24th Figure's Story - 24-Karunaavatee
Vikram Punishes a Woman

As Raajaa Bhoj tried to sit on the throne again, this time the 24th figure whose name was Karunaavatee burst into laughter and asked him - "Do you still think you are the right person to sit upon this throne?" Raajaa Bhoj again said with courage - "Yes." She said - "First listen to this story and then decide if you can sit on this throne. Listen, Raajaa Vikram used to roam in his kingdom in disguise in the night to find out about the condition of his kingdom and people in it.

Once he was roaming like this that he saw a rope tied to a big house. He thought that some thief must have gone in that house by the help of that rope, thinking thus he also climbed up on the rope and reached in the house. He took his sword in his hand so that he can kill the thief as soon he faces him. At the same time he heard a voice of a woman, so he thought that the thief is a woman and thinking thus he stood behind the wall quietly.

He heard that one woman was telling somebody to kill somebody in the other room, because it was impossible for her to keep relation without killing him. A man said - "That man is certainly a robber but it is not possible for me to kill an innocent man." He further told that he had so much money that both could pass their life without doing anything. At last that woman asked him to come next day, because she would take at least a day to collect all money.

Raajaa understood that this man is the lover of that woman, and this woman is the wife of that Seth (rich man) whose house is this. Seth was sleeping in the other room and his wife was instigating him to kill her husband. Raajaa came down and waited for the lover to come. After a while that lover came down and Raajaa kept his sword on his neck. He trembled with fear of life sentence and he started crying. Raajaa assured him that if he spoke truth, then he wouldn't give life sentence.

He told him that he loved her from the childhood and intended to marry her. I also had lots of money. My father was a trader. But my all dreams were shattered. Some pirates had looted my father's ship. My father was shocked to know this and he died. We became very poor. I thought to take revenge with those pirates considering them the cause of my father's death. After several years I found them. I got their confidence and joined their group. Whenever I got the opportunity I used 6to kill one of them. Thus I killed all of them one by one and whatever wealth they had, I brought it home. When I came home I came to know that my beloved has been married to a Seth and she had gone with her husband. Once again my dreams were shattered.

Once I got the news that she was coming to her father's house. I got happy. She used to meet me and I told her everything. One day she said that she will believe me that I had lot of money, only when I will give her a 900,000 Rupees necklace (Naulakhaa Haar). I took that necklace to her, but she had gone to her husband by then. So I brought that necklace in her husband's house and gave it to her. Then she instigated me to kill him, but I considered a sin to kill an innocent man.

Vikram appreciated him for speaking the truth and killing the pirates. He then scolded him not to understand women's behavior. He told him that true beloved loves only the lover not his money. His beloved did not wait for him and married a rich man, secondly she is not hesitating to deceive her husband, and she did not go with him even after getting the necklace, rather she is instigating him to kill her husband, such woman will destroy him. The man fell on Raajaa's feet and asked for his forgiveness. Raajaa gave him lots of rewards for speaking the truth and bravery.

Next day he himself went to that woman's house in disguise of her lover. Immediately she gave him a bag full of her ornaments and money and said - "I have killed my husband by poisoning him and filled this bag with all the money and ornaments." Raajaa did not speak anything, then she doubted him and she pulled out his fake mustache and beard. Seeing another man she started crying "thief, thief" and told that Raajaa was the killer of her husband.

Raajaa's soldiers and Kotvaal (chief police officer) were hiding down. Hearing the noise they came up and arrested that killer woman. The woman immediately knew that that man was Vikram himself, so she took out a bottle of poison and drank it.