Vikram and Vaitaal Stories-2
- Story 2-2 (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-2
Story of
Ratnaavatee - Told by Madanmanjaree
The
bird continued - "O Queen, I have often told you that before coming
to you, I was with Ratnaavatee, the daughter of a rich trader. There lived
a wealthy merchant in the city of Ilaapur. He was without any child so he
used to continue keeping fasts, going on pilgrimages and giving alms to
Braahman. By the grace of his deity, a son was born to him and he
celebrated the occasion greatly. At the age of five years, he sent him to
Guru. When he had grown, he was a fine young man - his face like monkey's,
leg's like stork's, and back like a camel's. You know the proverb,
"Expect 32 villainies from the limping, and 80 from the one-eyed man,
but when the hunchback comes, say "Lord, defend us"."
Instead
of studying, he went for gambling. He made love to every woman, and in
spite of his ugliness, he was not unsuccessful. Then hunchback became a
Taantrik so as to complete his villainies. He took Deekshaa from a Braahman.
In the company of 8 men and 8 women - one Braahman, one dancing girl, one
weaver's daughter, one woman of ill fame, one daughter of a land owner;
choosing the darkest time of night; in the most secret part of the house; he
drank with them, and went through many strange ceremonies such as sitting
nude upon a dead body etc etc. His Guru told that now he could enjoy whatever he
could.
In the
meantime his father died leaving immense wealth. In a short time his
wealth also disappeared, then he turned towards others and got narrowly
escaped from being caught while robbing. He fled his own country and arrived in
Chandrapur where lived his father's friend named Hemgupt. He went to his
house where he introduced himself. Hemgupt got very surprised to see his
friend's son in this condition. He asked him the reason to come
there.
He
said - "I went for a trade, that a storm came and I had to escape on
a plank. I am sorry that I am in such a state. My parents have died so
other people also have abandoned me." Hemgupt gave him all kinds of
hospitality and made him partner in his business. The hunchback played his
cards so well that Hemgupt said to himself, "My daughter Ratnaavatee
has grown up now. Let me marry her to him." Thus thinking he went to
his wife and talked to her in this regard. His wife readily agreed for
this. So they called their daughter and informed her about their mind. She was very
beautiful - a perfect girl. She agreed with their proposal, although she
later told her mother that she could not even look at his ugliness. She
vowed to perform all wifely duties before marriage. Surprisingly, she
started loving her husband.
They
lived happily for some time in Hemgupt's house. Then the hunchback started
feeling restlessness in his heart. He said to my mistress - "I have
been in your country for some time. Now I
wish to go to my own city. If you wish you can also come with me." Ratnaavatee
talked to her mother. Her parents got ready to bid him farewell.
Ratnaavatee also got ready to go with him. Her parents gave them lots of
wealth and a maid and bade them farewell.
For a
few days they continued their journey. As he could not take her to his own
city where he was already defamed. Besides he wanted her money only, not her. He
thought about many projects then worked on the following one. He halted in
a dense forest, dismissed the palanquin bearers, said to his wife -
"Give me your jewels, there is a danger of thieves here, I will give
you when you reach the city." She gave her ornaments to him. He
killed the maid and left her body for wild animals. Then he threw my
mistress into a dry well and went to his city.
At the
same time a traveler was passing by, he heard the sound of her crying. He
looked around but couldn't see anyone. Soon he followed the sound and came
to the well. He took Chandraavatee out of the well and asked her who she
was. She said - "I am the daughter of the wealthy trader Hemgupt of
Chandrapur. I was journeying with my husband that we met some robbers.
They killed my maid, threw me in this well, and took my husband
away."
The
traveler believed her, he dropped her at her house where she told the same
story to her parents as she told the traveler. Her father consoled her - "Your husband is
alive and he will come here in a few days time."
The
hunchback lost all his wealth in a very short time and again fled the
city. Then he thought to go to his father-in-law's house again to take more
money from him in the name that a grandson is born to him. As he reached
the house, he was astonished to see his wife standing at the door. She
said to him - "Don't be afraid, I have told them that thieves had
killed the girl, robbed me, and threw me in the well. They tied you and
took you away. By God's grace all is well, you have returned safely, this
is your house and I am your slave." She took him inside. He wept
bitterly in front of his in-laws saying that he was just saved. Hemgupt
said - "Don't worry at all, you live here and be happy."
He
lived there for a couple of months, then, one day when his wife came to
sleep after taking off her jewelry, he killed her, his people killed
Hemgupt and his wife, he took away her jewelry and ran away. As he passed
my cage, he thought to wring my neck, but barking of a dog saved my life.
O Queen, I have seen all this with my own eyes. This incident has
developed hatred towards the other sex in my heart, so I have decided to
remain unmarried. Let your majesty tell what crime my mistress committed?
Sir Parrot, I have said whatever I had to say."
The
parrot said - "When a female says that "She has nothing more to
say." it means that it is only very little she has said what she was
about to say." The king said to his parrot - "Now what you have
to tell about the opposite sex?" The parrot said - "I will tell
you an incident which has compelled me to remain bachelor throughout my
life."
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