“I am Mrigankavati.” The girl told the king shyly. “My father is Mrigankasena, and he is a king of Vidyadharas.”
King Yasahketu frowned and looked around. “Where is your father? Where are the others?”
Mrigankavati suddenly looked sad. “My father has left me all alone in this city and I do not know why he has done that.”
The king was speechless as Mrigankavati continued. “I am alone, so when I feel melancholy, I rise up to the sea and sing about the fate of people.”
The king felt that he had to marry this girl and decided to marry the girl then and there. The gandharva form of marriage is a form of marriage which is carried out only with the permission of the two people who want to get married. So to carry out this type of marriage, he asked for her permission.
Mrigankavati happily agreed, but with a caveat. “On four days of every month, I will have to leave you and give you no explanations. You must not ask me any questions about where I go on those days.”
Mrigankavati and the king married by the gandharva form of marriage.
Some days later, there was the time that Mrigankavati had to leave the king. Before leaving however, the girl warned the king. “There is a crystal pavilion there. Beyond that is a lake. If you fall into that, you will return to the land of humans.” She shook her head. “Then you cannot come back, so please do not go near the crystal pavilion.”
When Mrigankavati left the city, the king pulled out his sword and secretly followed her to know the mystery of this girl.
As soon as Mrigankavati left the city, a huge and terrible Rakshasa - a monster attacked on the girl.
In a single swoop, the rakshasa opened its mouth and swallowed the girl.
Adapted from Katha Sarith Sagara
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