Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs (best books to read for students TXT) 📕

you go,” said his father. “You and your wife must come and live with your mother and me in my palace.”

“That we will never do,” said the prince, “unless you will kill your four wicked Queens with your own hand. If you will do that, we will come and live with you.”

So the King killed his Queens, and then he and his wife, the gardener’s daughter, and the prince and his wife, all went to live in the King’s palace, and lived there happily together forever after; and the King thanked God for giving him such a beautiful son, and for ridding him of his four wicked wives.

Katar did not return to the fairies’ country, but stayed always with the young prince, and never left him.

The Prince and the Fakir

There was once upon a time a King who had no children. Now this King went and laid him down to rest at a place where four roads met, so that everyone who passed had to step over him.

At last a Fakir came along, and he said to the King, “Man, why are you lying here?”

He replied, “Fakir, a thousand men have come and passed by; you pass on too.”

But the Fakir said, “Who are you, man?”

The King replied, “I am a King, Fakir. Of goods and gold I have no lack, but I have lived long and have no children. So I have come here, and have laid me down at the crossroads. My sins and offences have been very many, so I have come and am lying here that men may pass over me, and perchance my sins may be forgiven me, and God may be merciful, and I may have a son.”

The Fakir answered him, “Oh King! If you have children, what will you give me?”

“Whatever you ask, Fakir,” answered the King.

The Fakir said, “Of goods and gold I have no lack, but I will say a prayer for you, and you will have two sons; one of those sons will be mine.”

Then he took out two sweetmeats and handed them to the King, and said, “King! take these two sweetmeats and give them to your wives; give them to the wives you love best.”

The King took the sweetmeats and put them in his bosom.

Then the Fakir said, “King! in a year I will return, and of the two sons who will be born to you one is mine and one yours.”

The King said, “Well, I agree.”

Then the Fakir went on his way, and the King came home and gave one sweetmeat to each of his two wives. After some time two sons were born to the King. Then what did the King do but place those two sons in an underground room, which he had built in the earth.

Some time passed, and one day the Fakir appeared, and said, “King! bring me that son of yours!”

What did the King do but bring two slave-girls’ sons and present them to the Fakir. While the Fakir was sitting there the King’s sons were sitting down below in their cellar eating their food. Just then a hungry ant had carried away a grain of rice from their food, and was going along with it to her children. Another stronger ant came up and attacked her in order to get this grain of rice. The first ant said, “O ant, why do you drag this away from me? I have long been lame in my feet, and I have got just one grain, and am carrying it to my children. The King’s sons are sitting in the cellar eating their food; you go and fetch a grain from there; why should you take mine from me?” On this the second ant let go and did not rob the first, but went off to where the King’s sons were eating their food.

On hearing this the Fakir said, “King! these are not your sons; go and bring those children who are eating their food in the cellar.”

Then the King went and brought his own sons. The Fakir chose the eldest son and took him away, and set off with him on his journey. When he got home he told the King’s son to go out to gather fuel.

So the King’s son went out to gather cow-dung, and when he had collected some he brought it in.

Then the Fakir looked at the King’s son and put on a great pot, and said, “Come round here, my pupil.”

But the King’s son said, “Master first, and pupil after.”

The Fakir told him to come once, he told him twice, he told him three times, and each time the King’s son answered, “Master first, and pupil after.”

Then the Fakir made a dash at the King’s son, thinking to catch him and throw him into the cauldron. There were about a hundred gallons of oil in this cauldron, and the fire was burning beneath it. Then the King’s son, lifting the Fakir, gave him a jerk and threw him into the cauldron, and he was burnt, and became roast meat. He then saw a key of the Fakir’s lying there; he took this key and opened the door of the Fakir’s house. Now many men were locked up in this house; two horses were standing there in a hut of the Fakir’s; two greyhounds were tied up there; two simurgs were imprisoned, and two tigers also stood there. So the King’s son let all the creatures go, and took them out of the house, and they all returned thanks to God. Next he let out all the men who were in prison. He took away with him the two horses, and he took away the two tigers, and he took away the two hounds, and he took away the two simurgs, and with them he set out for another country.

As he went along the road he saw above him a bald man, grazing a herd of calves, and this bald man called out to