(Speech 7-9 min Project 5 from Storytelling Manual)
Year 1905.Russia was shuddering in the extreme cold snowfalls. So were the people from the cold blooded rule of Tsar Nicholas II and his Empress Tsaritsa Alexandra. Having food once in a day was considered an extravagant luxury. Those who dared to raise a little finger against the Tsar were brutally oppressed and deported to Siberia. While the rebels, handcuffed and chained, were transported to Siberia with hundreds jammed in one truck, they exchanged a name of hope. Clanging their chains in symphony they sang the name aloud—Karl Marx. Inspired by this name, the rebels had given many inflictions to the tyrants, the Tsars. The latest was the assassination of the elder son of Nicholas II. But a more mind shattering news awaited the Tsars--their second child Alexei met with an accident. It was not done by the rebels but the damage was no less. Alexei had very little life left in him. The search for a doctor who could bring him back to life extended to every nook and corner of the country. No one could improve the condition of Alexei.
Fellow Toastmasters and distinguished guests: good evening.
The Russian palace was decorated beautifully. The ways to the palace were red carpeted. Even when their second child is lying ill, Tsars were getting ready to receive the special guest. The royal cart drawn by five horses brought in the guest--an ugly looking man with protruded nose, elongated head and shabbily kept long beard. This man was brought to the palace from the outskirts by the royal army men who believed this man had amazing power to heal Alexei. The man whose fiery eyes gave a glimpse of his talent was Rasputin.
Tsar Nicholas II and his Empress Tsaritsa Alexandra ceremoniously welcomed Rasputin to the palace. He was escorted to the room of Alexei.3 days of undisturbed chanting went by. At the end of third day Rasputin came out trembling with high fever and sweating. Seeing Rasputin, Alexandra asked crying “How is my child” .Rasputin turned to her and said “I defeated death. Alexei will live long”
“O saviour, saviour of my child, saviour of this entire empire” said Alexandra and knelt down before Rasputin. It was the kneeling down of a great empire. The ascent of Rasputin in the Russian palace was rapid. He easily disposed off the officials whom he didn’t like. His control spread to all avenues of power. His prophesy’s was unchallenged even by the Tsar himself. He once said to the Tsar “Your Highness, if you yourself don’t lead the war from the front, the consequences will be catastrophic”. Tsar Nicholas II replied “Saviour, your prophecies will save this nation. I will go and lead the war”. Against the custom, the Tsar went to lead a war. When the Tsar was away, with firm support from his faithful devotee Tsaritsa Alexandra, Rasputin became omnipotent. The palace officials were turned into marionettes, marionettes whose threads had been taken firmly in hand by Rasputin. Even the princely families so close to the palace were neglected. Further worse was the licentious behaviour of Rasputin. He was a mad sex animal. He lured all beautiful women to sleep with him. In families of those who objected, death came as an uninvited visitor. Even the princely women were not spared from the vicious clutches of Rasputin. Unrest grew among the princes and in one their discreet meeting, Prince Yusupov growled “We can hope to regain someday the money and power we lost. But, how about the dignity that is lost? ” Yusupov wanted his pride to be redeemed and his friends were in support of his view. But he knew that he could not do it like the rebels who were inspired by Karl Marx. Born with a silver spoon in mouth, he could not go to the streets and throw a bomb at Rasputin. Further, being in the princely family the support of the browbeaten common man could not be expected. He had to find a way of his own to save the esteem of mothers, sisters and daughters of his community. He feigned as a supporter of Rasputin. Yusupov gradually befriended him. He realized that the real stories of Rasputin were much more dreaded than the stories that he had heard. Rasputin came to Yusupov’s house once. He was enticed to see Mrs. Yusupov beautiful like a wild flower flowing in the Volga River. Rasputin was more than excited when he was invited to a dinner on a later day. Yusupov informed his trusted friends and they came to his house on the D-day when Rasputin will join the Yusupov family for dinner. All of these friends kept waiting in the first floor. Their impatience was growing but finally was relieved to hear the arrival of Rasputin.
The dinner table was full of mouth watering food and wine items. Still, the hungry eyes of Rasputin feasted on Mrs Yusupov. Yusupov had poisoned certain food items which he cleverly avoided eating. Meanwhile, Rasputin ate all food garrulously but he was intact. The mixture of wine and poison inebriated him to a high level—yes the poison that could kill 5 people. Yusupov trembled. He knew his plan was failing. He excused himself for a while, consulted secretly his friends in the first floor and came back with a revolver. He came behind Rasputin and fired a shot at him. Being shot at, Rasputin turned and grabbed Yusupov by his neck. He ominously whispered in Yusupov's ear "you bad boy" and attempted to strangle him. Yusupov screamed as he struggled like a chicken in the hands of eagle. Hearing the noise, his friends rushed from the first floor and fired 3 more gunshots at Rasputin. Yusupov was saved and the devil himself fell to the ground. . As they neared his body, they found that Rasputin was still alive, struggling to get up. They took huge logs, clubbed him into submission and castrated him. After binding his body and wrapping him in a carpet, they threw him into the icy Neva River with a stone attached. He broke out of his bonds and the carpet wrapping him, but drowned in the river. Three days later when his body was found it was confirmed by autopsy that his reason of death was drowning. While Rasputin got ceremonial burial from the Tsars, Prince Yusupov was deported. However, the tides of revolution raised by Yusupov and many others ensured the end of the cruel Tsar rule by the mighty Russian revolution. After the successful February revolution the workers took the cremated body of Rasputin from the palace cemetery and burnt it in the nearby woods.
When power and money accumulates in one individual, it endangers the rest, like Rasputin did. It holds true even today.
Over to you, toastmaster
(The story of Rasputin put here is based on my readings on the matter from various sources.Hence some parts may be inspired.The write up is based on my understanding of history;the veracity of which may be verified from acknowledged history textbooks)
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