10-Four Delicate
Princesses
Real
tenderness is of heart, not of the body
Vikramaaditya
had again lifted Vaitaal, put him on his shoulder and continued walking. Vaitaal
said - "Vikram, There is lots of time. You will be successful in your
mission, you will reach the cremation ground in time, but till then let us
enjoy. So listen now to another story.
The king of Swarn Desh was
a very
gracious king. He had four beautiful daughters. They all were very tender
and delicate. His
first daughter was like that, if she came out in moonlight, she had
blisters on her skin. Her second daughter was like that, if any rose
flower is thrown at her body, it bled from that place where it hit. The
third daughter was like that, if anybody spoke a little loudly, she became
unconscious. And the fourth one was like that if somebody touched her, a
mark was made at the same place. All princess became very famous for their
tenderness, even in far countries. Whoever heard about them, he got surprised
at this.
The
first princess was always kept in shade; nobody touched the second one;
all only whispered in the presence of the third princess; and the fourth
princess was like the second princess. The king was very much worried
about their marriage, how they will be married? Will they be able to live
after their marriage? He was especially worried about the second and the
fourth ones.
The
king had employed separate maids to take care of them. One of those maids was very
kind. She used to donate something to a beggar whenever she got an
opportunity, especially when she went out of the palace.
Because of their
tenderness, the princesses used to wear extremely light clothes and jewelry. One
day, the maid, who used to give alms to beggars, came out of the palace
carrying an ornament. A poor man saw the ornament in her hand and requested
her to give that ornament to him as he wanted to marry his daughter. He
didn't have any ornament to give to his daughter in her marriage. O Vikram, the maid
pitied him, and gave that ornament to him and came back empty hand. The
king got very angry at this and he sacked her out. She went back to her
house.
After
a while a Vaidya (traditional doctor) came in that country. The king told
him about his daughters and asked him, "Who is the most tender girl
among them?" Vaidya laughed. King got surprised at this laugh and
asked him why he was laughing. Vaidya said - "I am laughing at their
tenderness." The king said - "Can't you treat my tender most
daughter?" Vaidya refused to treat any of them and went away.
Vaitaal
said - "Vikram, Now tell, Vaidya said right or wrong? Who was the
most tender princess among them?" Vikram was silent. Vaitaal again
said - "Is keeping quiet your justice? You are famous for your
justice, speak something."
Vikram
said - "No princess was tender among all the princesses."
"What are you saying?"
Vikram said - "My justice says
that only, because the tenderness of heart is more important than the
tenderness of the body. The most tender was that maid who used to give alms to
beggars. If somebody's heart is not tender, then what is the use of
tenderness of body, that is why the Vaidya refused to treat them. This is
my justice."
Vaitaal
remained silent for a while, then he broke into laughter and wanted to run
away from Vikram's shoulder but Vikram had held him tightly. He said - "You are running
away, I will not let you run away." "OK, OK, But only one condition.
I will tell you another story and you will do justice as usual." Vaitaal
continued - "After that Vaidya went away. After some time the king
married his first daughter. The prince always kept her in shade. When the
time came she gave birth to a daughter. On this occasion many Deepak (lamps)
were lit in the palace. Somehow, one Deepak's light fell on
princess' body and it caused blisters on her body." Hearing this Vikram also
laughed. Vaitaal asked why he was laughing. Vikram said - "Because
this is not the tenderness of the body. This is kind of disease. That is
why I am laughing."
Since
Vikram
broke his silence, Vaitaal again ran away
from the king's shoulder and hung on the tree upside down. Vikram again
went back to the tree, caught
him by his hair, put him on his shoulder and started walking fast again towards the cremation ground.
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