Knowledge of a Trade
The Beginning of Friendship
The King of Jaipur had a son named Jaipal. Vijay, a commoner, was a great friend of the prince. The two were inseparable and were always found together.
A Thirsty Encounter
One day, while returning from a hunt, they stopped at a village well to drink some water. Some village girls were drawing water from the well, and upon seeing the two thirsty strangers, they offered them some. However, each girl poured the water on the ground until a seventh woman filled an earthen vessel and offered it to the two youths. The prince was rather annoyed and spoke sharply, “What strange game is this? Here we are thirsty, and you pour the water on the ground!”
The girl who had given him the water replied, “Sir, it is obvious that you have ridden far and must be hot and bothered. If we gave you the cold water of the well immediately, it would only increase your discomfort. That’s why we delayed giving you the water.”
A Growing Affection
Jaipal was pleased with this answer. He looked at her and found her beautiful and intelligent. So he asked, “What is your name?”
She replied, “My name is Madhavi, and I am the daughter of a shepherd. But who are you?”
The prince refused to reveal his identity and rode off.
Determination and Love
Jaipal went straight to his parents and informed them that he desired to marry the shepherd’s daughter. They tried to dissuade him from his purpose, but he remained adamant. Eventually, they yielded to his desire and sent emissaries to the shepherd, who was delighted to agree to the alliance. However, Madhavi had different ideas. Though inwardly happy to learn that her previous day’s visitor was a prince, she asked the emissaries, “I am honoured by the proposal of the prince. But has he learned any trade?”
The emissaries responded, “The prince does not need to learn a trade; he has plenty of men to do his bidding.”
Madhavi replied, “Ah! But times may change. Princes may become paupers, and vice versa. Your prince must be prepared with a skill or the other. When he can do that, then I’ll marry him.”
A Skillful Transformation
When the royal emissaries reported this to the king and queen, they were secretly pleased, as they did not want the prince to marry someone so far beneath his status. However, the prince became thoughtful and said, “True. Madhavi is right. I must learn a trade. I think I’ll become a weaver.”
He began practising on a loom, and within a short time, he had become a skilled weaver. As proof of his newly acquired skill, he sent Madhavi a beautifully crafted cloak. She was encouraged to find that this talent alone would help the prince avoid poverty, so she consented to marry him.
The Disappearance
A few days after the wedding, Vijay, the bosom friend of the prince, disappeared from the city, and no trace of him was found for many months.
In time, Jaipal became king after his father passed away and ruled wisely. One day, Madhavi said to him, “Sire, a king must know what happens in different parts of the kingdom. I hear that some young people periodically disappear from their homes, and no one knows where they go. You must investigate and return the missing persons to the embrace of their families.”
The Search Begins
Jaipal thought this was a good idea, and donning the costume of a farmer, he set out on his travels throughout the length and breadth of his kingdom.
One day, he came to a small hamlet called Shakthipur and saw the villagers heaping presents on a venerable old hermit. When the prince inquired about this, he was informed that the hermit was the priest of the local Kali temple who possessed miraculous powers. That was why people flocked to his presence. Jaipal joined the throng of people and bowed before Shakthidasa. Upon spotting him, the hermit asked, “Young man! Who are you, and what do you work at?”
Jaipal replied, “Sir, I am a foreigner in these parts. In fact, I am searching for some occupation.”
A Troubling Realization
Shaktidasa looked at him and said, “Want a job? Come with me.” He signalled to some of his disciples, and they took Jaipal along. Several job seekers swelled the ranks of the hermit’s followers. Jaipal wondered what kind of work the hermit had in store for him. His question was soon answered.
Shaktidasa led them to a large mansion on the outskirts of town. Once inside, he took them down a flight of steps and came to a huge iron door. He opened it with a brass key and motioned them inside. Obediently, all the young men trooped in, with Jaipal being the last one through. When the iron door clanged behind them, they heard the sound of a key turning in the lock. Everything was dark inside, and Jaipal felt trapped. He realized that Shaktidasa had played foul with him and the others.
Jaipal set out to explore his new surroundings and found a row of caves where many thin and emaciated people lay. As soon as he entered this chamber, a wretched-looking man accosted him and said, “Ah! New victims, eh? Don’t you know that Shaktidasa and his minions are wicked trolls who lure innocent travellers to this house so they can eat them? They only spare those who can work at some trade, but ultimately, all who come here die a horrible death.”
The Plan to Escape
Jaipal recognized with shock that the speaker was his missing friend, Vijay, but the latter did not know him. The king kept his counsel and did not reveal himself. Just then, one of Shaktidasa’s men arrived and provided them with food to eat, intending to fatten them for the day of execution. However, Jaipal ate little and began exploring ways to escape. He requested and received a loom, which he worked on day and night, eventually creating a beautifully woven silk saree.
Jaipal called the disciple who attended to them daily and said, “My good man, see this beautiful saree fit only for the royal women! Go to the palace and show it to the queen. She will surely buy it for several thousand gold mohurs. You can become rich in no time!”
The Rescue
The disciple’s eyes sparkled with greed, and unknown to Shaktidasa, he took the saree to the palace to sell. Madhavi, who had not heard from Jaipal for several months, was downcast at his mysterious disappearance and half-heartedly agreed to see the saree. However, no sooner had she set eyes on it than she jumped up with excitement, realizing it was a special weave made by her husband. Furthermore, Jaipal had cleverly traced a message in the borders of the saree, which Madhavi easily detected. Understanding that her husband was in terrible danger, she quickly assembled her guards and imprisoned the hapless disciple, who confessed to his involvement in the crime after a severe beating. She then took an army with her, stormed the gates of the mansion, and freed all the prisoners. Shaktidasa and his wicked men were utterly destroyed.
A Happy Reunion
Vijay was reunited with his friend, who turned to him and said, “Well, Vijay, you must admit that knowing a trade has its uses. How else could we have escaped this mess?”
Thus, the thugs like Shaktidasa were completely rooted out, and every missing person was restored to their family. There was great rejoicing in the land, and Jaipal and his wife were praised by all for their cleverness and resourcefulness, ruling happily for a long time.