Amb� the r�j� of P�n� had a beautiful wife named Aml� and two
young sons, Sarwar and N�r. There came to his court one day a
fak�r. The r�j� promised to give him whatsoever he should desire.
The fakir required Amb� to give up to him all he possessed, or
lose his virtue, and the r�j� gave him all, save his wife and two
children, receiving in return the blessings of the fak�r, Then
the r�j� and the r�n� went away; he carrying Sarwar in his bosom,
and she with N�r in her lap. For a time they lived on the fruits
and roots of the forest. At length the ran� gave her husband her
(jewelled) bodice to sell in the bazar, in order to procure food.
He offered it to Kundan the merchant, who made him sit down, and
asked him where he had left the ran�, and why he did not bring her
with him. Amb� told him that he had left her with their two boys
under the banyan-tree. Then Kundan, leaving Amb� in the shop,
went and got a litter, and proceeding to the banyan-tree showed
the r�n� the bodice, and said, "Thy husband wishes thee to come
to him." Nothing doubting, the r�n� entered the litter, and the
merchant sent it off to his own house. Leaving the boys in the
forest, he returned to Amb�, and said to him that he had not
enough money to pay the price of the bodice, so the r�j� must
take it back. Amb� took the bodice, and coming to the boys,
learned from Sarwar how their mother had been carried away in a
litter, and he was sorely grieved in his heart, but consoled the
children, saying that their mother had gone to her brother's
house, and that he would take them to her at once. Placing the
two boys on his shoulders he walked along till he came to a
river. He set down N�r and carried Sarwar safely across, but as
he was going back for the other, behold, an alligator seized him.
It was the will of God: what remedy is there against the writing
of Fate? The two boys, separated by the river, sat down and wept
in their sorrow. In the early morning a washerman was up and
spreading his clothes. He heard the two boys weeping and came to
see. He had pity on them and brought them together. Then he took
them to his house, and washed their faces and gave them food. He
put them into a separate house and a Brahman cooked for them and
gave them water.[FN#516] He caused the brothers to be taught all
kinds of learning, and at the end of twelve years they both set
out together to seek their living. They went to the city of
Ujjain, and told the r�j� their history--how they had left their
home and kingdom. The r�j� gave them arms and suitable clothing,
and appointed them guards over the female apartments.[FN#517] One
day a fisherman caught an alligator in his net. When he cut open
its body, he found in it R�j� Amb�, alive.[FN#518] So he took him
to the r�j� of Ujjain, and told how he had found him in the
stomach of an alligator. Amb� related his whole history to the
r�j�; how he gave up all his wealth and his kingdom to a fak�r;
how his wife had been stolen from him; and how after safely
carrying one of his young sons over the river in returning for
the other he had been swallowed by an alligator. On hearing of
all these misfortunes the r�j� of Ujjain pitied him and loved him
in his heart: he adopted Amb� as his son; and they lived together
twenty years, when the r�j� died and Amb� obtained the throne.
Meanwhile the beautiful R�n� Aml�, the wife of Amb�, had
continued to refuse the merchant Kundan's reiterated proffers of
love. At length he said to her, "Many days have passed over thee,
live now in my house as my wife." And she replied, "Let me bathe
in the Ganges, and then I will dwell in thy house." So he took
elephants and horses and lakhs of coin, and set the r�n� in a
litter and started on the journey. When he reached the city of
Ujjain, he made a halt and pitched his tents. Then he went before
R�j� Amb� and said, "Give me a guard, for the nights are dark.
Hitherto I have had much trouble and no ease at nights. I am
going to bathe in the Ganges, to give alms and much food to
Brahmans. I am come, r�j�, to salute thee, bringing many things
from my house."
The r�j� sent Sarwar and N�r as guards. They watched the tents,
and while the rain was falling the two brothers began talking
over their sorrows, saying "What can our mother be doing? Whither
hath our father gone?" Their mother overheard them talking, and
by the will of God she recognised the princes; then she tore open
the tent, and cried aloud, "All my property is gone! Who brought
this thief to my tent?" The r�n� had both Sarwar and N�r seized,
and brought before R�j� Amb� on the charge of having stolen her
property. The r�j� held a court, and began to ask questions,
saying, "Tell me what hath passed during the night. How much of
thy property hath gone, my friend? I will do thee justice,
according to thy desire: my heart is grieved that thy goods are
gone." Then said the ran�, "Be careful of the young elephant! The
lightning flashes and the heavy rain is falling. Said N�r, 'Hear,
brother Sarwar, who knows whither our mother hath gone?' And I
recognised my son; so I made all this disturbance, raja [in order
to get access to thee]". [FN#519] Hearing this, R�j� Amb� rose up
and took her to his breast--Aml� and Amb� met again through the
mercy of God. The r�j� gave orders to have Kundan hanged, saying,
"Do it at once; he is a scoundrel; undo him that he may not
live." They quickly fetched the executioners and put on the
noose; and then was Kundan strangled. The r�n� dwelt in the
palace and all her troubles passed far away. She fulfilled all
her obligations, and obtained great happiness through her virtue.