The Seven Foals - Part Four

Cinderlad ended up in the king’s service.

The next morning, the Master of the Horse released the seven foals.

Cinderlad ran after the foals, but unlike his brothers he was not tired. Like his brothers he came to the cleft of the rock where the witch could be found.

“Come here and let me comb your hair, young man!” The witch told Cinderlad.

“You have to come to me.” The young man yelled as he caught the tail of the youngest foal and he crossed the witch. “I do not have the time now.”

The witch was surprised as Cinderlad ran after the foals.

When they had crossed the cleft, the foal turned to Cinderlad. “Get on my back, we have a long way to go.”

Cinderlad did as he was told and rode on.

“Do you see anything now?” The youngest foal asked Cinderlad after traveling for a long time.

Cinderlad shook his head.

The foal rode on.

Finally, the third time that the foal asked the question, Cinderlad saw something white.

“I think it is the trunk of a birch tree.”

The eldest foal broke the trunk of the birch tree and inside it Cinderlad saw a room with a sword hanging from one of the walls.

Cinderlad could not wield the sword at first, but the foals encouraged Cinderlad to keep trying and Cinderland became fairly good at wielding the sword after some time.

The foals looked very grave. “Now that you can use the sword, you have to use the sword and kill us, on the day that you get married to the princess.”

Cinderlad was shocked. 

Adapted from the Norwegian Folktales

The Seven Foals - Part Three

 

After the first son had come back home, he could not tell anything to his family. He was scared that he had been punished and did not want to talk about it.

The second son studied the first son and after seeing that the first son was back, he decided that he had to go and make a living. Though the second son could see that his elder brother was scared, he was determined that he would do better.

He asked the permission of his parents to go out into the world to make his own fortune. 

The parents refused at first. But the second son was insistent.

Finally, the parents had no choice and they let the second son by himself.

The second son walked all day and he also came to the king’s palace.

This time too the king was standing in the outside steps of the palace.

Everything happened as it had happened with the first son and soon the second son found himself a job of finding out what the seven foals ate and drank for the entire day.

Unfortunately, the second son also made the same mistake as the first son. He saw the old lady and did not keep to his job of looking after the seven foals.

He also foolishly took the bottle and the moss from the old woman and showed it to the king in the evening.

The second son was also punished and sent back to his home.

Now, the third son, Cinderlad, heard the story of what had happened to his two elder brothers. “I want to watch the seven foals myself.” Cinderlad thought out aloud to his two brothers.

But the two elder brothers mocked the youngest brother.

The youngest brother was determined and asked his parents permission to go out into the world and make his own fortune.

Adapted from the Norwegian Folktales

The Seven Foals - Part Two

In a small crevice in a rock, the eldest son saw an old woman who was spinning with a spindle.

The old woman saw the eldest son at the same time and saw that the eldest son was sweating and breathing hard running after the foals. 

The old woman shook her head. “Come here and take rest. I will comb your hair while you rest.”

The boy lay there in the crevice and did not follow the foals while the old woman combed his hair.

As it was about to be evening, the eldest son was sad. “I do not want to go to the king’s palace. I could not follow the foals all day. I might as well go home.”

The old woman looked sly. “At disk the king’s foals will go back to the palace through this way. You can go with them back to the palace.” The old woman shook her head. “No one else will know that you did not follow the foals all throughout the day.”

The eldest son was shocked. “But the king wanted to know what the foals ate and drank for the entire day. What can I tell the king?”

The old woman gave the eldest son a bottle of water and some moss. “Tell the king that this is what the foals ate and drank for today.”

The eldest son agreed to this and went back to the king with the seven foals.

The king waved at the eldest son and nodded fervently. “Did you follow the foals all through the day? What did they eat and drink?”

The eldest son gave the bottle of water and the moss to the king.

On seeing it, the king immediately realized that the eldest son was lying. 

The king was angry with the eldest son and punished the eldest son and then sent the eldest son back to his home.

Adapted from the Norwegian Folktales

The Seven Foals - Part One

 

Once a very poor couple had three sons. The couple had three sons and the third son was called Cinderlad. Cinderlad was called that because he did nothing other than poke around the ashes.

The eldest son decided to go out of the world and earn his living. His parents sent him on his way.

The eldest son walked for a long time and at last came to a royal palace.

The king of the palace stood on the staircase leading into the palace as the eldest son had come there. “Where are you going?”

“I am going to earn my living.” The eldest son told the king.

The king studied the eldest son. “Will you watch my seven foals?”

The eldest son was surprised. “Foals?”

The king nodded. “Follow them wherever they go, all through the day. At night, come to me and tell me what they eat and drink.” The king shrugged. “If you do that, you can have the princess as your wife and half of my kingdom.”

The eldest son was stunned.

The king continued in a grave voice. “If you fail to do what you are told, you will be punished.”

The eldest son was excited. He was sure that he could watch seven foals and he agreed to this.

The next morning, the Master of the Horse working at the king’s palace let out seven foals.

The seven foals ran and the eldest son ran after all the foals. 

The foals ran over hills and forests and they ran for a long time.

The eldest son followed the foals, but he was soon tired.

Adapted from Norwegian Folktales

Bhadrabahu and his Clever Minister Mantragupta - Part Four

That night, Mantragupta took a bamboo with him and inside the bamboo, Mantragupta concealed a snake. 

Mantragupta went to the elephant trainer’s house that night and had a lavish feast in the elephant trainer’s house.

When the elephant trainer and his wife were arranging for the feast, Mantragupta went into the place where the elephant was kept and Mantragupta was able to do this after making sure that he was not seen. 

Mantragupta left the bamboo with the snake near the elephant and just walked away from there after that.

Mantragupta had his lavish feast and left for his own home for the night. After that, Mantragupta and his disciples left the kingdom and went back to their own kingdom.

Meanwhile back at the elephant trainer’s house, the snake had bitten the elephant.

The elephant trainer and the king were both shocked to see that the strong and powerful elephant had fallen dead.

When Mantragupta was back in the city, Bhadrabahu was thrilled. 

Under encouragement of his minister, Bhadrabahu sent an ambassador to the kingdom of Varanasi to ask for the hand of Anangalila.

This time the king of Varanasi knew that he was no match for Bhadrabahu in a battle if Bhadrabahu was angry with him.

So Bhadrabahu happily married Anangalila with the permission of the king of Varanasi, all thanks to Mantragupta.

Adapted from the Katha Sarith Sagara

Bhadrabahu and his Clever Minister Mantragupta - Part Three

Even as the ‘disciples’ of the Pasupata ascetic reached the home of the elephant trainer, they were in for a shock. The elephant trainer had been unable to find his wife and in a fit of madness, he had swallowed some poison.

Using their knowledge, the people accompanying the Minister Mantragupta were easily able to counter the effects of poison in the elephant trainer’s body.

They pretended that they were genuinely compassionate about the elephant trainer and that was the reason that they had acted the way they had.

After the elephant trainer was well, the ‘disciples’ nodded gravely at him. “We do not know your problem. But our teacher knows everything. Come to him and he will be able to help you.”

Filled with hope the elephant trainer went to the home of the Pasupata ascetic. “My Lord, my wife is missing. I do not know where she is. I went to work and when I was back she was not there.”

The clever Mantragupta majestically heard the man with an inscrutable face and after that he pretended to meditate for some time.

“Your wife was taken against her will and she is in a house in this very kingdom.” Mantragupta told the elephant trainer finally.

The elephant trainer was amazed as Mantragupta continued and described the house that the elephant trainer’s wife had been taken to, in great detail.

The elephant trainer with the help of the palace guards went to the house and there he found his wife.

The elephant trainer was thrilled beyond anything.

After his wife was back home safe and sound, the elephant trainer went to the Pasupata ascetic and thanked him profusely. After that the elephant trainer invited the ascetic to his home.

Adapted from the Katha Sarith Sagara

Bhadrabahu and his Clever Minister Mantragupta - Part Two

The very next day, Mantragupta and a few trusted people from the kingdom of Magadha left for Varanasi. 

In the kingdom of Varanasi, Mantragupta made himself look like a Pasupata ascetic. The people with him spread the news that the Pasupata ascetic had supernatural powers.

Mantragupta and his group travelled all over Varanasi with one particular purpose - they had to find the elephant trainer of Bhadradanta.

Mantragupta was patient and soon he was able to find where the elephant trainer lived. 

Keeping up pretences of being an ascetic, Mantragupta studied the elephant trainer and to look at the patterns of the elephant trainer and his family.

Soon the minister knew when the elephant trainer left his wife and went out and when he came back home.

One time, when he saw a group of four armed men come into the house of the elephant trainer and the four men led the scared wife of the elephant trainer out of the house.

Mantragupta and his ‘disciples’ saw that the elephant trainer’s wife went into a particular house in the city.

After that, Mantragupta went back to his own place and did nothing else.

The very next day, Mantragupta saw the worried Elephant trainer not go to work, but worriedly look around the house, apparently for his wife who was missing from the place.

Mantragupta through his disciples called the elephant-trainer to his house.

Adapted from the Katha Sarith Sagara

Bhadrabahu and his Clever Minister Mantragupta - Part One

The kingdom of Magadga was ruled by Bhadrabahu. One of Bhadrabahu’s ministers was Mantragupta. Mantragupta was a very clever man. Mantragupta noticed that the king had been unhappy for some time.

“What is the matter, your majesty?” Mantragupta was confused.

The king sighed. “Dharmagopa, who is the king of Varanasi has a daughter called Anangalila. Anangalila is a beauty unlike anything that the three worlds has seen.” The king sighed again.

“Do you wish to marry Anangalila, your majesty?” Mantragupta shrewdly studied the king.

The king nodded slowly. “Many times. I have asked her father for her hand in marriage. But he refused out of spite for me.”

Mantragupta was taken aback as Bhadrabahu continued. “Dharmagopa has an elephant called Bhadradanta. Bhadradanta is  a fierce warrior elephant in Dharmagopa’s army. He is sure that as long as he has this elephant in his army, nothing can defeat him.”

Bhadrabahu looked unhappy. “I think he is right. That elephant can singlehandedly change the fate of any battle in the favour of the king. So as long as the king has that elephant with him, nothing can defeat him.”

The king unhappily looked at his minister. “Now that I have realized that neither my diplomacy nor my battle prowess can help me win Anangalila’s hand in marriage, I am disappointed.”

Mantragupta was silent for some time. Then he nodded at the king. “Your troubles are not with King Dharmagopa, your majesty. It is because of the elephant Bhadradanta. Once that is removed, you can have no troubles with marrying the woman that you love.”

“What do you want me to do?” The king studied his minister.

The minister shook his head. “I do not want you to do anything, your majesty. I will handle this with my ingenuity.”

Adapted from the Katha Sarith Sagara

The Story of the Enchanted Canary - Part Eleven

The Royal Cook furiously went back to the royal kitchen. “We will all have to

hide in the kitchen and as soon as that bird comes here, we will have to catch

the bird and wring its neck!”

The Royal Cook tried to whisper to the people around him because Tubby

himself had come to the kitchen to look into the matters.

The Royal Cook started cooking and naturally after the beautiful aroma of

cooking rose up from the kitchen, the bird came into the kitchen.

The others from the kitchen shut all the doors and the windows of the kitchen

as soon as the bird came inside.

Then the Royal Cook and the others chased after the bird and eventually

caught the bird.

The people in the kitchen were about to wring the neck of the bird when

Tubby saw the bird.

“What a lovely bird!” Tubby said, smiling at it.

“This is the bird because of which the dinner was burnt.” The Royal

Cook cried.

However Tubby heard none of it and he took the bird in his hands.

Tubby stroked the bird’s head and with that the pin in the bird’s head came out.

Before them stood the beautiful Princess Zizi.

All the people in the court agreed that Princess Zizi was

indeed the most beautiful woman they had ever seen and soon

Desire was betrothed to her.

Titty was about to be punished for her deeds but Princess Zizi

obtained a pardon for her.

Titty was sent back to the house where she had lived till then where

she could not hurt anyone.

Desire and Princess Zizi married each other and lived very

happily after that.

Adapted from Andrew Lang's Red Fairy Book

The Story of the Enchanted Canary - Part Ten

Prince Desire took Titty with him to the castle and told everyone there the troubles that she had had when he had come to the castle to get the carriage to bring Princess Zizi to the castle.

All the Ladies and the Lords pretended to feel sorry for the girl whom Prince Desire had brought in and they gave her rich dresses.

A grand feast was organized in the castle.

All the people were waiting for the main food.

But the food did not come.

This was the reason for that.

While the Royal Cook was preparing the food for the function, a little canary came to the window sill of the window in the kitchen.

The canary greeted the Royal Cook. “Good day, my fine cook!”

The chef caught his surprise and nodded. “Good day little golden bird.”

The bird looked at the food being cooked. “I pray that the food burns and Titty does not eat it.”

When the bird spoke the words, the Royal Cook fell asleep. 

The food was burnt to a cinder when the Royal Cook saw this. He quickly recooked the food and warded off enquiry from the people on the dining table.

While the food was being prepared, the second time too the bird came and made sure that food was burnt. 

This happened a total of three times.

The people at the dining table were still waiting when the Royal Cook went to the court and explained to the people there about the troubles caused by the little bird.

The people at the dining table did not believe the words of the Royal Cook and asked him to produce some proof of what had happened.

Adapted from Andrew Lang's Red Fairy Book

The Story of the Enchanted Canary - Part Nine

 

Titty suddenly had a plan to get rid of the Princess and take her place as to become the bride of Prince Desire. She immediately arranged her features into a smile and waved at the princess. “If the prince is gone to bring carriages for you, that means that plenty of Lords and Ladies good also come with him.” Titty waved at Princess Zizi. “You cannot show yourself in this manner before them. Come down here so that I can comb your hair and make you look more presentable.”

Zizi did not think that there was anything wrong in what the other girl had said and she climbed out of the hiding place and came near Titty.

Titty ran her hands over the locks of the beautiful brown hair of Zizi and when the opportunity was right,  Titty pulled a pin from the folds of her clothes and she stuck the pin in Titty's hair.

The minute the pin was stuck in Zizi's hair, Zizi changed into a canary and the canary flew away from there.

Titty then took Zizi's place and sat on the grass near the fountain.

Meanwhile back to the prince many Lords and Ladies from Tubby's castle accompanied Prince Desire when he went to meet the women that he was going to marry.

Desire was impatient to meet Zizi and he hurried before the others to meet Princess Zizi.

Desire was shocked out of his wits when he saw Titty instead of Zizi. “Who are you?” 

“I am the princess that you left behind.” Titty told the prince calmly. “But when you were away a wicked witch came here and she changed me like this. She said that this curse would be lifted only when you married me when I am looking like this.”

Desire was first shocked when he heard this. But then he blamed himself for leaving Zizi alone which he thought was the reason for her predicament. But now that he had been given a way to break the wicked witch's curse he decided that he would marry this woman and break the curse.

Adapted from Andrew Lang's Red Fairy Book