Tales And Legends Of India by Bond Ruskin

Author:Bond, Ruskin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rupa Publications India
Published: 2015-04-29T18:30:00+00:00

Next day the chief offered many valuable presents to his son-in-law, but the young man said: “I will have nothing but the cowdung basket.”

The chief was very upset. “Take anything but that worthless basket.”

But the Bhuiya would have nothing except the basket, and at last the chief had to give it to him, and he took it and his wife to the palace which Balwanti Rani had built. Then they all returned to the Bhuiya’s native village, and that night his two wives built a palace even more splendid than the last.

A few days later the old barber arrived. When he shaved the Bhuiya’s head, he recognised him. Then he went and pared the nails of the two wives. After this he went back to the king and said: “The Bhuiya to whom you gave money to buy cloth has come back rolling in wealth, and he has two beautiful wives who are fit only for a king.”

“How do I get hold of them?” asked the king.

“Send for the youth,” said the barber, “and demand your cloth. He won’t be able to produce it, and will have to give you the women instead.”

The king sent for the Bhuiya and asked, “Where is the cloth you promised to bring me?”

“You shall have it tomorrow,” said the Bhuiya.

When he got home, Balwanti Rani saw that he was worried and asked him the reason. He told her how he was in the king’s power.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I am the fairy whose breast-cloth you cut. I will bring you four bales of the cloth tomorrow.”

Next day the Bhuiya gave the cloth to the amazed king.

Then the barber said: “Tell him to bring you four baskets of ripe mangoes. They are out of season, and he is sure to fail. Then he will have to give up his women.”

Again the Bhuiya youth was troubled, until Balwanti Rani solved the problem, for by her magical powers she planted a garden that night, and in the morning the trees were laden with ripe mangoes. These the youth gave to the king.

“Our plans have failed again,” said the barber. “But let us try another trick. Call the Bhuiya and tell him to bring you news of your parents in the world of the dead.”

When the king gave this order, the Bhuiya was very worried. But when Balwanti Rani heard the story, she said: “Go to the king and say that, in order that you may be able to visit the land of the dead, you must have a house filled with fuel. In this you must be burnt so that your spirit can go to Yama.”

While the preparations were being made, Balwanti Rani made an underground passage from this place to her own house, and when the fire was lit, the Bhuiya escaped by the passage to his home. He stayed indoors for six months, living in the dark, letting his hair and beard grow. Then he came out and said to the king, “Yamaraj is a terrible place.

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