A long time ago, there lived a king of Deccan India named Rajeswar Rao. He was a greatly troubled man because is country was at war with Mughal, and the Muslims were wining. In the battle after they drove back the Deccan army until at last the king himself had to retreat to the mountains to save his life. Wandering desperately through the mountain forests, cold and hungry and exhausted, at last the king found a miserable little wooden hut-empty and deserted. Glad of any kind of shelter, he lay down on the floor of the hut in deep despair. `There is no use in going on,’ he thought. `The enemy has thrown back our armies five times. We can never repulse them. I have failed my people. I might as well give up’. At that moment the king noticed a little grey spider spinning long thread from one of the rafters. The spider swung along on the thread in an effort to attach the other end to another rafter so he could start spinning his web. But the tread broke and the spider fell to the floor of the hut. A little dazed perhaps, but with no hesitation at all, the spider climbed up the wall and began spinning again. He kept patiently at it until the thread was long enough. Then he again swung himself to the end of it, and tried once more to attach it to the rafter across the corner. But again the thread broke and again he spider fell to the floor. And once more he climbed up and began again. Fifth times the spider’s thread broke. Fifth times he fell to the ground. Fifth times he began again. Fifth times he failed. Rajeswar Rao, the king of Deccan, watched in fascination. He became so absorbed in the little spider’s efforts that for a time e forget his own troubles. The spider did not give up even when he failed for the fifth time. He just tried again, and this time, on the sixth try, he was successful. The end of the thread held! The spider attached it to the far rafter and began spinning his web. Rajeswar Rao arose and bowed low to the tiny grey insect. `O little spider! What dare you.’ he cried, `You have taught me a wonderful lesson in persistence. You were not ready to give up, as I was. No matter how often you failed, you were always willing to try again. Perhaps I too shall win if I keep on trying.’ And so, though he was still cold and hungry and weary, he was no longer disheartened. Watching the spider had given him new strength and courage. He buckled on his sword, gathered together his scattered armies, and, with the example of the courageous spider to inspire him, king Rajeswar Rao led his men, on the sixth try to victory. *Even an insect as tiny as a spider; can teach a lesson in life to a man as mighty as a king.

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