PON’T THEY
LOOK FUNNY?
HA HA HA ^

17
16
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA THE MIRACULOUS CONCH
NOW I PARE HOT THE CAT CLIMBED A TREE AND H/D
HEARINO THE CHILDREN LAUGH, THE
GO HOME. HEIl HERSELF IN A HOLLOW. tH-n—r-,
CAT TOO FELT LIKE LAUGHING.
BLAME ME FOR THE
LOSS OF THE ^
HO HO HO \
^ . CONCH. ^ y

I'LL STAY HERE FOR

A FEW PAYS TILL HIS
ANGER PIES DOWN.

MEANWHILE THE DOG HAD NOT BEEN

THE CC?NCm!
ABLE TO RETRIEVE THE CONCH. HE SWAM
ASHORE... I-
THE DOG WENT AFTER THE CONCH,
LEAVING THE CAT TO FEND FOR
HERSELF. I-

HBLPf

Oh,HOU
5TUPIP cat!

SHE DID NOT KNOW HOW TO SWIM.

aUT SHE BEAT HER LEGS WILPLV IN
ALL DIRECTIONS .. \- THIS IS WHAT
...AND SOMEHOW MANAGED HAPPENS WHEN HAS SHE FOUNP
TO REACH THE OTHER SIDE. HOU TRUST ANOTHER MASTER?
WHEN THE OLD MAN SAW HIM
. A POQ. j OH, WEU r PERHAPS
SHE HAS PONE
WHERE PIP V THE RIGHT THING.
VOU GO ? ANP
WHERE IS THE
K CAT ?

THE OLD MAN AND

THE DOG SETTLED
DOWN TO THEIR OLD
LIFE,

19
 THE MIRACULOUS CONCH
AMAR CHITRA KATHA
NOW LET'S CLEAN WHEN HE CUT IT OPEN
SEVBRfiL P/9y5 PfiSSEl? • THEN ONE AND COOK THIS
MORNING — I- ■ b f A^AQNIFICENT FISH
'vf
1
1

A CONCH?
there’s no food i’ll go POWN
AT ALL IN THE TO THE RIVER ANP
HOUSE TODAV. _ SEE IF I CAN GET
A FISH FROM ONE
OF THE FISHER-
I MEN. Ji

I...I THINK
IT'S THE SAME (/ WE HAVE GO
HERE,TAKE THIS ^ CONCH WHICH I OUR CONCH
THE FISHERMEN H/)P CHUGHT
TO VOUR MASTER V)_ WE LOST. .K BACK.
PLENTY OF FISH THHT PP'i FiNP
WHEN ONE OF THEM SfiW
THE POG^ ^—rr

IS MV NOSE
DECEIVING ME
THE ^ OR... ^ / IT ISN’T...
WHAT A BIG THE OlP MHN W/ie INPEEP PELIGHTEP NEXT I CAN SMELL
p/)y- IT TOO I
FISH he has
GIVEN ME.THE I DON'T KNOW
MASTER WILL WHAT I WOULD
HAVE DONE
WITHOUT you*

21
20
 amar chitra katha THE MIRACULOUS CONCH

ONCE AGAIN PEOPLE

THE OLP MAN HAS &E6UN
TO COOK THAT SPECIAL
BEGAN TO FLOCK TO CHESS
THE OLD MAN'S
RICE AGAIN ! ^ PLEASE
HOUSE TO BU^ RICE.
^ NEVER STOP
COOKING THIS
PELIGHTFUL
k RICE AGAIN.

MEAOW
ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS A KING, h
WAS A PESPOT ANP HE HAP A STRANGE
an^bopw who NEEPEP h 1
METHOP OF ACQUIRING SLAOES.
HAP TO PLAY A GAME OF
WITH HIM. f— i - 1

1
-
f IT'S NOT SOOR SKILL,
I AM NOT VERY
zj
a
WELCOME BUT THIS CAT'S THAT
6000 AT THIS _

WILL PECIDE THE OUTCOME

HOME.
GAME,VOUR V OF THE GAME.
V majesty.

that POESN’T
matter.

IF SHE MOVES ANP

I FELT SO PROPS EVEN ONE OF
HOMESICK. the SEVEN LAMPS
I dUST HAP BEING PLACeO ON BUT IF SHE SHOULP
TO COME HER TAIL^ I SHALL SIT WITHOUT MOVING
BACK. grant WHATEVER > TILL THE ENP OF THE
> YOU REQUEST. X GAME, YCX4 SHALL
BECOME MV SLAVE.

PON’T TELL
me THAT ! VOU
must have
smelt the
V rice.
THE CAT, THE POO fiNU
master LIVEP HAPPi^'^
EOER AFTER.
22
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA THE MIRACULOUS CONCH
UNFOR.rUNfiJEL'l FOR fiN^ONB WHO
SHALL WE I have come a long SOME TIME LATER, THE MERCHANT
PLAVEP flOAlNST THE KING, THE CAT PI5TANCE ANP SAT DOWN TO PLAT WITH THE KING
START ? WA9 WELL TRAINEP. SO THE KING
I CANNOT GO BACK
NEVER LOST. Tn I ^ SI
EMPTY-HANPEP. y

ONE OA'I A MERCHANT FROM

A DISTANT CfTH CAME TO I HAVE VERY GOOD AT IT, HE DID EVERTTHING POSSIBLE TO
THE PALACE, rm- COME TO ASK IN FACT. SUr WHY prolong the game . y-
PERMISSION PO you ASK ? .
I TO TRAPE
I IN THIS IT WENT ON AND ON
V CITV.

J
/ // /
1 I

1
*
t -r 1

I’LL HAVE TO SENP

WHEN THE MINISTER A MESSAGE TO MV
^ finally, to his HORROR
EXPLAINED WH'C — WIFE EXPLAINING
I HAVE WON.THE I AM PONE _ MY PLIGHT. 1
WHAT WELL--- ?
GAME IS OVER ANP FOR. _
A strange RULE! TAKE ME TO THE CAT HAS
YOU have to THE KiNa. Sv NOT MOVEP I
PLAY CHESS WITH
the king BEFORE
YOU CAN ASK
^ A FAVOUR
OF HIM.

25
24
 amar chitra katha THE MIRACULOUS CONCH
...ANP TEACH SUT FIRST VOU'LL CHESS IS MV
THAT WICKEP KING HAVE TO PLAY FAVOURITE
^ LESSON. HOW CHESS WITH GA^E. ^
PARE HE LET A CAT s HIM. ^
^ PECIPE MV
I MUST SECURE . HUSBANP’S FATE*
CHESS f HOW ; 1 IS IT ? {
HIS FREEPOM
J LISTEN’ V
SOMEHOW... peliqhtfuli
J TO THE
CONPITIONS
. FIRST...

WHEN THE MINISTER HAP

' .
\ ^
EFPLAINEP THE CONDITIONS

PRESSING HERSELF UP AS F! MAN, THE IS THAT ALL? THE MINISTER LEP THE
WOMAN WENT TO THE PALACE WITH OH, THAT CAT WOMAN TO THE KING.
ONE OF HER SERVANTS. WILL COLLAPSE]
YOUR MAJESTY,
BEFORE THE | A MAN HAS COME
NOW PO GAME ENP5I TO PT.AY WITH YOU
EXACTLV AS
CAT 1 THAT I'VE TOLP
GIVES ME VOU.
AN IPEA.
VFS
MARAM

I HAVE COME TO
ASK A FAVOUR you MAV
OF THE KING. ASK HIM FOR YOU WAIT
ANVThlNG. i HERE FOR ME

27
I

AMAR CHITRA KATHA

THE MIRACULOUS CONCH
f\F7ER SOME TIME, THE SERVANT WHO W/95
THE GAME EEGAN. THE KING PLAiEP AGAIN THE CAT MOVEP ANP ALMOST PROPPEP A LAMP,
STAMPING OUT&IPE'" I -\—^---
CONFIPEN7L V. r—-^ T
» 1
1
• I
THIS MAN TOO t

WILL SOON BE i

•
MV SLAVE. ^

1 1
1
!
H

• 1

I ^

I *

rp BETTER ENP THE

GAME FAST. SOMETHING
IS WRONG WITH y THE KING IS AS THE KING TR/Ep FRANTICALLY
^ THAT CAT TOPAY r PESPERATE.NOW TO FINISH THE GAME . - -
... RELEASEP A MOUSE I MUST BE ALERT
INTO THE PLAYING ROOM THANK GOP MY ^
HUSBANP
TAUGHT ME (
ALL THE TRICKYwf^
MOVES! Ilf.

A LITTLE LATER, THE

OUT A THIRP
SERVANT LET OUT
BUT THE KING QLAREP
ANOTHER MOUSE. 1
FIERCELY AT HER ANP
SHE MAPE HERSELF
IMMOBILE AGAIN.

1*1

w
M)
i \ P
V^V 1
 AMAR CHITRA KATHA
i

rtm 7HB CAT COULD NOT

e/?/Ay HBRSELF • SHB JUMPED
AFD. UPSBTT/NO ALL THE
I HAVE WON.THE
CAT HA5 MOVED AND
THE GAME HAS
NOT ENPED. >

WHAT po you
WANT FROM
ME ?
I WANT you TO
RELEASE ALL THE
MEN you HAVE
V ENSLAVED.

THE KING HAP TO GRANT HER REQUEST xfW f' i

ANP THE WOMAN WAS SOON REUN/TEP
WITH HER HUSBAND. %r , Pm m