8th Figure's Story - 7-Pushpvatee
Enchanted Horse

As Raajaa Bhoj tried to sit on the throne again, this time the 8th figure whose name was Pushpvatee burst into laughter and asked him - "Do you think you are the right person to sit upon this upon this throne?" Raajaa Bhoj said - "Yes." She said - "First listen to this story and then decide if you can sit on this throne. Listen, Raajaa Vikram was a knower and admirer of arts. He used to decorate his palace with various art pieces and give their price to their artists whatever they wanted. One day when he was sitting in his court, somebody said to him that a man wanted to sell a wooden horse. The King expressed his desire to see that horse and asked that what kind of specialty it had.

So the man was brought in and he showed his horse. The horse was very beautiful and looked live. Vikram asked about its specialty. The man said that it could go freely on earth, water and in air with a very fast speed. When Vikram asked about its price, he said that it was the result of the labor of his whole life, that is why he would not sell it in less than 100,000 gold coins. Vikram got convinced that he would not sell it in less than that price so he readily gave him 100,000 gold coins and bought it. Then the man came into an open space and told him about its machinery. Vikram understood all and asked his people to keep it in his stable.

One day Vikram wanted to go for hunting, so he rode on that horse and went for hunting. He enjoyed riding that horse so much that he increased its speed and came much ahead of his group with whom he went for hunting. He forgot that he was not alone. His group was left much behind. Its speed was so much that it was difficult for him to manage it, so he wanted to descend it on the ground. He pressed some of its buttons to get it down that it got down with the same speed and crashed in the branches of forest's trees, and broke itself.

Now Vikram was alone and was wandering here and there that a she-monkey jumped from in front of him and tried to tell him something by signs. Vikram tried to understand something that he saw a hut. He went there, ate some fruits, drank some cool water and lay down to take rest. He was taking rest there that a hermit came there asked that she-monkey to sit in between two clay pitchers. He took a handful water from one pitcher and sprinkled on the she-monkey. That she-monkey became a beautiful girl. She cooked food for the hermit and the hermit ate food to his satisfaction. Then she massaged his feet and he slept comfortably. Next morning the hermit again sprinkled some water on the girl, and she again became the she-monkey. He took her out of the hut, left her there and went away.

Since Vikram had seen all this, he brought her inside the hut and sprinkle the water from the pitcher, she again became a beautiful girl. As she became the girl, she told Vikram that she was the daughter of Kaam Dev and an Apsaraa. Once she shot an arrow at a deer while hunting, but it went to a hermit and pierced his arm. Wailing with pain he cursed her that she would have to serve him. When she prayed him a lot then he told her the way to be free from his curse. He said - "Raajaa Vikramaaditya will come and release you from this curse and marry you. Later that hermit will give you something as gift, so when I saw you, I understood that you are the King Vikramaaditya. Now I will ask my gift from that hermit and you will marry me." Vikram again sprinkled water on her and converted her into the she-monkey.

When that hermit came, he again converted her into a beautiful girl. The girl asked him some gift, he waved his hand in the air and a lotus flower came into his hand. He gave that flower to her and said - "This flower will give you a gem everyday. I know that the King has come in your life so I bless you for a happy life for the rest of your life." After that the hermit bade farewell that girl from his hut and freed her completely.

Vikram then remembered his two Vaitaal and asked them to take them to his city. They immediately took them there. Now a child saw that lotus flower and asked for it. He gave that flower to him and came back to his palace and started managing his royal affairs. After a while a poor man was brought to him as a prisoner. He was arrested selling valuable gems. On asking where did he get those valuable gems, he told Vikram that somebody gave a flower to his child and he had got those gems from that flower only. At this Vikram scolded his people on arresting a person on doubting his honesty. He himself bought those gems at a good price and freed the man. The man went away satisfied with Vikram's behavior.