I.
There once lived a certain raja, who had three wives. The two elder had two sons each, and the younger only one, whose name was Lelha.[1] The four sons of the first two wives were very friendly with each other, being seldom separate, but they despised Lelha, and never permitted him to join them in any of their pastimes or sports.
The raja had a plot of ground set apart for a flower garden, but there was nothing in it. One day a certain Jugi came to him, and said, “Oh! raja, if you fill your garden with all kinds of flowering plants, your whole city will appear enchanting.” Having said this, the Jugi went to his home. The raja was greatly affected by what the Jugi had said, and was immediately seized with a fit of the sulks. There was an apartment in the palace set apart for the exclusive use of those who happened to be in that state of mind. Such an one shut himself up in this chamber until the fit wore off, or until he was persuaded to be himself again.
The raja refused his evening meal, and as was his wont, when in this frame of mind, retired to the sulking apartment, and lay down. The two elder ranis having been informed of what had occurred, hasted to the raja, and said, “Oh! raja, why are you sulking?” He replied, “This morning a Jugi came to me and said, that if I planted flowering shrubs in my garden the whole city would appear enchanting. If any one will do this work for me, I will rise, if not, I shall remain here.” The ranis then addressed him thus, “Oh! raja, rise up, and eat and drink.” The raja replied, “Let the young men come to me, I will do as you desire.” The two ranis then left, and calling their sons, sent them to their father. Coming into the presence of the raja they said, “Wherefore father are you sulking?” The raja replied, “If you plant flowers in my flower garden I shall be comforted, and shall leave my couch.” They said, “Is it on this account you are distressed? We shall cause the garden to be filled with flowers in a short time.” On receiving this assurance the raja left his bed, and partook of food, and was refreshed. Lelha’s mother now appeared on the scene, and addressing the raja, said, “Wherefore, raja are you sulky?” He replied, “Who told you I was sulky?” She replied, “A shopkeeper gave me the information.” Then the raja got angry, and ordered her to leave, but she said, “If you do not tell me why you are sulking I will not depart, am not I also your humble maidservant? Unless you tell me, I will not go, I will die here rather than leave.” The raja relented, and related to her all the words of the Jugi. She then returned home.
Her son Lelha entered the house soon after her arrival. He had been engaged in some field sports, and being wearied and hungry, said to his mother, “Give me some cooked rice.” She was annoyed with him and said, “Although the raja is ill, your first cry is for boiled rice.” Lelha on hearing this went to his father, and enquired what was wrong. But the raja flying into a rage scolded him, saying, “Go away Lelha. What do you want here? Never come near me again. Did not I build a house for your mother and you at the extreme end of the street, away from here? Be off, or I shall beat you.” To which Lelha replied, “Oh! father raja, am not I also a son of yours? Let me be foolish or otherwise, still, I am your son, and unless you inform me of what has grieved you, I shall die rather than leave this.” Then the raja told him also. He said, “It is because I do not see flowers in the garden.” “Oh!” said Lelha, “Is that what distresses you?” He then left.
The raja’s four elder sons caused all manner of flowering shrubs and trees to be planted in the garden, and in a short time it was in a blaze of colour, so much so, that the whole city was as if lighted thereby.
Just at this time, when every tree, shrub and plant was covered with blossom another Jugi, named Koema Jugi, came to the city and said to one and another, “You, the citizens of this city, are covering yourselves with renown, but if you attach hiras[2] and manis[3] to the branches, you will add renown to renown.” The Jugi’s words reached the raja, and he was so much affected by them, that he immediately began to sulk, and on being questioned by his two ranis, he replied, “Do you not remember the words of the Koema Jugi?” They said, “Yes, we remember. He said, ‘if you place hiras and manis in this garden the whole country will be resplendent’.” “On that account then, I am sulking, and if I do not see hiras and manis, I shall not partake of any food.” At the raja’s words the two ranis returned sorrowfully to their apartments.
At that moment their four sons entered the house and asked for food. The ranis were annoyed, and said, “The raja, your father, is sulking, and you must have food and drink.” On learning their father’s state the youths were distressed on his account, and went to him weeping, and enquired why he was sulking. He related to them the words of Koema Jugi, and added, “Unless I see hiras and manis attached to the branches of the trees in my flower garden, I shall not rise from my couch.” His four sons replied, “Is it for this reason you are grieving? We will search for, and bring them, and if we fail, then sulk again, and refuse your food, and die of hunger, and we will not prevent you, only listen to us this time and get up.” The raja was persuaded to rise, and having partaken of food he was refreshed.