Old Deccan Days; or, Hindoo Fairy Legends Current in Southern India

by Unknown

When the Ranee heard about Parbuttee Bai’s saree she was very eager to have one like it; and she said to the Rajah, “Your servant’s wife is dressed more richly than your Ranee. I hear Parbuttee Bai has a saree more costly than any of mine. Now, therefore, I beg you to get me one like hers; for I cannot rest until I have one equally costly.”

Then the Rajah sent for Seventee Bai, and said, “Tell me where your wife got her beautiful golden saree; for the Ranee desires to have one like it.” Seventee Bai answered, “Noble master, that saree came from a very far country—even the country of the Rakshas. It is impossible to get one like it here; but if you give me leave I will go and search for their country, and, if I succeed in finding it, bring you home sarees of the same kind.” And the Rajah was very much pleased, and ordered Seventee Bai to go. So she returned to her house and bade good-bye to Parbuttee Bai, and warned her to be discreet and cautious; and then, mounting her horse, rode away in search of the Rakshas’ country.

Seventee Bai traveled for many days through the jungle, going one hundred miles every day, and staying to rest every now and then at little villages on her road. At last one day, after having gone several hundred miles, she came to a fine city situated on the banks of a beautiful river, and on the city walls a proclamation was painted in large letters. Seventee Bai inquired of the people what it meant, who told her that it was to say the Rajah’s daughter would marry any man who could tame a certain pony belonging to her father, which was very vicious.

“Has no one been able to manage it?” asked Seventee Bai. “No one,” they said. “Many have tried, but failed miserably. The pony was born on the same day as the Princess. It is so fierce that no one can approach it; but when the Princess heard how wild it was, she vowed she would marry no one who could not tame it. Every one who likes is free to try.” Then Seventee Bai said, “Show me the pony to-morrow. I think I shall be able to tame it.” They answered, “You can try if you like, but it is very dangerous, and you are but a youth.” She replied, “God gives his strength to the weak. I do not fear.” So she went to sleep, and early next morning they beat a drum all round the town to let every one know that another man was going to try and tame the Rajah’s pony, and all the people flocked out of their houses to see the sight. The pony was in a field near the river, and Seventee Bai ran up to it, as it came running toward her intending to trample her to death, and seized it firmly by the mane, so that it could neither strike her with its fore legs nor kick her. The pony tried to shake her off, but Seventee Bai clung firmly on, and finally jumped on its back; and when the pony found that it was mastered, it became quite gentle and tame. Then Seventee Bai, to show how completely she had conquered, put spurs to the pony to make it jump the river, and the pony immediately sprang up in the air and right across the river (which was a jump of three miles), and this it did three times (for it was strong and agile, and had never been ridden before); and when all the people saw this they shouted for joy, and ran down to the river bank and brought Seventee Bai, riding in triumph on the pony, to see the Rajah. And the Rajah said, “Oh, best of men, and worthy of all honor, you have won my daughter.” So he took Seventee Bai to the palace and paid her great honor, and gave her jewels and rich clothes, and horses and camels innumerable. The Princess also came to greet the winner of her hand. Then they said, “To-morrow shall be the wedding day.” But Seventee Bai replied, “Great Rajah and beautiful Princess, I am going on an important errand of my own Rajah’s; let me, I pray you, first accomplish the duty on which I am bound, and on my way home I will come through this city and claim my bride.” At this they were both pleased, and the Rajah said, “It is well spoken. Do not let us hinder your keeping faith with your own Rajah. Go your way. We shall eagerly await your return, when you shall claim the Princess and all your possessions, and we will have such a gay wedding as was not since the world began.” And they went out with her to the borders of their land, and showed her on her way.

So the Wuzeer’s daughter traveled on in search of the Rakshas’ country, until at last one day she came in sight of another fine large town. Here she rested in the house for travelers for some days. Now the Rajah of this country had a very beautiful daughter, who was his only child, and for her he had built a splendid bath. It was like a little sea, and had high marble walls all around, with a hedge of spikes at the top of the walls, so high that at a distance it looked like a great castle. The young Princess was very fond of it, and she vowed she would only marry a man who could jump across her bath on horseback. This had happened some years before, but no one had been able to do it, which grieved the Rajah and Ranee very much; for they wished to see their daughter happily married. And they said to her, “We shall both be dead before you get a husband. What folly is this, to expect that any one should be able to jump over those high marble walls, with the spikes at the top!” The Princess only answered, “Then I will never marry. It matters not; I will never have a husband who has not jumped those walls.”

So the Rajah caused it to be proclaimed throughout the land that he would give his daughter in marriage, and great riches, to whoever could jump, on horseback, over the Princess’ bath.

All this Seventee Bai learnt as soon as she arrived in the town, and she said, “To-morrow I will try and jump over the Princess’ bath.” The country people said to her, “You speak foolishly: it is quite impossible.” She replied, “Heaven, in which I trust, will help me.” So next day she rose up, and saddled her horse, and led him in front of the palace, and there she sprang on his back, and going at full gallop, leapt over the marble walls, over the spikes high up in the air, and down on to the ground on the other side of the bath; and this she did three times, which, when the the Rajah saw, he was filled with joy, and sent for Seventee Bai, and said, “Tell me your name, brave Prince; for you are the only man in the world—you have won my daughter.” Then the Wuzeer’s daughter replied, “My name is Seventee Rajah. I come from a far country on a mission from my Rajah to the country of the Rakshas; let me therefore, I pray you, first do my appointed work, and if I live to return, I will come through this country and claim my bride.” To which the Rajah consented, for he did not wish the Princess, his daughter, to undertake so long and tiresome a journey. It was therefore agreed that the Princess should await Seventee Bai’s return at her father’s court, and that Seventee Bai herself should immediately proceed on her journey.

From this place she went on for many, many days without adventure, and traversed a dense jungle, for her brave heart carried her through all difficulties. At last she arrived at another large city, beautifully situated by a lake, with blue hills rising behind it, and sheltering it from the cutting winds; little gardens filled with pomegranates, jasmine and other fragrant and lovely flowers reached down from the city to the water’s edge.

Seventee Bai, tired with her long journey, rode up to one of the Malees’ houses, where the hospitable inmates, seeing she was a stranger and weary, offered her food and shelter for the night, which she thankfully accepted.

As they all sat round the fire cooking their evening meal, Seventee Bai asked the Malee’s wife about the place and the people, and what was going on in the town. “Much excitement,” she replied, “has of late been caused by our Rajah’s dream, which no one can interpret.” “What did he dream?” asked Seventee Bai. “Ever since he was ten years old,” she replied, “he has dreamed of a fair tree growing in a large garden. The stem of the tree is made of silver, the leaves are pure gold, and the fruit is bunches of pearls. The Rajah has inquired of all his wise men and seers where such a tree is to be found; but they all replied, ‘There is no such tree in the world;’ wherefore he is dissatisfied and melancholy. Moreover, the Princess, his daughter, hearing of her father’s dream, has determined to marry no man save the finder of this marvelous tree.” “It is very odd,” said Seventee Bai; and, their supper being over, she dragged her mattress outside the little house (as a man would have done), and, placing it in a sheltered nook near the lake, knelt down, as her custom was, to say her prayers before going to sleep.