Santal (South Asian people) -- Folklore; Santali literature -- Translations into English; Tales -- India
On a certain day, some time after the marriage, the raja and his
son-in-law went to the forest to hunt. During their absence, the
merchant to whom reference has already been made, arrived at the castle
gate, bearing in his hand a new lamp which he offered in exchange to
the princess for any old lamp she might possess. She thought it a good
opportunity to obtain a new lamp in place of her husband's old one,
and without knowing what she did, gave the magic lamp to the merchant,
and received a new one in return. The merchant rubbed his ring on the
magic lamp, and the fairy obeyed the summons, and desired to know what
he wanted. He said, "Convey the castle as it stands with the princess
in it, to my own country," and instantly his wish was gratified.
When the raja and his son-in-law returned from the chase, they were
surprised and alarmed to find that the palace with its fair occupant
had vanished, and had not left a trace behind. The dewan reminded
his master that he had tried to dissuade him from rashly giving his
daughter in marriage to an unknown person, and had foretold that
some calamity was sure to follow. The raja being grieved and angry
at the loss of his daughter, sent for her husband, and said to him,
"I give you thirteen days during which to find my daughter. If you
fail, on the morning of the fourteenth, I shall surely cause you to
be executed." The thirteenth day arrived, and although her husband
had sought her every where, the princess had not been found. Her
unhappy husband resigned himself to his fate, saying, "I shall go
and rest, to-morrow morning I shall be killed." So he climbed to
the top of a high hill, and lay down to sleep upon a rock. At noon
he accidentally rubbed his finger ring upon the rock on which he
lay, and a fairy issued from it, and awaking him, demanded what
he wanted. In reply he said, "I have lost my wife and my palace,
if you know where they are, take me to them." The fairy immediately
transported him to the gate of his castle in the merchant's country,
and then left him to his own devices. Assuming the form of a dog,
he entered the palace, and the princess at once recognized him. The
merchant had gone out on business, and had taken the lamp with him,
suspended by a chain round his neck. After consultation, it was
determined that the princess should put poison in the merchant's
food that evening. When he returned, he called for his supper, and
the princess set before him the poisoned rice, after eating which
he quickly died. The rightful owner repossessed himself of the magic
lamp, and an application of the ring brought out the attendant fairy
who demanded to know why he had been summoned. "Transport my castle
with the princess and myself in it back to the king's country, and
place it where it stood before," said the young man; and instantly
the castle occupied its former position. So that before the morning
of the fourteenth day dawned, not only had the princess been found,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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