_BRAVE SEVENTEE BAI._
Siu Rajah,[37] who reigned long years ago in the country of Agrabrum,
had an only son, to whom he was passionately attached. The Prince,
whose name was Logedas, was young and handsome, and had married the
beautiful Princess, Parbuttee Bai.
[37] Or Singh Rajah, the Lion King.
Now it came to pass that Siu Rajah's Wuzeer[38] had a daughter called
Seventee Bai (the Daisy Lady), who was as fair as the morning, and
beloved by all for her gentleness and goodness; and when Logedas Rajah
saw her, he fell in love with her, and determined to marry her. But
when Siu Rajah heard of this he was very angry, and sent for his son,
and said: "Of all that is rich and costly in my kingdom I have
withheld nothing from you, and in Parbuttee Bai you have a wife as
fair as heart could wish; nevertheless, if you are desirous of having
a second wife, I freely give you leave to do so; there are daughters
of many neighboring kings who would be proud to become your Queen, but
it is beneath your dignity to marry a Wuzeer's daughter; and, if you
do, my love for you shall not prevent my expelling you from the
kingdom." Logedas did not heed his father's threat, and he married
Seventee Bai; which the Rajah learning, ordered him immediately to
quit the country; but yet, because he loved him much, he gave Logedas
many elephants, camels, horses, palanquins and attendants, that he
might not need help on the journey, and that his rank might be
apparent to all.
[38] Or Vizier.
So Logedas Rajah and his two young wives set forth on their travels.
Before, however, they had gone very far, the Prince dismissed the
whole of his retinue, except the elephant on which he himself rode,
and the palanquin, carried by two men, in which his wives traveled.
Thus, almost alone, he started through the jungle in search of a new
home; but, being wholly ignorant of that part of the country, before
they had gone very far they lost their way. The poor Princesses were
reduced to a state of great misery; day after day they wandered on,
living on roots or wild berries and the leaves of trees pounded down;
and by night they were terrified by the cries of wild beasts in search
of prey. Logedas Rajah became more melancholy and desponding every
day; until, one night, maddened by the thought of his wives' sad
condition, and unable longer to bear the sight of their distress, he
got up, and casting aside his royal robes, twisted a coarse
handkerchief about his head, after the manner of a fakeer's (holy
beggar's) turban, and throwing a woolen cloak around him, ran away in
disguise into the jungle.
A little while after he had gone, the Wuzeer's daughter awoke and
found Parbuttee Bai crying bitterly. "Sister dear," said she, "what is
the matter?" "Ah, sister," answered Parbuttee Bai, "I am crying
because in my dreams I thought our husband had dressed himself like a
fakeer and run away into the jungle; and I awoke, and found it was all
true: he has gone, and left us here alone. It would have been better
we had died than that such a misfortune should have befallen us." "Do
not cry," said Seventee Bai: "if we cry we are lost, for the
palkee-bearers[39] will think we are only two weak women, and will run
away, and leave us in the jungle, out of which we can never get by
ourselves. Keep a cheerful mind, and all will be well; who knows but
we may yet find our husband? Meanwhile, I will dress myself in his
clothes, and take the name of Seventee Rajah, and you shall be my
wife; and the palkee-bearers will think it is only I that have been
lost; and it will not seem very wonderful to them that in such a place
as this a wild beast should have devoured me."
[39] _I.e._, palanquin-bearers.
Then Parbuttee Bai smiled and said, "Sister, you speak well; you have
a brave heart. I will be your little wife."
So Seventee Bai dressed herself in her husband's clothes, and next day
she mounted the elephant as he had done, and ordered the bearers to
take up the palkee in which Parbuttee Bai was, and again attempt to
find their way out of the jungle. The palkee-bearers wondered much to
themselves what had become of Seventee Bai, and they said to one
another, "How selfish and how fickle are the rich! See now our young
Rajah, who married the Wuzeer's daughter and brought all this trouble
on himself thereby (and in truth 'tis said she was a beautiful lady),
he seemed to love her as his own soul; but now that she has been
devoured by some cruel animal in this wild jungle, he appears scarcely
to mourn her death."
After journeying for some days under the wise direction of the
Wuzeer's daughter, the party found themselves getting out of the
jungle, and at last they came to an open plain, in the middle of which
was a large city. When the citizens saw the elephant coming they ran
out to see who was on it, and returning, told their Rajah that a very
handsome Rajah, richly dressed, was riding toward the city, and that
he brought with him his wife--a most lovely Princess. Whereupon the
Rajah of that country sent to Seventee Bai, and asked her who she was,
and why she had come? Seventee Bai replied, "My name is Seventee
Rajah. My father was angry with me, and drove me from his kingdom; and
I and my wife have been wandering for many days in the jungle, where
we lost our way."
The Rajah and all his court thought they had never seen so brave and
royal-looking a Prince; and the Rajah said that if Seventee Rajah
would take service under him, he would give him as much money as he
liked. To whom the Wuzeer's daughter replied: "I am not accustomed to
take service under anybody; but you are good to us in receiving us
courteously and offering us your protection; therefore, give me
whatever post you please, and I will be your faithful servant." So the
Rajah gave Seventee Bai a salary of L24,000 a-year and a beautiful
house, and treated her with the greatest confidence, consulting her in
all matters of importance, and entrusting her with many state affairs;
and from her gentleness and kindness, none felt envious at her good
fortune, but she was beloved and honored by all; and thus these two
Princesses lived for twelve years in that city. No one suspected that
Seventee Bai was not the Rajah she pretended to be, and she most
strictly forbade Parbuttee Bai's making a great friend of anybody, or
admitting any one to her confidence; for, she said, "Who knows, then,
but some day you may, unawares, reveal that I am only Seventee Bai;
and, though I love you as my very sister, if that were told by you, I
would kill you with my own hands."
Now the King's palace was on the side of the city nearest to the
jungle, and one night the Ranee was awakened by loud and piercing
shrieks coming from that direction; so she woke her husband, and said,
"I am so frightened by that terrible noise that I cannot sleep. Send
some one to see what is the matter." And the Rajah called all his
attendants, and said, "Go down toward the jungle and see what that
noise is about." But they were all afraid, for the night was very
dark, and the noise very dreadful, and they said to him: "We are
afraid to go. We dare not do so by ourselves. Send for this young
Rajah who is such a favorite of yours, and tell him to go. He is
brave. You pay him more than you do us all. What is the good of your
paying him so much, unless he can be of use when he is wanted?" So
they all went to Seventee Bai's house, and when she heard what was the
matter, she jumped up, and said she would go down to the jungle and
see what the noise was.
This noise had been made by a Rakshas,[40] who was standing under a
gallows on which a thief had been hanged the day before. He had been
trying to reach the corpse with his cruel claws; but it was just too
high for him, and he was howling with rage and disappointment. When,
however, the Wuzeer's daughter reached the place, no Rakshas was to be
seen; but in his stead a very old woman, in a wonderful glittering
saree, sitting wringing her withered hands under the gallows tree, and
above, the corpse, swaying about in the night wind. "Old woman," said
Seventee Bai, "what is the matter?" "Alas!" said the Rakshas (for it
was he), "my son hangs above on that gallows. He is dead, he is dead!
and I am too bent with age to be able to reach the rope and cut his
body down." "Poor old woman!" said Seventee Bai; "get upon my
shoulders, and you will then be tall enough to reach your son." So the
Rakshas mounted on Seventee Bai's shoulders, who held him steady by
his glittering saree. Now, as she stood there, Seventee Bai began to
think the old woman was a very long time cutting the rope round the
dead man's neck; and just at that moment the moon shone out from
behind a cloud, and Seventee Bai, looking up, saw that instead of a
feeble old woman, she was supporting on her shoulders a Rakshas, who
was tearing down portions of the flesh and devouring it.
Horror-stricken, she sprang back, and with a shrill scream the Rakshas
fled away, leaving in her hands the shining saree.
[40] Gigantic demoniacal ogres, who can at will assume any shape.
Their chief terrestrial delight is said to be digging dead bodies
out of their graves and devouring them.
Seventee Bai did not choose to say anything about this adventure to
the Ranee, not wishing to alarm her; so she merely returned to the
palace, and said that the noise was made by an old woman whom she had
found crying under the gallows. She then returned home, and gave the
bright saree to Parbuttee Bai.
One fine day, some time after this, two of the Rajah's little
daughters thought they would go and see Parbuttee Bai; and as it
happened, Parbuttee Bai had on the Rakshas' saree, and was standing
by the half-closed window shutters looking out, when the Princesses
arrived at her house. The little Princesses were quite dazzled by the
golden saree, and running home said to their mother, "That young
Rajah's wife has the most beautiful saree we ever saw. It shines like
the sun, and dazzles one's eyes. We have no sarees half so beautiful,
and although you are Ranee, you have none so rich as that. Why do you
not get one too?"
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.
As she knelt there, with her eyes fixed on the dark water, she saw, on
a sudden, a glorious shining light coming slowly toward her, and
discovered, in a minute or two more, that a very large cobra was
crawling up the steps from the water's edge, having in his mouth an
enormous diamond, the size and shape of an egg, that sparkled and
shone like a little sun, or as if one of the stars had suddenly
dropped out of heaven. The cobra laid the diamond down at the top of
the steps, and crawled away in search of food. Presently returning
when the night was far spent, he picked up the diamond again, and slid
down the steps with it into the lake. Seventee Bai knew not what to
make of this, but she resolved to return to the same place next night
and watch for the cobra.
Again she saw him bring the diamond in his mouth, and take it away
with him after his evening meal; and again, a third night, the same
thing. Then Seventee Bai determined to kill the cobra, and if possible
secure the diamond. So early next morning she went into the bazaar,
and ordered a blacksmith to make her a very strong iron trap, which
should catch hold of anything it was let down upon so firmly as to
require the strength of twelve men to get out of it. The blacksmith
did as he was ordered, and made a very strong trap; the lower part of
it was like knives, and when it caught hold of anything it required
the strength of twelve men to break through it and escape.
Seventee Bai had this trap hung up by a rope to a tree close to the
lake, and all around she scattered flowers and sweet scents, such as
cobras love; and at nightfall she herself got into the tree just above
the trap, and waited for the cobra to come as he was wont.
About twelve o'clock the cobra came up the steps from the lake in
search of food. He had the diamond in his mouth, and, attracted by the
sweet scents and flowers, instead of going into the jungle, he
proceeded toward the tree in which Seventee Bai was.
When Seventee Bai saw him, she untied the rope and let down the trap
upon him; but for fear he might not be quite dead, she waited till
morning before going to get the diamond.
As soon as the sun was up, she went to look at her prey. There he lay
cold and dead, with the diamond, which shone like a mountain of light,
in his mouth. Seventee Bai took it, and, tired by her night of
watching, thought she would bathe in the lake before returning to the
Malee's cottage. So she ran and knelt down by the brink, to dip her
hands and face in the cool water; but no sooner did she touch its
surface with the diamond, than it rolled back in a wall on either
hand, and she saw a pathway leading down below the lake, on each side
of which were beautiful houses and gardens full of flowers, red, and
white, and blue. Seventee Bai resolved to see whither this might lead,
so she walked down the path until she came opposite a large door. She
opened it, and found herself in a more lovely garden than she had ever
seen on earth; tall trees laden with rich fruit grew in it, and on the
boughs were bright birds singing melodiously, while the ground was
covered with flowers, among which flew many gaudy butterflies.
In the centre of the garden grew one tree more beautiful than all the
rest: _the stem was of silver, the leaves were golden, and the fruit
was clusters of pearls_. Swinging amid the branches sat a young girl,
more fair than any earthly lady; she had a face like the angels which
men only see in dreams; her eyes were like two stars, her golden hair
fell in ripples to her feet; she was singing to herself. When she saw
the stranger, she gave a little cry, and said, "Ah, my lord, why do
you come here?" Seventee Bai answered, "May I not come to see you,
beautiful lady?" Then the lady said, "Oh, sir, you are welcome; but if
my father sees you here, he will kill you. I am the great Cobra's
daughter, and he made this garden for me to play in, and here I have
played these many, many years all alone, for he lets me see no one,
not even of our own subjects. I never saw any one before you. Speak,
beautiful Prince--tell me how you came here, and who you are?"
Seventee Bai answered, "I am Seventee Rajah: have no fear--the stern
Cobra is no more." Then the lady was joyful, when she heard that the
Cobra who had tyrannized over her was dead, and she said her name was
Hera Bai (the Diamond Lady), and that she was possessor of all the
treasures under the lake; and she said to Seventee Bai, "Stay with me
here; you shall be king of all this country, and I will be your wife."
"That cannot be," answered Seventee Bai, "for I have been sent on a
mission by my Rajah, and I must continue my journey until I have
accomplished it; but if you love me as I love you, come rather with me
to my own land, and you shall be my wife." Hera Bai shook her head.
"Not so, dearest," she said, "for if I go with you, all the people
will see how fair I am, and they will kill you, and sell me for a
slave; and so I shall bring evil upon you, and not good. But take this
flute, dear husband (and saying this, she gave Seventee Bai a little
golden flute); whenever you wish to see me, or are in need of my aid,
go into the jungle and play upon it, and before the sound ceases I
will be there; but do not play it in the towns, nor yet amid a crowd."
Then Seventee Bai put the flute in the folds of her dress, and she
bade farewell to Hera Bai and went away.
When she came back to the Malee's cottage, the Malee's wife said to
her, "We became alarmed about you, sir; for two days we have seen
nothing of you; and we thought you must have gone away. Where have you
been so long?" Seventee Bai answered, "I had business of my own in the
bazaar" (for she did not choose to tell the Malee's wife that she had
been under the lake); "now go and inquire what time your Rajah's
Wuzeer can give a stranger audience, for I must see him before I leave
this city." So the Malee's wife went; whilst she was gone, Seventee
Bai went down again to the edge of the lake, and there reverently
burnt the cobra's body, both for the sake of Hera Bai, and because the
cobra is a sacred animal. Next day (the Malee's wife having brought a
favorable answer from the palace) Seventee Bai went to see the Wuzeer.
Now the Wuzeer wondered much why she came to see him, and he said,
"Who are you, and what is your errand?" Whereupon she answered, "I am
Seventee Rajah. I am going a long journey on my own Rajah's account,
and happening to be passing through this city, I came to pay you a
friendly visit." Then the Wuzeer became quite cordial, and talked with
Seventee Bai about the country and the city, and the Rajah and his
wonderful dream. And Seventee Bai said, "What do you suppose your
Rajah would give to any one who could show him the tree of which he
has so often dreamed?" The Wuzeer replied, "He would certainly give
him his daughter in marriage and the half of his kingdom." "Very
well," said Seventee Bai, "tell your master that, upon these
conditions, if he likes to send for me, I will show him the tree; he
may look at it for one night, but he cannot have it for his own."
The Wuzeer took the message to the Rajah, and next day the Wuzeer, the
Sirdars, and all the great men of the court, went in state by the
Rajah's order to the Malee's hut, to say that he was willing to grant
all Seventee Rajah's demands, and would like to see the tree that very
night. Seventee Bai thereupon promised the Wuzeer that if the Rajah
would come with his court, he should see the reality of his dream.
Then she went into the jungle and played on her little flute, and Hera
Bai immediately appeared as she had seen her before, swinging in the
silver tree; and when she heard what Seventee Bai wanted, she bade her
bring the Rajah, who should see it without fail.
When the Rajah came, he and all his court were overcome with
astonishment; for there, in the midst of the desolate jungle, was a
beautiful palace; fountains played in every court, the rooms were
richly decorated with thousands and thousands of shining jewels; a
light as clear as day filled all the place, soft music was played
around by unseen hands, sweet odors filled the air, and in the midst
of the palace garden there grew _a silver tree, with golden leaves and
fruit of pearls_.
The next morning all had disappeared; but the Rajah, enchanted with
what he had seen, remained true to his promise, and agreed to give
Seventee Bai the half of his kingdom and his daughter in marriage;
for, said he to himself, "A man who can convert the jungle into a
paradise in one night must surely be rich enough and clever enough to
be my son-in-law." But Seventee Bai said, "I am now employed on an
errand of my Rajah's; let me, I beg, first accomplish it, and on my
homeward journey I will remain a while in this town, and will marry
the Princess." So they gave him leave to go, and the Rajah and all the
great men of his kingdom accompanied Seventee Bai to the borders of
their land. Thence the Wuzeer's daughter went on journeying many days
until she had left that country far behind; but as yet she had gained
no clue as to the way to the Rakshas' land. In this difficulty she
bethought her of Hera Bai, and played upon the little golden flute.
Hera Bai immediately appeared, saying, "Husband, what can I do for
you?" Seventee Bai answered, "Kind Hera, I have now been wandering in
this jungle for many days, endeavoring in vain to discover the
Rakshas' country, whither my Rajah has ordered me to go. Can you help
me to get there?" She answered, "You cannot go there by yourself. For
a six months' journey round their land there is placed a Rakshas'
guard, and not a sparrow could find his way into the country without
their knowledge and permission. No men are admitted there, and there
are more Rakshas employed in keeping guard than there are trees on the
face of the earth. They are invisible, but they would see you, and
instantly tear you to pieces. Be, however, guided by me, and I will
contrive a way by which you may gain what you seek. Take this ring
(and so saying, she placed a glorious ring on Seventee Bai's finger);
it was given me by my dearest friend, the Rajah of the Rakshas'
daughter, and will render you invisible. Look at that mountain, whose
blue head you can just see against the sky; you must climb to the top
of that, for it stands on the borders of the Rakshas' territory. When
there, turn the stone on the ring I have given you toward the palm of
your hand, and you will instantly fall through the earth into the
space below the mountain where the Rakshas' Rajah holds his court, and
find yourself in his daughter's presence. Tell her you are my husband;
she will love and help you for my sake." Hera Bai so saying
disappeared, and Seventee Bai continued her journey until she reached
the mountain top, where she turned the ring round as she had been
bidden, and immediately found herself falling through the earth, down,
down, down, deeper and deeper, until at last she arrived in a
beautiful room, richly furnished, and hung round with cloth of gold.
In every direction, as far as the eye could reach, were thousands and
thousands of Rakshas, and in the centre of the room was a gold and
ivory throne, on which sat the most beautiful Princess that it is
possible to imagine. She was tall and of a commanding aspect; her
black hair was bound by long strings of pearl; her dress was of fine
spun gold, and round her waist was clasped a zone of restless,
throbbing, light-giving diamonds; her neck and her arms were covered
with a profusion of costly jewels; but brighter than all shone her
bright eyes, which looked full of gentle majesty. She could see
Seventee Bai, although her attendants could not, because of the magic
ring; and as soon as she saw her she started and cried, "Who are you?
How came you here?" Seventee Bai answered, "I am Seventee Rajah, the
husband of the Lady Hera, and I have come here by the power of the
magic ring you gave her." The Rakshas' Princess then said, "You are
welcome: but you must know that your coming is attended with much
danger; for, did the guard placed around me by my father know of your
presence, they would instantly put you to death, and I should be
powerless to save you. Tell me why did you come?" Seventee Bai
answered, "I came to see you, beautiful lady; tell me your name, and
how it is you are here all alone." She replied, "I am the Rakshas'
Rajah's only daughter, and my name is Tara Bai (the Star Lady), and
because my father loves me very much he has built this palace for me,
and placed this great guard of Rakshas all round for many thousand
miles, to prevent any one coming in or out without his permission.
"So great is the state they keep that I seldom see my father and
mother; indeed, I have not seen them for several years. Nevertheless,
I will go now in person to implore their protection for you; for
though I never saw king nor prince before, I love you very much."
So saying, she arose to go to her father's court, bidding Seventee Bai
await her return.
When the Rajah and Ranee of the Rakshas heard that their daughter was
coming to see them, they were very much surprised, and said, "What can
be the matter with our daughter? Can she be ill? or can our Tara Bai
be unhappy in the beautiful house we have given her?" And they said to
her, "Daughter, why do you come? what is the matter?" She answered,
"Oh, my father! I come to tell you I should like to be married. Cannot
you find some beautiful Prince to be my husband?" Then the Rajah
laughed, and said, "You are but a child still, my daughter;
nevertheless, if you wish for a husband, certainly, if any Prince
comes here, and asks you in marriage, we will let you wed him." She
said, "If some brave and beautiful Prince were to come here, and get
through the great guard you have placed around the palace, would you
indeed protect him for my sake, and not allow them to tear him in
pieces?" The Rajah answered, "If such a one come, he shall be safe."
Then Tara Bai was very joyful, and ran and fetched Seventee Bai, and
said to her father and mother, "See here is Seventee Rajah, the young
Prince of whom I spoke." And when the Rajah and Ranee saw Seventee Bai
they were greatly astonished, and could not think how she had managed
to reach their land, and they thought she must be very brave and wise
to have done so. And because also Seventee Bai looked a very noble
Prince, they were the more willing that she should marry Tara Bai,
and said, "Seventee Rajah, we are willing you should be our
son-in-law, for you look good and true, and you must be brave, to have
come so long and dangerous a journey for your wife; now, therefore,
you shall be married; the whole land is open to you, and all that we
have is yours; only take good care of our dear daughter, and if ever
she or you are unhappy, return here and you shall find a home with
us." So the wedding took place amidst great rejoicings. The wedding
festivities lasted twelve days, and to it came hundreds and hundreds
of thousands of Rakshas from every country under heaven; from the
north and the south and the east and the west, from the depths of the
earth and the uttermost parts of the sea. Troop after troop they came
flocking in, an ever-increasing crowd, from all parts of this wide
world, to be present at the marriage of their master's daughter.
It would be impossible to count all the rich and costly presents that
the Rakshas' Rajah and Ranee gave Tara Bai. There were jewels enough
to fill the seas; diamonds and emeralds, rubies, sapphires and pearls;
gold and silver, costly hangings, carved ebony and ivory, more than a
man could count in a hundred years; for the Rajah gave his daughter a
guard of 100,000,000,000,000 Rakshas, and each Rakshas carried a
bundle of riches, and each bundle was as big as a house! and so they
took leave of the Rakshas' Rajah and Ranee, and left the Rakshas'
country.
When they got to the country of the Rajah who had dreamed about the
silver tree, with leaves of gold and fruit of pearl (because the
number of their retinue was so great that if they had come into a
country they would have devoured all that was in it like a swarm of
locusts), Seventee Bai and Tara Bai determined that Tara Bai should
stay with the guard of Rakshas in the jungle, on the borders of the
Rajah's dominions, and that Seventee Bai should go to the city, as she
had promised, to marry the Rajah's daughter. And there they stayed a
week, and the Rajah's daughter was married with great pomp and
ceremony to Seventee Bai; and when they left the city the Rajah gave
Seventee Bai and the bride, his daughter, horses and camels and
elephants, and rich robes and jewels innumerable; and he and all his
court accompanied them to the borders of the land.
Thence they went to the country where lived the Princess whose great
marble bath Seventee Bai had jumped over; and there Seventee Bai was
married to her, amid great rejoicings, and the wedding was one of
surpassing splendor, and the wedding festivities lasted for three
whole days.
And leaving that city, they traveled on until they reached the city
where Seventee Bai had tamed the Rajah's wild pony, and there they
spent two days in great honor and splendor, and Seventee Bai married
that Princess also; so with her five wives--that is to say, Hera Bai
the Rajah of the Cobras' daughter, Tara Bai the Rajah of the Rakshas'
daughter, and the three other Princesses--and a great tribe of
attendants and elephants and camels and horses, she returned to the
city where she had left Parbuttee Bai.
Now when news was brought to Seventee Bai's master (the friendly
Rajah), of the great cavalcade that was approaching his city, he
became very much alarmed, taking Seventee Bai for some strange Rajah
who had come to make war upon him. When Seventee Bai heard how
alarmed he was, she sent a messenger to him, on a swift horse, to say,
"Be not alarmed; it is only thy servant, Seventee Rajah, returning
from the errand on which thou didst send him." Then the Rajah's heart
was light, and he ordered a royal salute to be fired, and went out
with all his court to meet Seventee Bai, and they all went together in
a state procession into the city. And Seventee Bai said to the Rajah,
"You sent your servant to the Rakshas' country to fetch a golden saree
for the Ranee. Behold, I have done as you wish." And so saying, she
gave to the Rajah five Rakshas' bundles of rich hangings and garments
covered with jewels (that is to say, five housefuls of costly things;
for each Rakshas carried as much in the bundle on his shoulders as a
house would hold); and to the Wuzeer she gave two bundles.
After this, Seventee Bai discharged almost all her immense train of
attendants (for fear they should create a famine in the land), sending
them to their own houses with many valuable presents; and she took the
three Princesses, her wives, to live with her and Parbuttee Bai; but
Hera Bai and Tara Bai, on account of their high rank and their
surpassing beauty, had a splendid palace of their own in the jungle,
of which no one knew but Seventee Bai.
Now when she again saw Seventee Bai, the Rajah's little daughter said
to her father, "Father, I do not think there is such a brave and
beautiful Prince in all the world as this Seventee Rajah. I would
rather have him for my husband than any one else." And the Rajah said,
"Daughter, I am very willing you should marry him." So it was settled
Seventee Bai should marry the little Princess; but she said to the
Rajah, "I am willing to marry your daughter, but we must have a very
grand wedding; give me time, therefore, to send into all the countries
round, and invite all their Rajahs to be present at the ceremony." And
to this the Rajah agreed.
Now, about this time, Seventee Bai one day found Parbuttee Bai crying,
and said to her, "Little sister, why are you unhappy?" And Parbuttee
Bai answered, "Oh sister, you have brought us out of all our
difficulties, and won us honor and great riches, but yet I do not feel
merry; for I cannot help thinking of our poor husband, who is now,
maybe, wandering about a wretched beggar, and I long with my whole
heart to see him again." Then Seventee Bai said, "Well, cheer up, do
not cry; mind those women do not find out I am not Seventee Rajah.
Keep a good heart, and I will try and find your husband for you." So
Seventee Bai went into the jungle palace to see Hera Bai, and said to
her, "I have a friend whom I have not seen since he became mad twelve
years ago, and ran away into the jungle disguised as a Fakeer. I
should like very much to find out if he is still alive. How can I
learn?" Now Hera Bai was a very wise Princess, and she answered, "Your
best plan will be to provide a great feast for the poor, and cause it
to be proclaimed in all lands, far and near, that you are about to
give it as a thank-offering for all the blessings God has bestowed on
you. The poor will flock from all countries to come to it, and perhaps
among the rest you may find your friend."
Seventee Bai did as Hera Bai had advised, causing two long tables to
be spread in the jungle, whereat hundreds of poor from all parts of
the world were daily entertained; and every day, for six months,
Seventee Bai and Parbuttee Bai walked down the long rows of people,
apparently to see how they were all getting on, but in reality to look
for Logedas Rajah; but they found him not.
At last one day, as Seventee Bai was going her accustomed round, she
saw a wretched wild-looking man, black as pitch, with tangled hair, a
thin wrinkled face, and in his hand a wooden bowl, such as Fakeers
carry about to collect broken meat and scraps of bread in, and
touching Parbuttee Bai, she said to her, "See, Parbuttee, there is
your husband." When Parbuttee Bai saw this pitiful sight (for it was,
indeed, Logedas, but so changed and altered that even his wives hardly
recognized him), she began to cry. Then Seventee Bai said, "Do not
cry; go home quickly. I will take care of him." And when Parbuttee Bai
was gone, she called one of the guard and said to him, "Catch hold of
that man and put him in prison." Then Logedas Rajah said, "Why do you
seize me? I have done no harm to any one." But Seventee Bai ordered
the guard not to heed his remonstrances, but to take him to prison
instantly, for she did not wish the people around to discover how
interested she was in him. So the guard took Logedas Rajah away to
lock him up. Poor Logedas Rajah said to them, "Why has this wicked
Rajah had me taken prisoner? I have harmed no one. I have not fought,
nor robbed; but for twelve years I have been a wretched beggar, living
on the bread of charity." For he did not tell them he was a Rajah's
son, for he knew they would only laugh at him. They replied. "You must
not call our Rajah wicked; it is you that are wicked, and not he, and
doubtless he will have your head cut off."
When they put him in prison he begged them again to say what was to be
done to him. "Oh!" said they, "you will certainly be hanged to-morrow
morning, or perhaps, if you like it better, beheaded, in front of the
palace."
Now as soon as Seventee Bai got home, she sent for her head servants,
and said to them, "Go at once to the prison, and order the guard to
give you up the Fakeer I gave into their charge, and bring him here in
a palanquin, but see that he does not escape." Then Seventee Bai
ordered them to lock up Logedas in a distant part of the palace, and
commanded that he should be washed, and dressed in new clothes, and
given food, and that a barber should be sent for, to cut his hair and
trim his beard. Then Logedas said to his keepers, "See how good the
Rajah is to me! He will not surely hang me after this." "Oh, never
fear," they answered; "when you are dressed up and made very smart, it
will be a much finer sight to see you hanged than before." Thus they
tried to frighten the poor man. After this Seventee Bai sent for all
the greatest doctors in the kingdom, and said to them, "If a Rajah
wanders about for twelve years in the jungle, until all trace of his
princely beauty is lost, how long will it take you to restore him to
his original likeness?" They answered, "With care and attention it may
be done in six months." "Very well," said Seventee Bai, "there is a
friend of mine now in my palace of whom this is the case. Take him and
treat him well, and at the end of six months I shall expect to see him
restored to his original health and strength."
So Logedas was placed under the doctors' care; but all this time he
had no idea who Seventee Bai was, nor why he was thus treated. Every
day Seventee Bai came to see him and talk to him. Then he said to his
keepers, "See, good people, how kind this great Rajah is, coming to
see me every day; he can intend for me nothing but good." To which
they would answer, "Don't you be in a hurry; none can fathom the
hearts of kings. Most probably, for all this delay, he will in the end
have you taken and hanged." Thus they amused themselves by alarming
him.
Then, some day, when Seventee Bai had been more than usually kind,
Logedas Rajah would say again, "I do not fear the Rajah's intentions
toward me. Did you not notice how very kind he was to-day!" And to
this his keepers would reply--
"Doubtless it is amusing for him, but hardly, we should think, for
you. He will play with you probably for some time (as a cat does with
a mouse); but in three months is the Rajah's birthday; most likely he
is keeping you to kill you then." And so the time wore on.
Seventee Bai's birthday was fixed for the day also of her wedding with
the Rajah's daughter. For this great event immense preparations were
made all over the plain outside the city walls. Tents made of cloth of
gold were pitched in a great square, twelve miles long and twelve
miles broad, for the accommodation of the neighboring Rajahs, and in
the centre was a larger tent than all the rest, covered with jewels
and shining like a great golden temple, in which they were to
assemble.
Then Seventee Bai said to Parbuttee Bai, "On my birthday I will
restore you to your husband." But Parbuttee Bai was vexed and said, "I
cannot bear the thought of him; it is such a terrible thing to think
of our once handsome husband as none other than that miserable
Fakeer."
Seventee Bai smiled. "In truth," she said, "I think you will find him
again altered, and for the better. You cannot think what a change rest
and care have made in him; but he does not know who we are, and as you
value my happiness, tell no one now that I am not the Rajah." "Indeed
I will not, dearest sister," answered Parbuttee Bai. "I should in
truth be loath to vex you, after all you have done for me; for owing
to you here have we lived happily for twelve years like sisters, and I
do not think as clever a woman as you was ever before born in this
world."
Among other guests invited to the wedding were Siu Rajah and his wife,
and the Wuzeer, Seventee Bai's father, and her mother. Seventee Bai
arranged thrones for them all, made of gold and emeralds, and
diamonds, and rubies, and ivory. And she ordered that in the seat of
honor on her left-hand side should be placed the Wuzeer, her father,
and next to him her mother, and next to them Siu Rajah and his wife,
and after them all the other Rajahs and Ranees, according to their
rank; and all the Rajahs and Ranees wondered much that the place of
honor should have been given to the stranger Wuzeer. Then Seventee Bai
took her most costly Rajah dress, and ordered that Logedas Rajah
should be clothed in it, and escorted to the tent; and she took off
the man's clothes which she had worn, and dressed herself in a saree.
When she was dressed in it she looked a more lovely woman than she
had before looked a handsome man. And she went to the tent leading
Parbuttee Bai, while with her came Hera Bai and Tara Bai of more than
mortal beauty, and the three other Princesses clothed in the most
costly robes. Then before all the Rajahs and Ranees, Seventee Bai
knelt down at Logedas Rajah's feet, and said to him, "I am your true
wife. O husband, have you forgotten her whom you left in the jungle
with Parbuttee Bai twelve years ago? See here she also is; and behold
these rich jewels, these tents of gold, these hangings of priceless
worth, these elephants, camels, horses, attendants and all this
wealth. It is all yours, as I am yours; for I have collected all for
you."
Then Logedas Rajah wept for joy, and Siu Rajah arose and kissed
Seventee Bai, and said to her, "My noble daughter, you have rescued my
son from misery, and done more wisely and well than woman ever did
before. May all honor and blessing attend you henceforth and for
ever."
And the assembled Rajahs and Ranees were surprised beyond measure,
saying, "Did any one ever hear of a woman doing so much?" But more
than any was the good Rajah astonished, whom Seventee Bai had served
so well for twelve years, and whose daughter she was to have married
that day, when he learnt that she was a woman! It was then agreed by
all that Logedas Rajah should on that day be newly married to his two
wives, Parbuttee Bai and Seventee Bai; and should also marry the six
other beautiful Princesses--the Princess Hera Bai, the Princess Tara
Bai, the Rajah's little daughter, and the three other Princesses; and
that he should return with his father to his own kingdom. And the
weddings took place amid great splendor and rejoicings unheard of;
and of all the fine things that were seen and done on that day it is
impossible to tell. And afterward Logedas Rajah and his eight wives,
and his father and mother, and the Wuzeer and his wife, and all their
attendants, returned to their own land, where they all lived very
happily ever after. And so may all who read this story live happily
too.
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