All the young Peris were very fond of the Chundun Rajah and Chundun Ranee’s boy, and used often to come and play with him, for he was the image of his father’s and mother’s loveliness, and as fair as the morning; and he used to laugh and clap his little hands when he saw them coming; for though men and women cannot see Peris, little children can.
Chundun Rajah was tossing the child up in the air when the Peris flew into the room, and the little boy was laughing merrily. The winged ladies fluttered round the Rajah and the child, and she that had the necklace hovered over his head. Then the boy, seeing the glittering necklace which the Peri held, stretched out his little arms and caught hold of it, and as he seized it the string broke, and all the beads fell upon the floor. At this the seven Peris were frightened and flew away, and the Chundun Ranee, collecting the beads, strung them and hung them round the Rajah’s neck; and there was great joy amongst those that loved him, because he had recovered the sacred necklace, and that the spell which doomed him to death was broken.
The glad news was soon known throughout the kingdom, and all the people were happy and proud to hear it, crying, “We have lost our young Rajah for such a long, long time, and now one little child has brought him back to life.” And the old Rajah and Ranee (Chundun Rajah’s father and mother) determined that he should be married again to the Chundun Ranee with great pomp and splendor, and they sent letters into all the kingdoms of the world, saying, “Our son the Chundun Rajah has come to life again, and we pray you come to his wedding.”
Then, among those who accepted the invitation, were the Chundun Ranee’s seven brothers and their seven wives; and for her six sisters-in-law, who had been so cruel to her and caused her to be driven out into the jungle, the Chundun Ranee prepared six common wooden stools; but for the seventh, who had been kind to her, she made ready an emerald throne and a foot-stool adorned with emeralds.
When all the Ranees were taken to their places, the six eldest complained, saying, “How is this? Six of us are given only common wooden stools to sit upon, but the seventh has an emerald chair?” Then the Chundun Ranee stood up, and before the assembled guests told them her story, reminding her six elder sisters-in-law of their former taunts, and how they had forbidden her to see them again until the day of her marriage with the Chundun Rajah, and she explained how unjustly they had accused her to her brothers. When the Ranees heard this they were struck dumb with fear and shame, and were unable to answer a word; and all their husbands, being much enraged to learn how they had conspired to kill their sister-in-law, commanded that these wicked woman should be instantly hanged, which was accordingly done. Then, on the same day that the Chundun Rajah remarried their sister, the six elder brothers were married to six beautiful ladies of the court amid great and unheard-of rejoicings, and from that day they all lived together in perfect peace and harmony until their lives’ end.
FOOTNOTES:
[87] King Sandlewood.
[88] Sacred books.
[89] Sandlewood necklace.