BENGAL FAIRY TALES
PART I
STORIES TOLD BY BHABAGHURAY,
THE TRAVELLER
I
THE FOUR RIDDLES
AN Emperor of the olden days in India once sent a messenger to one of his tributary Rajas, Prithu by name, to ask him four questions. These were:—
- Can there be poison in nectar?
- Can there be nectar in poison?
- Can there be a dog in human shape?
- Is it possible for a donkey to rule a kingdom?
On the answering aright of these questions depended the tributary Raja's life, for the Emperor's order was that, in case of failure, the Raja should forfeit his head. The time granted to him for returning an answer was three months, and the first two months the Raja spent in fruitless endeavours to solve the riddles. The nearer the termination of the prescribed period approached the greater grew his anxiety and dread. At length he wrote the questions in big letters on a large sheet of paper, and tied it round the neck of a fast-going steed, with orders that he should be made to run throughout the whole Raj, and that if anybody on reading the paper could answer the questions he should be immediately brought to the court with promises of very rich rewards.
