Santal (South Asian people) -- Folklore; Santali literature -- Translations into English; Tales -- India
There was a certain raja who had two sons named Sit and Bosont. Their
mother the rani had been long ill, and the raja was greatly dejected
on her account. From the bed on which she lay, the rani could see
two sparrows who had made their nest in a hole in the wall of the
palace, and she had remarked the great love and tenderness which
the hen-sparrow bore towards her young ones. One day she saw both
sparrows sitting in front of their nest, and the sight of them set her
a-thinking, and she came to the conclusion that the hen-sparrow was
a model mother. The raja also had his attention attracted daily by
the sparrows. One day, very suddenly, the hen-sparrow took ill, and
died. The next day the cock-sparrow appeared with another mate, and
sat in front of the nest with her, as he had done with the other. But
the new mother took no notice of the young ones in the nest, but left
them to die of hunger. The rani, who was greatly grieved to see such
want of compassion, said to the raja, "This is how it is, one has no
pity for those who belong to another. Remember what you have been a
witness of, and should I die take care of the two children." Shortly
after this the rani died, and the raja mourned over her, and continued
most solicitous for the welfare of their two boys.
Some months after the rani's death, the raja's subjects prayed
him to take another wife, saying, "Without a rani your kingdom is
incomplete." The raja refused to comply, saying, "I shall never
take another wife." His subjects would not, however, be silenced,
but continued to press the matter upon him with such persistency
that eventually he had to accede to their wishes, and take to himself
another partner. He continued, however, to love and cherish his two
sons Sit and Bosont.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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