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Vikram and Vaitaal Stories-2
- Story 2-1 (Keral
Version)
"Captain
Sir Richard R Burton's Vikram and the
Vampire: classic Hindu tales of
adventure, magic and romance" / edited by his wife Isabel Burton. [etext
Conversion Project, Nalanda Digital Library, NIT Calicut, Kerala State,
India]
2-Relative
Villany of Men and Women-1
Vaitaal
again started telling a story - "There lived a prince Raajaa Raam in
Bhogavatee Nagaree. His father was old. Fathers and mothers can be of
three types. Firstly, a parent of many ideas, amusing, pleasant, poor and
idol of his children. Secondly, the parent with one and half ideas, speaks
truth, thinks I will carry out his theory to see how far it goes, goes
home and treats his children with these ideas, but they don't last long.
Thirdly, having one idea, like yourself, an admirable example. You learn
in your youth what you are taught, and in age you practice what you have
learned. You cannot teach yourself till your beards sprout; when it grows
stiff, you cannot be taught. If anyone attempts to change your opinion,
you cry - "What is new, is not true; what is true, is not new."
When
Raam's father died he cried a lot for him. Although he had left lots of
treasure for his son, but he left one thing much more valuable than the
gold and silver - that was a parrot Choodaamani, who knew the world and
discoursed in good Sanskrit. One day the prince asked him - "You know
everything, tell me where lives my wife? Shaastra say that the girl should
not be related to maternal or paternal family for six generations. Avoid
such families also which are very great or very rich; or has not produced
male children; or in which Ved have not been read."
The
parrot said - "O King, There is a king named Magadheshwar in Magadh
Desh. His daughter's name is Chandravatee. You will marry her. She is
very beautiful and very learned." Hearing the parrot, the prince sent
for an astrologer and asked him "Whom shall I marry?" He said -
"You will marry Chandraavatee for sure." So he sent a Braahman
to Magadh with his marriage proposal to marry Chandravatee.
Now it
so happened that this princess also had a bird (Mainaa) whose name was
Madanmanjaree. She also, like parrot, possessed excellent knowledge and
spoke good Sanskrit. One day Chandravatee asked her bird - "O
Madanmanjaree, Is there a husband worthy of me?" The bird replied -
"Yes princess.." That the princess interrupted - "No
preaching, otherwise you will get salt for supper instead of sugar." She
said - "I can see clearly. Raajaa Raam of Bhogavatee Nagaree will be
your husband. Both will be happy to marry each other. He is young and
handsome, rich and generous, not too clever and without a chance to be
invalid." Although she had not seen him, the princess immediately fell
in love with him." Thus both were in love without seeing each other.
Dharmdhwaj
asked his father - "How this is possible?", but Vikram
interrupted him not to ask any silly questions again." Vaitaal
continued - "Thus representatives from both families went to each
other families, fixed the relation and soon both got married. The bird
also accompanied Chandravatee to her husband's house.
Now
Choodaamani leaned his head on one side and looked at the bird with a
peculiar look, but Madanmanjaree kept her head high. At last the parrot
broke the silence - "Tell me that you have no intentions to be
married." "Probably." "Why, May I ask?"
"Because I
don't choose to marry." The parrot said - "This is only a woman's reason.
Can you elaborate it more?" The bird said - "None whatever, Sir
Parrot. You people are treacherous, sinful, deceitful, and accustomed to
sacrifice us to your smallest desire or convenience."
Raajaa
Raam said to his bride - "Your pet bird is very smart." The parrot
said - "Don't mind her, Master." Then said to the bird -
"And you people are also treacherous, false, ignorant, and whose only
wish to prevent life being as pleasant as it could be." Chandravatee
said to Raajaa Raam - "Your bird expresses his opinion very
freely." The bird whispered in the ears of the princess - "I can
prove what I am saying." So it was settled that both will prove what
they had said by story.
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