A Sabara Story

    There was a king named Madhab in a country. The name of king Vikrama was king Madhab. Everyday king Vikram ruled the country. After few years, the king had turned old. What could he do? He said, "I have become old and my son has become young. What can be done? It would be better if my son would be placed on the throne." He told this thing to his minister. The minister also approved of his suggestion. The king said, "If it is a better solution, you inform throughout the country. We would hold a meeting with all the countrymen and would place the prince on the throne, in everybody’s presence. You go riding on an elephant and announce the matter throughout the country. You start your journey between "Tuesday’s night and Wednesday’s dawn" [supposed to be an auspicious moment]. Announce that Madhab would be the king." Hearing the order, the minister called a sweeper, who would beat the drum before his announcement and started his journey with him. He announced in the entire country: "On the next Wednesday, the prince Madhab would be placed on the throne. All villagers and countrymen are requested to reach the palace on that day." He announced the declaration everywhere. All the countrymen reached the palace on Wednesday.

    The king asked the minister, "Has everybody arrived?"

    The minister replied, "Yes, sir, everyone has come."

    The king said, "Should we go to the meeting then?"

    "Yes, Sir." Then the king, minister, general, barber and the "katuala" [head of guards], all went to the meeting with the prince. They enthroned him. They made him wear the crown. Every body present there clapped. They said, "from today, Madhab is our king. He would take care of every body. Before I was managing your problems. But I have become old. So the new king would rule over you." This was announced before the country men and they then left the palace. Before going back, they attended the feast, thrown by the king. One day, the villagers gathered. They discussed, "Every year the king go on hunting. This year we would go with him. He is the new king." On that side, the new king was also planning to go on hunting. He ordered the minister, "Sir, you go and declare this planning through out the country." The minister followed the order. The country men discussed, "The king has thought the same thing what we thought of. Alright, on which day should we start?"

    "By the Tuesday night, Wednesday early morning, all of you reach near the palace." They had to enter the jungle. So people were carrying rice, flattened rice, rice puffs etc. with them. They were also playing on different musical instruments. Seeing so many people, the king became very pleased. He thought that perhaps they had obeyed his orders like they had ordered his father, the ex-king’s order. He called for the minister, and asked, "should we start?"

    "Yes, sir, the subjects have already reached. We should start now." People started playing on their Khol, Dholak etc. The king rode on the elephant. The minister was walking by the side of the elephant. All marched towards the jungle. After some time, a stream of water came on the way. The king asked, "o’ minister, should we stop here and have a meeting?" "If the people want for it, then we should stop, sir." The people said, "No, sir, let us go a little deeper into the jungle." All were moving inside. Then came a dense forest. They sat down there and took rest for the whole day. That day they could not hunt. Next day the journey was started. People made a platform on a tree in the jungle. The king asked, "is every thing ready?" "Yes, Sir, every thing is ready. You go and rest on the bank of the stream. The people will hunt for you." Saying this, they took the king and left him near the bank. Then they entered the jungle with a trap. It was a vast jungle. yet they could not find even a small bird. "What to do? It is such a problem. A single bird is not to be seen. What can be its reason? They waited for one day, two days, three days but no result. They could not find a single animal to kill. People were very sad. They then started cursing the king. "He is a use-less king. We have come here to eat some flesh of animals. But a single animal is not to be found. We can not understand, what can be the problem. We can not find any way of how to kill an animal." They discussed among them and planned of leaving the jungle. "Our stock of rice also has been exhausted. Let us leave". Saying this few people started leaving. Seeing them, others followed them. Thus, all left. But the king was sitting on the platform for seven days. Food was sent to him. Till seventh day, no one remained there. Those few, who were left, also escaped. The minister was busy in cooking. Finishing cooking, he went near the king and sat on the platform. They were waiting for some one to serve the food for them. But no one was there. When it became evening, they said, "what is the matter? Everyday some body comes by the evening to give us food. But today no one is coming! The jungle trembles with the playing of their musical instruments and shout! But today there is absolute silence. What can be the matter? No one is to be seen until the evening!" The king said the minister, "We came so deep into the jungle with the subjects, when they have left, how can we go back? Are the cooks here? Please go and see." But the minister found the kitchen vacant. The minister came back and said, "No, sir, they have also left. What is our way now? Where can we go? It is a vast jungle." The king thought over the thing for one hour and said, "we can not find the way now. Let the morning come. We can not do anything in this dark night." They spent the night on that platform. The next morning, they loaded their beddings and luggages on the elephant and they also rode on it and tried to come back. But they missed the road to the village and moved on a wrong road. It became evening. Still they could not reach at their village. When it became evening, the minister said, "It has become evening. Yet we can not reach at our village. We have not got anything to eat also. What to do? You see, is there any tea left in the flask? That flask was a container, in which the hot tea remains hot for many hours. When they came, his mother filled that container with tea. They had not cooked in the morning. So they drank the tea only. The king said, "Let us spend the night here. When the night ends, we will march." The next day they started riding on the elephant. At the noon, the king became very thirsty. The king said, "O’ minister, what to do? I am very thirsty. From yesterday, we have been drinking only tea, no water! We have not crossed a tank even!" The king got down the elephant and thought, "Even if I am a king, I am not able to get water! Minister, you please climb that tree and find if any source of water is there. If there is a source of water, then birds like crow must be flying over it. We will proceed in that direction then. May a mountain comes on our way, we would go there then." Saying this he helped the minister climbing the tree. From the tree the minister could see that two vultures were flying in the east. Seeing them the minister got down of the tree. The king asked, "Did you see any thing, minister?" "Yes, sir, two vultures are flying in the east direction." "How far the place would be?" "It would be around fifty to hundred kilometers far. The birds look very small. Should we go there?" They marched towards the east direction. They reached near a pond, after walking for some time. Smell of flowers and turmeric was coming from the place. They could see the pond, but just when they were about to reach near the water, the king could see that a very beautiful girl was bathing in the pond. Her name was Chandrakala. The king was excited to see her. But the girl had not noticed the king. She was bathing carelessly. But when she looked at the bank of the pond, could see the king standing there, still. The king was not entering the water. The king has to get the girl’s permission, as a girl was there. Even if he was the king, he should not enter the pond. But the girl was taking her time in bathing. After some time, when she came up the water, she looked back and saw a handsome young man, standing. She was Chandrakala, an angel. She could know that the young man was Madhab, who came for hunting. But his subjects had left him in the jungle. Not getting the correct road, he had entered her pond. It became a real mess. If he could know her identity, he might not leave her. How would she go then? She then prayed "Goddesss Saraswati" [Goddess Saraswati is the Goddess of speech and knowledge], "oh, mother, please be sited in the throat of the king, so that he would tell me that If I had finished bathing, I should go back to my home, so that he could drink some water."

    Chandrakala prayed and truly the Goddess listened to her prayer. The king asked, "why do you wait, Chandrakala?" The king did not know her name. Goddess Saraswati told him, her name. "If you have finished bathing, you should go back to your home. Go and worship your idols, which you have kept at home. I want to drink some water." Chandrakala then said, "O’ king! You desired to get me. But there is a girl more beautiful than me. Her name is Sulochana. She lives in a country, which is seven seas away from this place. I am Chandrakala. But I am "Kala" [dark complexion]. Although I am beautiful, you know that I am dark in complexion." The king thought, "I have not analysed these things in my mind. How can she knows it? "Then again Chandrakala said, "her name is Sulochana, more beautiful than me. You go near her. She has not seen any male person’s face since twelve years. She has not married yet. You take this letter with you. She would be married with king Bidyadhar. Since twelve years, no king was willing to marry her. But at present, the "Anthua Ganthia" king has consented to take her. His son’s name is king Bidyadhar." Then Madhab king said, "If her marriage is fixed, how can I accept her? They will not accept me. How can I know about her then?"

    "You go straight. At the beginning of their village, lives a lady gardener. You talk to her. She will let you know everything." "how can i know her?" "if you ask others, they will show you." Then the king and the minister started towards that place. After they crossed the pond, the village came. The king asked the minister, "should we go back or go to the place of Sulochana. Should we cross the ocean or go back to our home?" The minister said, "No, Sir, when we have got the detailed information that her marriage is fixed, what would we do after the wedding. Seven more days are left for her marriage. She has been waiting for twelve years, but has not found any one yet. But if one is fixed for her and she would marry him, why should we go there then? But if you want to go, let us move from here now. Why should we go back to our house now?"

    "No, from here we must go back then." Both of them returned. The king said, "O’ minister! I give you the entire responsibility of the country, till I finish my wandering. You decide every thing as long as I do not come back." He then took one barber boy with him and left the elephant there. They rode on a Pegasus and flew away beyond the seas. They got down there. The king asked the barber boy, "hey! We have brought the Pegasus. But where would we keep it right now?" The barber said, "Do not worry. Leave it to me. I will take care of it. You give me the horse." When the king handed over the horse, by chanting few lines, the barber made the Pegasus, invisible and put it on his back. Then he asked the king, "you see! Where has the horse gone." "You have made him invisible. But how can we use him at the time of our need?" "You need not worry. It is with me!" "Then tell me, how to go to the lady gardener’s house." Both of them hanged two bales on their backs and entered the market. They took tea. Asking different people, they reached near the lady gardener’s house. Standing at the doorstep, they called "Auntie! Auntie! Are you there?"

    "Yes, my son, I am cooking." "Please, come out and listen to our few words." The lady gardener came out and saw the two handsome young men. They seemed of royal blood. The old lady thought, "Never in my life, a king has come to my house. The very appearance of the young man says that they must be either king or very rich man’s family." She was surprised to see such handsome young men. She took out a cot and made them sit there. The king and the barber explained every thing before her and asked, "Auntie! Can we stay in your house? We want to stay for eight ten days." The old lady said, "I have no problem. But I have a very little house. You look like a royal king, can you manage here?" They replied, "No, auntie, we won’t have any problem. We can manage in place, which we like. We have come to your house to know one information. If you keep us in other place, we won’t be able to know about that thing. So please let us stay here. "The lady gardener would not understand their remarks and thought" they have come for their some work. Why should I bother? "The old lady said, "Alright then, you sleep in this room, I will sleep in the other room." She gave them a cot. They had brought their own bed sheets. They stayed there that day. The next day morning, the old lady went out for plucking flowers. But they had no lady. The king thought, "what a problem! The old lady has gone somewhere. How can I send messages? The barber knows nothing. If I would have brought the minister, he would have helped me a lot. I have not told him anything. How would the barber know any thing then?" He ordered the barber, "you go and see whether the old lady is sleeping there." The barber informed that the door was locked, "where can she go then? Has she gone to defecate? We must wait for sometime then." The old lady came back at around 9 o’clock in the morning, finishing her daily routine. She hanged her wet clothes and sat down making garlands in flowers. She had made two to three garlands. By that time the king sent the barber again to check. The barber saw the lock, opened. He informed the king, "what is she doing?" asked the king. "She is making garlands." They came near her and asked, "Auntie, where do you supply the garlands?" "I give it to the palace. I supply garlands to the girls and ladies of rich family. They put it on their heads."

    "Should we try making garlands?" they asked and made one garland near her. They then left the place. The old lady collected all garlands and was about to go to the palace. The Madhaba king then came near her again and asked, "Auntie! Are you going to sell the flowers and the garlands?" The lady replied, "Yes, my child, you stay and watch my house. You see that cattle do not destroy my house." "No, no, auntie, you do not bother, please." The old lady went and supplied all the flowers and garlands to the king and the queen. She had to give one garland to the princess. On other days she did not give. On that day, at 10 o’clock in the morning, the princess woke up and when the old lady reached near her, she was playing dice with her maids. The old lady said, "Please, dear princess, let me leave quickly. I have no one to help in my house. I have a garden. Goats might enter it. "The princess came near her and took the garland. Seeing the garland, the princess asked, "Auntie! I think you have not made the garland. Who has done it?" The old lady said, "who would come to my house. I have no son or daughter. I have done it." "no, no, some other person must have made the garland." The old lady did not answer. She gave the garland and came back. Every day the princess was giving two or three rupees. But that day she gifted five rupees. The old lady could know that Chandrakala had some plan behind it. The princess said, "The garland can not be made by the lady gardener." So she opened the garland. Then the letter dropped from the garland. The princess opened it and could know that it was from the Madhab king. She had been waiting for her since years. He could not come on time. Just when the marriage was fixed, he had come, what to do? She could not find any solution. Helplessly she sat down. The maids, with whom she was playing, were waiting for her. When she did not come for a long time, one of them came and saw her sitting silently on the verandah. "o’ princess! We were playing together happily. What problem came for which you are sitting quietly. Please tell us."

    "What can i say? The man for whom I was waiting eagerly, did not come earlier. But now when I am about to leave, he has arrived. I can not find any way." "if you think that he has arrived, go and meet him. But if you feel that the maids might spread the news, go alone. Don’t take them with you," said the maid. The princess said, "No, I won’t go today. Tomorrow definitely I will go." The next day when the lady gardener was making the garlands, the king and the barber reached there and made one garland and gave the old lady. The princess reached at the place, before the old lady came. She called, "Auntie, what are you doing? Sitting idle?" "Yes, my child. You had never come to my house. When you have come, it is like the coming of Goddess Laxmi to the house of poor lady Sriya. Please come and be sited." She offered a cot to sit on. The princess with her maids, sat on the cot and all of them started talking about this and that. The king and barber were inside the room. They thought, "The old lady stays alone. Where from the talking sound comes? With whom she is talking?"

    They were making the garland, by that time. When it was finished, the barber boy went to the other room to give the garland to the old lady. He saw the two four girls sitting there. He thought, "we have been staying here since four five days. We have not seen a single girl’s face. Who can these girls be?" He could know that the king must have had a plan in his mind, which he had not disclosed before the barber. He went near the king and said, "My friend, so many things are to be done here. Why do not you say me any thing. What is the matter, tell me!" "What matter? It is nothing." "No, no, you have to tell. Four girls are sitting in the other room. The old lady stays alone. She has no visitors. Why do these girls come, today then?" "They might be her relatives." The king went to see the girls. He saw Sulochana sitting there. When she could see the king, she saluted him. The maids followed her and saluted. The barber boy noticed this. The princess came near them and explained everything about her marriage. From her talking, the barber boy could understand every thing. The princess said, the Madhab king, "i had been waiting and praying for you since twelve years. But you could not come. When every thing is finished, you have come. Only two days are left for my wedding. What can I do now?" The Madhab king said, "Alright, your wedding is fixed. I came to meet you. I will go back after talking to you. When the princess heard this, she became very sorry. She came here happily, but she knew that she had to go back sadly. Then she said, "one solution is there." The king said eagerly, "if you know any solution, please tell us." The princess then said, "when our marriage is performed, the groom and the bride have to come to the altar for three times. You are not married. But you must have knowledge about it, from your villagers. Twice I will come. On the third time, i will raise my hand. Have you got the Pegasus or not?" "Oh, yes, I have the Pegasus."

    "Where is it then? I can’t see."

    "it is there. You need not worry. You simply tell me the way to lift you up." She then said, "First time I will come, then for second time. By the third time, I will raise my hand through the branches near the altar. At that time you move round the altar. People would be busy in the ceremony. No one would be watching you. You go on moving round the altar. I will raise my hand and you will lift me up. People would know that she had some relationship with any angel, who took her away. Neither my parents nor my country men would be blamed then. But can you do this thing or not, think over it."

    "Definitely I can," the king assured her. So the princess became very happy and went back to her palace. Before going back, she told the lady gardener to get food, from the palace for the king. Then the old lady went to the palace and gave flowers and garlands to all. Lastly she went near the princess and gave her the garland. The princess packed food in a bag and handed over to the old lady. The old lady took the bag and coming home, said the king to open. But the king said, "No, auntie, you open." The old lady said, "it is for you. She has given something for you. Better you open the packet."

    By the time, the old lady could know that the man was the king. So her way of talking changed. When the king opened the packet, saw types of sweets inside it. The king said, "Auntie, please come here. All will eat together. You are like our mother. Let three of us eat together." So they shared the food. That day was spent. The next day, was the wedding of the princess. The king said the barber, "friend, the aim of our coming here is spoiled."

    "How?" "We came here to take Sulochana. She would be married today. What can we do? She had been waiting for us since twelve years. Before we could not meet Chandrakala. Only when we went on hunting, we met her and she told us about Sulochana. We came here, after knowing from Chandrakala. But by the time, we came here, things have changed. What to do now?" The barber said, "The princess came yesterday. She must have told you some solution. You tell me everything in detail." The king told, "The princess has told that by the time of her wedding she would come out twice. On the third time, she would raise up her hand and I would lift her up by riding on my Pegasus. This is the solution she told." Evening came. They waited. In the night at 11 or 12 o’clock, they became very alert. They decided, "how long can we stay awakened. Let us lie down and take rest. We would be watchful when the groom, arrives." They then slept on one cot. The groom’s procession arrived. It was coming to the place. Many elephants, horses, motors were in the procession. All the villagers woke up to watch the royal procession. The lady gardener woke up the Madhab king saying, "My dear son, the time for which you have planned, has come. I have heard every thing and know. Wake up, wake up." But the king was in deep sleep. He was sleeping like "Kumbhakarna" [who sleeps for six months at a time]. He could not hear anything. The old lady again tried to wake him up. "My dear son, what for have you come? You have come on some other purpose, not for sleeping on this cheap cot." She even pinched him to wake him up, but to no effect. The king did not wake up. The barber then shouted, "Hey, old lady! Why are you shouting? I will perform that work." He then put on all the royal clothes of the Madhab king, brought out the Pegasus and said, "let him sleep peacefully. I am there. I will perform his duty." The old lady said, "Do as you like." The barber, dressed as the king, rode on the Pegasus and flew away and reached near the palace. There the groom was greeted to home. The groom was led to the altar. The ceremony started. Again the girl came to the altar. Thus, coming and going back from the altar took place. The moment Sulochana raised her hand on the third time, the barber boy, who was flying over head, lifted her up and flew away. When people saw the incident, shouted, "see, see, what happened to Sulochana. The angels have lifted her up. Perhaps she had some relationship with the angels." The barber took her away in one speed and got down on an island. He said, "let our marriage be finished." Sulochana said, "you are my groom. We shall marry, no doubt. But why are you in a hurry? Go, tie the Pegasus, get a priest and a barber. The priest should tie our marriage knot. Both of us are from royal family. So our marriage should be held in sanctity." The princess could know that the boy was not the king. It was the barber, who had dressed as the king. But she knew that unless she pretended, she could not escape. The barber dressed to fetch the priest and the barber. By the time, Sulochana thought of a way. She thought that the king was in a far awy place and the barber had gone. So she rode on the Pegasus and flew away. She knew that she could not go back to her house as they would know that Sulochana had left yesterday and not married yet. They would talk nonsense when they would see her. She thought of flying to that place, beyond the seven seas. When she was flying away, seven angel sisters were coming from the heaven. Then advised Sulochana, "Dear, if you go to that place every one starting from a child to an old man, would be attracted towards you. Do not go this way."

    "Then tell me my way out." They then said, "We are seven angels and you are also an angel. We would give you a magic attire. If you put it on, you will be a male. Wherever you go, take this attire with you. So that you can find your desired man. Otherwise a child also would want to get you. Even an old man also would like to do the same. So you put on this magic net, before you start." Sulochana obeyed their advise and put on the magic net. Then she flew away. Then she reached near another king. The king had enemies all around him. They were staying with him for one or two days, but then they were to leave. Sulochana changed her name to "Birabahu." She introduced herself as a good accountant. The king said, "I am in search of such a person, who could keep the accountancy record in detail." One of his courtiers said, "My lord, one man named Birabahu is there, expert in accountancy. He just looks at the paper and calculates."

    "Go and search for him." When the messenger went to search for hi, somebody told, "here is Birabahu, sipping tea." The messenger went near him and informed that ‘our king wants you to go near him." Sulochana replied, "I have nothing to do him. neither I owe him or have lent him. Why should I go near him?"

    "he has called for you. You come with me, please." Sulochana (birabahu0 agreed and both of them marched towards the palace. On the way, the messenger told, "O’ Birabahu! Please work for me as my calculator. I have so many vehicles. You do all the calculation needed for that."

    "Alright, let me see," said Birabahu. There the prince had a fruit orchard, in which he had planted many types of fruit trees, starting from mango, jackfruit, coconut, orange etc. one day, Sulochana thought that one day she had to open her fancy dress and let people know that she was a lady. She then though of her rhino and wished her to cut all the trees, laden with fruits, in the garden. The moment she wished, the rhino arrived and destroyed the entire garden. On the next day, she sent the soldiers to the garden and told, "you go and get some ripe fruits. The queen wants to have some ripe fruits. You go there." The soldiers came with two carriers, to the garden. But they saw no fruit, mango, jack fruit or coconut in the garden. Some fruits are half-eaten, some are mashed, some are piled on the ground. Thus, the entire garden was in a mess. They reported before the king. The king asked, "have you seen it personally or are reporting a rumour?"

    "No, my lord, we went there personally and saw that a rhino has destroyed everything. No mango, jackfruit, apple, banana, coconut or pomegranate is there." "Really?" the king went there to check. Then he said, "Today is the day of market. You announce in the market that any body who can kill the rhino, would marry the princess of Jain’s Nagar. Then gold, silver and half of the kingdom would be gifted to him. "Every one listened the announcement. But no body dared to kill the rhino. Those who tried, could not trap the rhino. Birabahu was in touch of every news, but was silent. One day the rhino broke the main lion-gate of the king’s palace. "Oh, this animal would destroy every thing, would create problems for all animals and men. It would make every one nervous. It is to be killed." One old soldier had gone to the field to defecate. Sulochana (Birabahu) was sitting on the bank of the pond. The old soldier was watching her. Night arrived and the rhino came. Sulochana said, "show me your tongue, limbs etc. then she kept all those things in her pocket. On that way, a potter was returning from the market with his family. They saw the rhino lying dead. The potter said "Hey, my pots are broken." He then started beating his wife. His wife yelled, "hey, why are you beating me? You broke the pots. Where from will you get money to foster our children?" The potter threatened, "you go away. What is the profit in keeping you? I would marry the princess and get money, gold, silver and half of the kingdom. Why should I make pots of clay? You go away." His wife then ran away crying. Then the potter cut some pieces of flesh from the dead rhino and reached near the king. There he fell flat before his feet. The king said, "who are you? Why have you come here?" He said, "My lord, I have killed the rhino." "Really? Have you killed the rhino? Show me then." The potter showed him the cut pieces of the rhino. The king ordered his minister, "put the man inside the prison." The potter was sent to the prison. The next day, a "Sabara" [a tribe, who makes baskets and winnowing trays out of thin bamboo strips] was coming on that way, with his family. He saw the dead body of the rhino. He then poured some kerosene on the baskets and winnowing trays and put fire in them. Then he started beating his wife. His wife yelled, "Hey, why are you beating me? Why did you burn the winnowing trays? Our children must be waiting for us, for food. If we could have sold the trays, we could have taken some food for them by that money. But you burnt them? "The Sabara shouted, No more I can made such trays. Now I will marry the princess. Should I make the winnowing trays then?" he again started beating her and she fled away. Then the Sabara took some cut pieces of the rhino and reached near the king. "My lord, I have killed the rhino." The king saw and ordered his men to put the man inside jail. The king groaned, "tell me your caste. What? Sabara? And you aspire to marry my daughter? Do you expect that my daughter would go with you and make winnowing trays with you? Then came the oil man. His wife was carrying a jar of oil. The man was carrying two jars of oil, which he poured out. Then he started beating his wife, when she asked, "why did you let the oil jar break? You spoiled so much oil." He said, "no more I am going to act as an oilman. You see the dead rhino here. Right now I will marry the princess. Should I do as an oilman for ever? Should I expel oil for ever?" Then he reached near the king, "My lord, I have killed the rhino." "Really, show me!" When the oil man showed some cut pieces, the king ordered his men to drag the oil man into the prison. Then he announced, "let me investigate who has killed the rhino truly." But he could not. Then his messengers told, "my lord, Birabahu has killed the rhino. He is with you, sir. He works for you as the manager of your vehicles. No one has killed the rhino, other than him."

    "Alright, get him near me." The king’s people went near Birabahu and asked, "Birabahu, have you killed the rhino?" Birabahu denied, "What! Who am I to kill a rhino. I go by the vehicle at 10 o’clock and come back at 12 o’clock midnight. How can I kill the rhino? I have not."

    "No, no, you have killed the rhino. Why are you ashamed of it? Show us." Then Birabahu said, "Alright, I agree that I have killed the rhino. I work with you as a pilot. But you make a house near the sea-beach. If any body comes lamenting, "Alas, Sulochana, Alas!", then please bring him near me. Three people will come." "Alright, then."

    First the barber reached there, shouting "Sulochana", "Sulochana". Birabahu had appointed watchmen there, when the barber boy came, he climbed a black berry tree and decided to commit suicide. The watchmen caught hold of him. "hey, boy, get down the tree. Don’t you know that we are watching here! Get down." When the barber got down, they asked, "What for have you come?"

    "I will die for Sulochana."

    "What! For Sulochana? Sulochana is an ordinary lady. There are ladies more beautiful than her. You will die for her/"

    "Alright, sit here. You fool, chat. You want to die for her. Alright." Earlier Sulochana had explained every thing before the watchmen. So they caught hold of his four limbs and threw him into the ocean. The fish tortoises ate him up. On the other side, Bidyadhar was running hither and thither shouting "O, Sulochana, my Sulochana." The groom’s companion also ran away. He was climbing up. The watchmen saw him. "Hey! Who are you? Get down."

    I am going to jump into the ocean. I want to die for Sulochana." "Why should you die for her? Is there no other lady than her? Is she the only beautiful? Why should you die for her?" Then they seized Bidyadhar and called Birabahu." O, Birabahu, please come out. A man named Bidyadhar has come. He wanted to die for Sulochana." Birabahu called Bidyadhar, "why do you want to die?"

    "I want to die for Sulochana." "Why? Is there no other beautiful lady than her?"

    "I do not know any thing. I want to die for her."

    "Do you want to have a look at Sulochana."

    "Yes, yes." "Then come inside near the window." Sulochana called him and opened her magic net. "Have you seen her?" "yes, sir." "Then sit down here. Lastly came the Madhab king. He was also lamenting" o’ Sulochana, Sulochana." He was also about to climb the tree. As usual the watch man caught hold of him and asked, "what is your name?" "My name is Madhab king."

    "You are a king! You want to die for an ordinary lady like Sulochana? Is there no other lady? There are so many kings? Why none of them is mad for her, like you are?" So he got down. They called him inside to have a look at Sulochana. Then they called Birabahu to come out. Birabahu asked, "Are you Madhab?" "Yes." "Why did you come?" "I came to marry Sulochana. But she fled away somewhere. Why should I go back home? I will die for her. If I go back, my subjects would comment, "O’ look! Madhab king had gone to marry Sulochana, who fled away some where. Madhab king has returned alone. I will commit suicide for that reason only?" "Alright, are you interested to have a look at Sulochana? Come this way and look through the window." Then Birabahu opened his magic attire. "Did you see Sulochana? Alright, be sited here." Then Birabahu left the place. The king of that place, Jaini Nagar, called Birabahu and said, "you are the one who had killed the rhino. Show me the things which are in your pocket." He saw all the things of the rhino, threw them away and ordered his people to clean Birabahu. Birabahu protested, by saying, "why father? You are a father and I am like your daughter."

    "No, you can not be a girl." "yes sir, I am a girl like your daughter. You make me and your daughter marry with Madhab king and Bidyadhar respectively. Both the grooms are good men. But you arrange my marriage with Madhab king first, and then your daughter with Bidyadhar." He then opened his magic dress and turned into a beautiful girl. The king said, "My dear, you stayed for so many days with me, not disclosing your secret!" They then took Madhab and Bidyadhar, cleaned them, dressed them properly and arranged their marriages. First Sulochana was wedded with madhab. They were sent to their palace. Whatever dowry she was offered, she denied. "No, father, i was only to protect Bidyadhar. Offer your daughter to him. Arrange our wedding on the same pendal. Sulochana wedded Madhab and the princess of Jaini Nagar wedded Bidyadhar.

(Heard from his father & uncle)