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SEPTEMBER, 1891.)
FOLKLORE IN SOUTHERN INDIA: No. 37.
321
"I think I have, my lord; but that is what I say every time that I approach Your Majesty I cannot be certain of my success till Your Majesty has given your own opinion," answered the minister politely.
In his eagerness the king snatched the picture, and for the first time in his examination of pictures his face smiled, and he said replied, “Whose picture is this?"
The minister replied, “I will tell you, my lord; but are you, in any way, satisfied with it ?” “Most assuredly," said the king. "Tell me whose picture it is P" “It is my son, my lord," replied the minister.
“Then," said the king, "we are like the old woman in the fable, who went in search of ghi when she had a great quantity of butter in her house. Why didn't you tell me that you had such a fair son ? I would have gladly given him my daughter in marriage long ago, and saved you all the trouble of going now to the north, now to the south, and now to other directions."
The minister then explained that he did not like to be so selfish; that he had tried his best to find the best bridegroom; and that, when all his efforts proved vain, he had resolved to shew to his master his own son's picture !
Now, the minister's son was, no doubt, fair, but his father had purposely made the portrait more heautiful than the original, and at last his object was gained; for the king, not to lose any more time, at once fixed upon the fifteenth day of the approaching fortnight as the marriage day of his daughter. It was for this marriage that so many grand preparations were going on at Chandragiri when Atirûpa arrived there, and it chanced that the place in which he slept was the minister's own house.
Every one in the town of Chandragiri was rejoicing at the approaching festivity, except the minister. He had, it is true, after so many stratagems, succeeded in his great ambition, and the grand day was approaching fast. There were now only two days more, or rather two nights and one day, - for, on the morning of the third day, the happy marriage for which he had been working so hard was to come on, and still he was sad. For, alas! the day fixed for the wedding was that on which the epileptic fits, to which his son was liable, came upon him. The boy had epileptic attacks every alternate day, of a most virulent type. They began early in the morning, and lasted till late in the afternoon. Every other day the boy was in a most horrible plight from the fifth to the twentieth ghalika of the day. This was why his education had never been cared for. The minister, however, took such care, that no one in the town knew anything of his malady besides the inmates of his house, on whom he had imposed such strict penalties, should they reveal it, that no one ever dared to open his lips on the subject.
* Let the marriage rites pass off successfully, and then it does not matter much if the king finds out that my son is an epileptic," thought the minister,
But, anfortunately for him, the day fixed for the marriage was that on which the epileptic attack returned, and he did not know how to get over the difficulty. If he proposed a change of day it might lead to some suspicion or other, and the match might be broken off, and his highest ambition baulked.
After pondering the matter over in his mind for a few days he resolved upon celebrating the marriage on the day fixed.
“What if it is the day my boy is attacked? I shall not let him go through the marriage at all but will put some one disguised in his place. This person shall perform the rites in my son's, stead, and thus the formal marriage will take place. I shall so arrange as to send away the substitute next day, and I shall amply reward the priests, who will be my tools in this affair. Even among them it is only a few that have seen my boy."
