India Folk Tales
The Soothsayer's Son
SOOTHSAYER
when on his deathbed wrote out the horoscope of his second son, whose
name was Gangazara, and bequeathed it to him as his only property,
leaving the whole of his estate to his eldest son. The second son
thought over the horoscope, and said to himself:
"Alas! am I
born to this only in the world? The sayings of my father never failed.
I have seen them prove true to the last word while he was living; and
how has he fixed my horoscope! 'From my birth, poverty!' Nor is that my
only fate. 'For ten years, imprisonment '--a fate harder than poverty;
and what comes next? 'Death on the seashore'; which means that I must
die away from home, far from friends and relatives on a sea-coast. Now
comes the most curious part of the horoscope, that I am to 'have some
happiness afterwards!' What this happiness is, is an enigma to me."
Thus
thought he, and after all the funeral obsequies of his father were
over, took leave of his elder brother, and started for Benares. He went
by the middle of the Deccan avoiding both the coasts, and went on
journeying and journeying for weeks and months, till at last be reached
the Vindhya mountains. While passing that desert he had to journey for
a couple of days through a sandy plain, with no signs of life or
vegetation. The little store of provision with which he was provided
for a couple of days, at last was exhausted. The chombu, which he
carried always full, filling it with the sweet water from the flowing
rivulet or plenteous tank, he had exhausted in the heat of the desert.
There was not a morsel in his hand to eat; nor a drop of water to
think. Turn his eyes wherever he might he found a vast desert, out of
which he saw no means of escape. Still he thought within himself,
"Surely my father's prophecy never proved untrue. I must survive this
calamity to find my death on some sea-coast." So thought be, and this
thought gave him strength of mind to walk fast and try to find a drop
of water somewhere to slake his dry throat.
At last he
succeeded; heaven threw in his way a ruined well. He thought he could
collect some water if he let down his chombu with the string that he
always carried noosed to the neck of it. Accordingly he let it down; it
went some way and stopped, and the following words came from the well:
"Oh, relieve me! I am the king of tigers, dying here of hunger. For the
last three days I have had nothing. Fortune has sent you here. If you
assist me now you will find a sure help in me throughout your life. Do
not think that I am a beast of prey. When you have become my deliverer
I will never touch you. Pray, kindly lift me up." Gangazara thought:
"Shall I take him out or not? If I take him out he may make me the
first morsel of his hungry mouth. No; that be will not do. For my
father's prophecy never came untrue. I must die on a sea-coast, and not
by a tiger." Thus thinking, he asked the tiger-king to hold tight to
the vessel, which he accordingly did, and he lifted him up slowly. The
tiger reached the top of the well and felt himself' on safe ground.
True to his word, he did no harm to Gangazara. On the other hand, he
walked round his patron three times, and standing before him, humbly
spoke the following words:
"My life-giver, my benefactor! I
shall never forget this day, when I regained my life through your kind
hands. In return for this kind assistance I pledge my oath to stand by
you in all calamities. Whenever you are in any difficulty just think of
me. I am there with you ready to oblige you by all the means that I
can. To tell you briefly how I came in here: Three days ago I was
roaming in yonder forest, when I saw a goldsmith passing through it. I
chased him. He, finding it impossible to escape my claws, jumped into
this well, and is living to this moment in the very bottom of it. I
also jumped in, but found myself on the first ledge of the well; he is
on the last and fourth ledge. In the second lives a serpent
half-famished with hunger. On the third lies a rat, also half-famished,
and when you again begin to draw water these may request you first to
release them. In the same way the goldsmith also may ask you. I beg
you, as your bosom friend, never assist that wretched man, though he is
your relation as a human being. Goldsmiths are never to be trusted. You
can place more faith in me, a tiger, though I feast sometimes upon men,
in a serpent, whose sting makes your blood cold the very next moment,
or in a rat, which does a thousand pieces of mischief in your house.
But never trust a goldsmith. Do not release him; and if you do, you
shall surely repent of it one day or other." Thus advising, the hungry
tiger went away without waiting for an answer.
Gangazara thought
several times of the eloquent way in which the tiger spoke, and admired
his fluency of speech. But still his thirst was not quenched. So he let
down his vessel again, which was now caught hold of by the serpent, who
addressed him thus: "Oh, my protector! Lift me up. I am the king of
serpents, and the son of Adisesha, who is now pining away in agony for
my disappearance. 'Release me now. I shall ever remain your servant,
remember your assistance, and help you throughout life in all possible
ways. Oblige me: I am dying." Gangazara, calling again to mind the
"death on the sea-shore" of the prophecy lifted him up. He, like the
tiger-king, walked round him thrice, and prostrating himself before him
spoke thus: "Oh, my life - giver, my father, for so I must call you, as
you have given me another birth. I was three days ago basking myself in
the morning sun, when I saw a rat running before me. I chased him. He
fell into this well. I followed him, but instead of falling on the
third storey where he is now lying, I fell into the second. I am going
away now to see my father. Whenever you are in any difficulty just
think of me. I will be there by your side to assist you by all possible
means." So saying, the Nagaraja glided away in zigzag movements, and
was out of sight in a moment.
The poor son of the Soothsayer,
who was now almost dying of thirst, let down his vessel for a third
time. The rat caught hold of it, and without discussing he lifted up
the poor animal at once. But it would not go away without showing its
gratitude: "Oh, life of my life! My benefactor! I am the king of rats.
Whenever you are in any calamity just think of me. I will come to you,
and assist you. My keen ears overheard all that the tiger-king told you
about the goldsmith, who is in the fourth storey. It is nothing but a
sad truth that goldsmiths ought never to be trusted. Therefore, never
assist him as you have done to us all. And if you do, you will suffer
for it. I am hungry; let me go for the present." Thus taking leave of
his benefactor, the rat, too, ran away.
Gangazara for a while
thought upon the repeated advice given by the three animals about
releasing the goldsmith: "What wrong would there be in my assisting
him? Why should I not release him also?" So thinking to himself,
Gangazara let down the vessel again. The goldsmith caught hold of it,
and demanded help. 'the Soothsayer's son had no time to lose; he was
himself dying of thirst. Therefore he lifted the goldsmith up, who now
began his story. "Stop for a while," said Gangazara, and after
quenching his thirst by letting down his vessel for the fifth time,
still fearing that some one might remain in the well and demand his
assistance, he listened to the goldsmith, who began as follows: "My
dear friend, my protector, what a deal of nonsense these brutes have
been talking to you about me; I am glad you have not followed their
advice. I am just now dying of hunger. Permit me to go away. My name is
Manikkasari. I live in the East main street of Ujjaini, which is twenty
kas to the south of this place, and so lies on your way when you return
from Benares. Do not forget to come to me and receive my kind
remembrances of your assistance, on your way back to your country." So
saying, the goldsmith took his leave, and Gangazara also pursued his
way north after the above adventures.
He reached Benares, and
lived there for more than ten years, and quite forgot the tiger,
serpent, rat, and goldsmith. After ten years of religious life,
thoughts of home and of his brother rushed into his mind. "I have
secured enough merit now by my religious observances. Let me return
home." Thus thought Gangazara within himself, and very soon he was on
his way back to his country. Remembering the prophecy of his father he
returned by the same way by which he went to Benares ten years before.
While thus retracing his steps he reached the ruined well where he had
released the three brute kings and the goldsmith. At once the old
recollections rushed into his mind, and he thought of the tiger to test
his fidelity. Only a moment passed, and the tiger-king came running
before him carrying a large crown in his mouth, the glitter of the
diamonds of which for a time outshone even the bright rays of the sun.
He dropped the crown at his life-giver's feet, and, putting aside all
his pride, humbled himself like a pet cat to the strokes of his
protector, and began in the following words: "My life-giver! How is it
that you have forgotten me, your poor servant, for such a long time? I
am glad to find that I still occupy a corner in your mind. I can never
forget the day when I owed my life to your lotus hands. I have several
jewels with me of little value. This crown, being the best of all, I
have brought here as a single ornament of great value, which you can
carry with you and dispose of in your own country." Gangazara looked at
the crown, examined it over and over, counted and recounted the gems,
and thought within himself that he would become the richest of men by
separating the diamonds and gold, and selling them in his own country.
He took leave of the tiger-king, and after his disappearance thought of
the kings of serpents and rats, who came in their turn with their
presents, and after the usual greetings and exchange of words took
their leave. Gangazara was extremely delighted at the faithfulness with
which the brute beasts behaved, and went on his way to the south. While
going along he spoke to himself thus: "These beasts have been very
faithful in their assistance. Much more, therefore, must Manikkasari be
faithful. I do not want anything from him now. If I take this crown
with me as it is, it occupies much space in my bundle. It may also
excite the curiosity of some robbers on the way. I will go now to
Ujjaini on my way. Manikkasari requested me to see him without failure
on my return journey. I shall do so, and request him to have the crown
melted, the diamonds and gold separated. He must do that kindness at
least for me. I shall then roll up these diamonds and gold ball in my
rags, and wend my way homewards." Thus thinking and thinking, he
reached UJjjaini. At once he inquired for the house of his goldsmith
friend, and found him without difficulty. Manikkasari was extremely
delighted to find on his threshold him who ten years before,
notwithstanding the advice repeatedly given him by the sage-looking
tiger, serpent, and rat, had relieved him from the pit of death.
Gangazara at once showed him the crown that he received from the
tiger-king; told him how he got it, and requested his kind assistance
to separate the gold and diamonds. Manikkasari agreed to do so, and
meanwhile asked his friend to rest himself for a while to have his bath
and meals; and Gangazara, who was very observant of his religious
ceremonies, went direct to the river to bathe.
How came the
crown in the jaws of the tiger? The king of Ujjaini had a week before
gone with all his hunters on a hunting expedition. All of a sudden the
tiger-king started from the wood, seized the king, and vanished.
When
the king's attendants informed the prince about the death of his father
he wept and wailed, and gave notice that he would give half of his
kingdom to any one who should bring him news about the murderer of his
father. The goldsmith knew full well that it was a tiger that killed
the king, and not any hunter's hands, since he had heard from Gangazara
how he obtained the crown. Still, he resolved to denounce Gangazara as
the king's murderer, so, hiding the crown under his garments, he flew
to the palace. He went before the prince and informed him that the
assassin was caught, and placed the crown before him. The prince took
it into his hands, examined it, and at once gave half the kingdom to
Manikkasari, and then inquired about the murderer. "He is bathing in
the river, and is of such and such appearance," was the reply. At once
four armed soldiers flew to the river, and bound the poor Brahman hand
and foot, while he, sitting in meditation, was without any knowledge of
the fate that hung over him. They brought Gangazara to the presence of
the prince, who turned his face away, from the supposed murderer, and
asked his soldiers to throw him into a dungeon. In a minute, without
knowing the cause, the poor Brahman found himself in the dark dungeon.
It
was a dark cellar underground, built with strong stone walls, into
which any criminal guilty of a capital offence was ushered to breathe
his last there without food and drink. Such was the cellar into which
Gangazara was thrust. What were his thoughts when he reached that
plate? "It is of, no use to accuse either the goldsmith or the prince
now, We are all the children of fate. We must obey her commands. This
is but the first day of my father's prophecy, So far his statement is
true. But how am I going to pass ten years here? Perhaps without
anything to sustain life I may drag on my existence for a day or two.
But how pass ten years? That cannot be, and I must die. Before death
comes let me think of my faithful brute friends."
So pondered
Gangazara in the dark cell underground, and at that moment thought of
his three friends. The tiger-king, serpent-king, and rat-king assembled
at once with their armies at a garden near the dungeon, and for a while
did not know what to do. They held their council, and decided to make
an underground passage from the inside of a ruined well to the dungeon.
The rat raja issued an order at once to that effect to his army. They,
with their teeth, bored the ground a long way to the walls of the
prison. After reaching it they found that their teeth could not work on
the hard stones. The bandicoots were then specially ordered 'for the
business; they, with their hard teeth, made a small slit in the wall
for a rat to pass and repass without difficulty. Thus a passage was
effected.
The rat raja entered first to condole with his
protector on his misfortune, and undertook to supply his protector with
provisions. "Whatever sweetmeats or bread are prepared in any house,
one and all of you must try to bring whatever you can to our
benefactor. Whatever clothes you find hanging in a house, cut down, dip
the pieces in water, and bring the wet bits to our benefactor. He will
squeeze them and gather water for drink! and the bread and sweetmeats
shall form his food." Having issued these orders, the king of the rats
took leave of Gangazara. They, in obedience to their king's order,
continued to supply him with provisions and water.
The
snake-king said: "I sincerely condole with you in your calamity; the
tiger-king also fully sympathises with you, and wants me to tell you
so, as he cannot drag his huge body here as we have done with our small
ones. The king of the rats has promised to do his best to provide you
with food. We would now do what we can for your release. From this day
we shall issue orders to our armies to oppress all the subjects of this
kingdom. The deaths by snake-bite and tigers shall increase a
hundredfold from this day, and day by day it shall continue to increase
till your release. Whenever you hear people near you, you had better
bawl out so as to be heard by them: 'The wretched prince imprisoned me
on the false charge of having killed his father, while it was a tiger
that killed him. From that day these calamities have broken out in his
dominions. If I were released I would save all by my powers of healing
poisonous wounds and by incantations.' Some one may report this to the
king, and if he knows it, you will obtain your liberty." Thus
comforting his protector in trouble, he advised him to pluck up
courage, and took leave of him. From that day tigers and serpents,
acting under the orders of their kings, united in killing as many
persons and cattle as possible. Every day people were carried away by
tigers or bitten by serpents. Thus passed months and years. Gangazara
sat in the dark cellar, without the sun's light falling upon him, and
feasted upon the breadcrumbs and sweetmeats that the rats so kindly
supplied him with. These delicacies had completely changed his body
into a red, stout, huge, unwieldy mass of flesh. Thus passed full ten
years, as prophesied in the horoscope.
Ten complete years rolled
away in close imprisonment. On the last evening of the tenth year one
of the serpents got into the bed-chamber of the princess and sucked her
life. She breathed her last. She was the only daughter of the king. The
king at once sent for all the snake-bite curers. He promised half his
kingdom and his daughter's hand to him who would restore her to life.
Now a servant of the king who had several times overheard Gangazara's
cries, reported the matter to him, The king at once ordered the cell to
be examined. There was the man sitting in it. How had he managed to
live so long in the cell? Some whispered that he must be a divine
being. Thus they discussed, while they brought Gangazara to the king.
The
king no sooner saw Gangazara than he fell on the ground. He was struck
by the majesty and grandeur of his person. His ten years' imprisonment
in the deep cell underground had given a sort of lustre to his body.
His hair had first to be cut before his face could be seen. The king
begged forgiveness for his former fault, and requested him to revive
his daughter.
"Bring me within an hour all the corpses of men
and cattle, dying and dead, that remain unburnt or unburied within the
range of your dominions; I shall revive them all," were the only words
that Gangazara spoke.
Cartloads of corpses of men and cattle
began to come in every minute. Even graves, it is said, were broken
open, and corpses buried a day or two before were taken out and sent
for their revival. As soon as all were ready, Gangazara took a vessel
full of water and sprinkled it over them all, thinking only of his
snake-king and tiger-king. All rose up as if from deep slumber, and
went to their respective homes. The princess, too, was restored to
life. The joy of the king knew no bounds. He cursed the day on which he
imprisoned him, blamed himself for having believed the 'word of a
goldsmith, and offered him the hand of his daughter and the whole
kingdom, instead of half, as he promised. Gangazara would not accept
anything, but asked the king to assemble all his subjects in a wood
near the town, "I shall there call in all the tigers And serpents, and
give them a general order."
When the whole town was assembled,
just at the dusk of evening, Gangazara sat dumb for a moment, and
thought upon the Tiger King and the Serpent King, who came with all
their armies. People began to take to their heels at the sight of
tigers. Gangazara assured them of safety, and stopped them.
The
grey light of the evening, the pumpkin colour of Gangazara, the holy
ashes scattered lavishly over his body, the tigers and, snakes humbling
themselves at his feet, gave him the true majesty of the god Gangazara.
For who else by a single word could thus command vast armies of tigers
and serpents, said some among the people. "Care not for it; it may be
by magic. That is not a great thing: That he revived cartloads of
corpses shows him to be surely Gangazara," said others.
"Why
should you, my children, thus trouble these poor subjects of Ujjaini?
Reply to me, and henceforth desist from your ravages." Thus said the
Soothsayer's son, and, the following reply came from the king of the
tigers: "Why should this base king imprison your honour, believing the
mere word of a goldsmith that your honour killed his father? All the
hunters told him that his father was carried away by a tiger. I was the
messenger of death sent to deal the blow on his neck. I did it, and
gave the crown to your honour. The prince makes no inquiry, and at once
imprisons your honour. How can we expect justice from such a stupid
king as that? Unless he adopt a better standard of justice we will go
on with our destruction."
The king heard, cursed the day on
which he believed in the word of a goldsmith, beat his head, tore his
hair, wept and wailed for his crime, asked a thousand pardons, and
swore to rule in a just way from that day. The serpent-king and
tiger-king also promised to observe their oath as long as justice
prevailed, and took their leave. The goldsmith fled for his life. He
was caught by the soldiers of the king, and was pardoned by the
generous Gangazara, whose voice now reigned supreme. All returned to
their homes.
The king again pressed Gangazara to accept the hand
of his daughter. He agreed to do so, not then, but some time
afterwards. He wished to go and see his elder brother first, and then
to return and marry the princess. The king agreed; and Gangazara left
the city that very day on his way home.
It so happened that
unwittingly be took a wrong road, and had to pass near a sea-coast. His
elder, brother was also on his way up to Benares by that very same
route. They met and recognised each other, even at a distance. They
flew into each other's arms. Both remained still for a time almost
unconscious with joy. The pleasure of Gangazara was so great that he
died of joy.
The elder brother was a devout worshipper of
Ganesa. That was a Friday, a day very sacred to that god. The elder
brother took the corpse to the nearest Ganesa temple and called upon
him. The god came, and asked him what he wanted. "My poor brother is
dead and gone; and this is his corpse. Kindly keep it in your charge
till I finish worshipping you. If I leave it anywhere else the devils
may snatch it, away when I am absent worshipping you; after finishing
the rites I shall burn him." Thus said the elder brother, and, giving
the corpse to the god Ganesa, he went to prepare himself for that
deity's ceremonials. Ganesa made over the corpse to his Ganas, asking
them to watch over it carefully. But instead of that they devoured it.
The
elder brother, after finishing the puja, demanded his brother's corpse
of the god. The god called his Ganas, who came to the front blinking,
and fearing the anger of their master. The god was greatly enraged. The
elder brother was very angry. When the corpse was not forthcoming he
cuttingly remarked, "Is this, after all, the return for my deep belief
in you? You are unable even to return my brother's corpse." Ganesa was
much ashamed at the remark. So he, by his divine power, gave him a
living Gangazara instead of the dead corpse. Thus was the second son of
the Soothsayer restored to life.
The brothers had a long talk
about each other's adventures. They both went to Ujjaini, where
Ganganra married the princess, and succeeded to the throne of that
kingdom. He reigned for a long time, conferring several benefits upon
his brother. And so the horoscope was fully fulfilled.
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