Santal (South Asian people) -- Folklore; Santali literature -- Translations into English; Tales -- India
When the boy had become a young man, it so happened, that one day
the raja's daughter was being carried to the ghat to bathe, and he
seeing her palki with the attendants passing, went to his mother and
said, "I am going to see the princess." She tried to dissuade him,
but he insisted on her giving him permission, so at length she gave
him leave. He went secretly, and saw her as she was bathing, and
on returning home, said to his mother, "I have seen the princess,
and I am in love with her. Go, and inform the raja that your son
loves his daughter, and begs her hand in marriage." His mother said,
"Do you think the raja will consider us as on an equality with him?" He
would not, however, be gainsaid, but kept urging her daily to carry his
message to the raja, until she being wearied with his importunity went
to the palace, and being admitted to an audience, informed the raja
that her son was enamoured of the princess, his daughter, and begged
that she might be given to him in marriage. The raja made answer that
on her son giving him a large sum of money which he named, and which
would have been beyond the means of the raja himself, he would be
prepared to give his daughter in marriage to her son. The young man
had recourse to his lamp and ring, and the fairy supplied him with a
much larger sum of money than the raja had demanded. He took it all,
and gave it to the raja, who was astonished beyond measure at the
sight of such immense wealth.
After a reasonable time the old mother was sent to the raja to
request him to fulfil his promise, but he, being reluctant to see
his daughter united to one so much her inferior in station, in hope
of being relieved from the obligation to fulfil his promise, demanded
that a palace suited to her rank and station in life be prepared for
her, after which he would no longer delay the nuptials. The would-be
bridegroom applied to his never failing friends, his lamp and ring,
and on the fairy appearing begged him to build a large castle in
one night, and to furnish and adorn it as befitted the residence
of a raja's daughter. The fairy complied with the request, and the
whole city was amazed next morning at the sight of a lordly castle,
where the evening before there had not been even a hut. The dewan
tried to dissuade the raja, but without effect, and in due time the
marriage was celebrated amid great rejoicings.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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