5th Column

Soothsayer, soothsayer, will I be the next leader?
The soothsayer had a long line of people waiting to see him. His fame had spread far and wide after he had predicted that Mahinda maama would win the election. Now, there were many at his doorstep, wanting to know who the next Prime Minister would be.

Anura was the first to seek the soothsayer's help. "I have already been nominated by my party", he told the soothsayer, "but I just wanted to be certain that I would be getting the job because I kept away from the campaign…"

The soothsayer peered into his 'anjanama'. "I can see the name 'Nayaka'…" he said. "That's definitely me…" Anura said. "After all, we are the only 'Nayakas this country has. I shall tell akka that she has no reason to worry now," he said, thanking the soothsayer as he left.

Di Moo was the next to enter the soothsayer's chamber. "Will I be the next leader?" he asked the soothsayer. "I should be, because I am the most senior person now…," he said. The soothsayer again peered into his 'anjanama'. "I can see the name 'Ratna'…" he said.

Di Moo was happy. "Ah, I am Jayaratna, so it must be me then…" he said. "I shall leave now because I have to get the people of Kandy to organize some posters congratulating their new Prime Minister…"

Mangala was the next to seek the soothsayer's help. "After all the hard work that I put in during the campaign, I want to know whether I will be rewarded…" The soothsayer peered into his 'anjanama' again. "I can see the name 'Siri'…" he said.

"That must be me then," Mangala said, "because my full name is Mangala Pinsiri Samaraweera. "I must tell the good news to my friends in the red camp…" he said, leaving hurriedly.

The final person to see the soothsayer that day was Mahinda maama himself. "I have all these people wanting the same job…" he told the soothsayer. "How do I choose which one is the best?"

The soothsayer peered into his 'anjanama' yet again. "What I can see are two letters; they must indicate who the next leader is…" "What are the two letters?" Mahinda maama asked, glad that he finally had an answer to his problem.

"The letters are 'R' and 'W'," the soothsayer said, "so they must be indicating the name of the next leader…" "That cannot be…" Mahinda maama exclaimed, "are you trying to say that Ranil should be the next leader and not me?"

"No, no," the soothsayer said, "I am only saying what I can see in the 'anjanama'…"
"I will have to speak to Satellite about this…" Mahinda maama said unhappily, and left in a hurry.

Returning to Temple Trees, he called Satellite. "I don't know what to do. I asked this soothsayer who I should appoint and he says the next leader should have names beginning with 'R' and 'W'. I think he is saying that Ranil should be the next leader…"

"Probably more than half the country feels that way too" Satellite said, "but don't worry, most of the contenders have also visited him…"
"Is that so?" Mahinda maama asked, "and what has he told them?"

"He has told Di Moo that the next leader would be a 'Ratna'. He has told Mangala that the next leader is a 'Siri' and he has told Anura that it will be a 'Nayake'. Now he tells you that he should have names beginning with 'R' and 'W', so I think it is obvious it should be Ratnasiri Wickremanayake…"
"Ah, thank you, thank you…" Mahinda maama said. "Now I know what I should do…"

Mahinda maama called all his ministers and announced his choice. There was a conspiracy to appoint Ranil but he was appointing Ratnasiri instead, he claimed.
"Api revateyi owata…" he said and all his ministers cheered.

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