Bengal Fairy Tales/Kirunmala, or the Wreath of Light
IV
KIRUNMALA, OR THE WREATH OF LIGHT
THERE was once a certain king who, being anxious to learn how his subjects fared, used to disguise himself and go amongst them by night. On one occasion he reached a cottage, and, from outside, overheard the conversation going on within. He recognized three distinct voices, and gathered that they belonged to three young girls who were discussing the subject of matrimony. "What a splendid thing it would be," said one of them, "if I could get married to the feeder of the king's horses. I should then daily feast on fried grain." Another preferred the king's cook, for the reason that if she married him she would be sure of being served with the best dishes in the palace. The third girl, after much hesitation, said that if fortune favoured her she would marry the king himself.
Next day the king sent palanquins to fetch into the palace the three girls, who were sisters. He asked them what they had been talking of the night before, and on their hesitating to answer, said that he had overheard their conversation, and that their desires should be fulfilled. After this, on an auspicious day, the sisters were married according to their choice.
After some time the youngest sister, who had become queen, was about to become a mother, and a room was furnished with great splendour for her confinement. The time of her delivery drawing near, she expressed a wish to be nursed, not by strangers, but by her sisters. They were at once sent for and told what was required of them, and they consequently remained in the palace with the queen. But, unfortunately, they were not happy. Envy at the splendour by which their sister was surrounded gnawed at their hearts, and they watched for an opportunity to injure her. That opportunity soon came when the queen, knowing that her hour drew near, resorted to the room that had been prepared for her and gave birth to a son; and the cruel way in which they used it, was to put the child into a covered earthen pot, throw it into an adjoining river, and substitute a new-born cur in its place, while the mother lay almost insensible through weakness. When the king came to inquire whether his wife had brought forth a son or a daughter, they showed him the cur as his issue.
After this, in two successive years, the queen brought forth two children, a son and a daughter; and her sisters who, as before, attended on her, disposed of them in the same way as the first child, substituting for them a kitten and a doll of wood. The alleged fruit of the queen's labour, in each case, was made known to the king, who thereupon thought her to be an evil woman whose very touch was contaminating, and he banished her from the kingdom sitting astride a donkey with her face towards the tail, and with ghoul, a mixture of water and curd, poured over her head.[1]
In the meantime the earthen pots containing the king's children had floated to the bank of the river into which they had been cast, and attracted the attention of a Brahmin performing his devotions there. He took them home, and removing their coverings found therein two prince-like boys and a girl possessing the beauty of a goddess. Being himself childless, he brought these up as his own children. He had been in comfortable circumstances before, but his means increased very greatly on his bringing the children into his house. He named the two boys Arun (the sun) and Barun (Neptune, or the water-god), and the girl Kirunmala; and with them he passed his days very happily, devoting his leisure hours to the instruction, both secular and religious, of Arun and Barun. His wife, too, taught Kirunmala all the domestic duties of a woman. Time passed smoothly with them for several years, till one day the Brahmin, finding himself growing decrepit and infirm, called his adopted sons and daughter to him and said, "My beloved children, I am on my way to another kingdom, the kingdom of Yama.[2] Live virtuously and peacefully, and prosperity will be your reward." The Brahmin then passed through the portals of death, deeply mourned by Arun, Barun and Kirunmala.
Let us now take a view of what was happening in the palace of their real father. After the queen had been banished he was visited by many calamities. So great were his troubles that he began to feel that he himself and his kingdom were under a curse. Life itself became wearisome, and to divert himself he led one day a hunting expedition into the forest. The day passed in the excitement of the chase; but at night, the sky was covered with black rumbling clouds, and a great storm soon raged furiously, the windows of the heavens were opened, and the rain came down in torrents. The king was separated from his men and took shelter in the hollow of a tree. When the terrible night came to an end at last, the sky cleared, and the king, worn out with hunger and thirst, sought for some human habitation. After a time he succeeded in the search, and coming to the house occupied by Arun, Barun and Kirunmala he called in plaintive tones for water. They responded at once to his call, and attended to his wants. When sufficiently refreshed, he commenced conversation with them, in the course of which they learnt that he was the king of their country; and after a little while he left them, pouring blessings on their heads.
The mention of the word "king" roused a series of thoughts in Kirunmala's mind. She asked her brothers what the insignia of a king were, and learning that a grand palace was one of these, she urged them to build one. They loved their sister too dearly not to comply with her wishes, and commencing the building, they completed it in thirteen months and six days. Its high tower reached almost to the skies. Built of white marble, and with silver doors and windows, and turrets of gold, it put even Bishwakarma[3] to shame. A religious mendicant, or fakir, one day passing by the newly built mansion and learning whose it was, saw the owners, and spoke to them thus:—
"You have built an unrivalled palace, it is true; but there is something wanting to complete its beauty and grandeur. You must plant here a silver tree with flowers of gold, and a tree of diamonds with birds of gold perched on it. And above these trees there must be a canopy of a net made of pearls."
The brothers and their sister, much surprised, wanted to know where these strange things were to be found, and the fakir said, "There is an enchanted mountain in the north, at the top of which you will find them."
On hearing this, Arun started in search of the mountain, leaving a sword with his brother and sister, and saying that if ever they found it rusty they might conclude that he was dead. Time passed, until at length one day Barun was startled to find the sword rusty. He communicated this to Kirunmala, and after the usual period of mourning he set out for the mountain, leaving a bow and an arrow with his sister, and telling her that if either of these suddenly broke it would be a certain indication of his death.
After the most arduous journey imaginable, Barun reached the mountain, and hearing some one behind him call him by name, he faced round, and was immediately turned into a statue of marble. He then perceived that his brother had met with the same fate.
Kirunmala was one day apprised of her younger brother's fate by the sudden breaking of the bow and arrow; but instead of giving way to fruitless grief, she attired herself as a man, and started in quest of the enchanted mountain. Passing over many hills and through many jungles, and braving the inclemencies of the elements, she began her ascent of the mountain on the thirty-third day of her journey. On seeing her, demons and ghosts, tigers, bears, and elephants, fierce snakes and other venomous reptiles all closed round her and threatened to devour her. She was addressed from behind as "Rajputra," but she neither turned her head back nor replied. Treated with contempt by her, her enemies disappeared, and she reached the place where the tree of silver with flowers of gold, and the tree of diamonds with birds of gold perched on it, stood. She saw also the net of pearls hanging over the trees. The birds of gold hailed her, and pointing out a clear spring told her to sprinkle some of its water on the two marble statues standing near by. She did as directed, and the statues were transformed into two human beings whom she instantly recognized as her brothers. They were naturally transported at this happy meeting. The brothers had been brought back to life, and the mountain had yielded its wonderful possessions. The brothers sped home with their sister, and their palace was soon adorned with Kirunmala's beautiful acquisitions.
Passers-by were dumbfounded at the sight of that rich mansion, fit for the reception of the gods. The king, being informed of its existence, hastened to the spot, and saw that it stood on the site of the house that had belonged to the youths by whom he had been entertained on a previous occasion. On inquiry, he found that those very persons were the owners of the mansion. Delighted at the visit of so great a personage, they invited him to spend the day with them and partake of the humble dinner that they were able to provide. He accepted the invitation, and arrangements were made to entertain him to the best of their power. In the meantime, one of the birds of gold that Kirun had brought asked her to place it in the dining-hall near the king, and she complied with its request.
At the hour appointed dinner was brought in, and plates groaning under viands of the richest and most delicious kind were placed before the king. But, when he was about to eat, some articles of food were turned into gold mohurs and the others into gems. Greatly surprised, he said, "Arun, Barun, and Kirunmala, what have I done to be the subject of such a hoax? Is it possible for a man to eat gold mohurs and gems?" The persons addressed also were surprised at what had happened, and unable to read the mystery they kept silent; whereupon the bird from its cage said, "O king, you say it is impossible for a human being to eat gold mohurs and gems; is it not equally impossible for a woman to give birth to a cur, a kitten, and a doll? Here are Arun, Barun, and Kirunmala, your sons and daughter. If you care to receive your wronged and disgraced wife back, look for her in the hut across the neighbouring river." The king, in sincere repentance, rolled on the ground, cursing his stupidity in being imposed upon by his sisters-in-law; and, when somewhat tranquillized, he embraced his children and begged them to go to their mother, whom he was ashamed to meet. Greatly moved, they hastened to the hut where she lived, and brought her home. And within as short a time as possible their father removed his capital to the place where their palace was, and the royal couple passed their days in peace and happiness with their sons and daughter, who were soon afterwards married. The queen's sisters were sentenced to be buried alive, with thorns above and under them.