The Snow Bed

Long, long ago in Kashmir, there lived a troll at the foot of the snowy hills. Countless trolls lived there in those days, preying upon man and his kind. The underprivileged locals were powerless against these monstrous creatures and were subjugated to the whims and fancies of the trolls.

The Savage Troll

This particular troll, who took residence in a grand palace, was no different from his tribe members. He frequently raided the nearby towns, stripping the locals of their wealth. However, he was not content with just that; he forcibly married many of the city’s fair maidens. An authentic Bluebeard, nobody knew what fate befell the girls after they were married to him.

The Fearful Farmer

In one such instance, the troll decided to take the beautiful daughter of a local farmer as his twenty-fifth wife. Upon laying eyes on her, he strode up to the trembling farmer, demanding his daughter in marriage. Struck with fear and uncertainty, the farmer remained speechless. Observing this, the troll assertively announced that he would return the following night for the wedding.

The Courageous Daughter

The farmer rushed home to inform his family about the impending danger. However, his daughter, Mallika, was not dismayed. She conjured up a plan to frustrate the troll’s intentions. Despite her father’s scepticism, Mallika assured him that once he followed her instructions, the troll would not dare to return.

The Feast

As per Mallika’s idea, they arranged an extravagant feast to honour the troll, with barrels of wine and mountains of meat. When the troll arrived in his finery, he expressed his appreciation for their efforts. Little did he know the meals were purely prepared from the abundant rats and rotten apples they had, a trick Mallika cleverly hid from him.

During their conversation, the farmer declared his refusal to give dowry, instead demanding a handsome settlement in return for his daughter. Tempted by Mallika’s skills, the troll agreed, promising to give ten thousand gold coins for her.

Unattainable Conditions

However, Mallika had two more conditions – the construction of a new house and a bed made from the feathers of an old goose, a clever trick since locals referred to snowflakes as old goose feathers. The troll managed the construction of the new house but struggled to make a bed of snowflakes. Despite his reservations, he tried to fulfil her demand, managing to stuff a bed with snow.

The Final Test

However, Mallika asked him to sleep on it before their wedding. Braving a night on the freezing, wet bed, the troll woke up sore and aching, realizing the trials he would have to go through every night if he married Mallika.

The Troll’s Departure

Overcome with dread, the troll abandoned his marital plans and fled back home. The farmer managed to acquire all his flocks of geese as the price for breaking the marriage promise. Consequently, Mallika accumulated much wealth and happily married a lad from her village. As for the troll, he never dared to visit or marry again.

Placement: After this line: “Braving a night on the freezing, wet bed, the troll woke up sore and aching, realizing the trials he would have to go through every night if he married Mallika.”