A Trail for the Bridegroom

The Only Child

Saraswati was the only child of a landlord. She had lost her mother when she was a baby, and her father was extremely indulgent toward her as a result.

Sweet and innocent by nature, Saraswati would sit every evening at their family sanctuary on a hillock, spending an hour gazing at the beautiful sunset.

A Mysterious Encounter

One evening, while sitting on her hillock, she noticed a young man observing her from a distance. Over the next several days, she saw this young man each evening. A week passed, and one day he approached her, saying, “My name is Bhupati, and I know you are Saraswati. To speak the truth, I am most eager to marry you. Will you please agree to satisfy my desire?”

Saraswati, feeling shy, responded, “You should talk about this to my father,” and left the place.

A Father’s Decision

The next day, Bhupati met the landlord and expressed his desire to marry Saraswati. The landlord replied, “I will give you my decision after a few days. Please stay in my house for the time being.”

During his stay, Bhupati spent time with Saraswati, and it appeared that she was inclined to marry him. However, after a few days, the landlord told Bhupati, “Young man, it will not be possible for you to marry my daughter. You may go.”

A Bold Proposition

In the evening, Bhupati met Saraswati on the hillock and said, “Perhaps you know that your father has asked me to go away. He will not allow us to marry.”

“Saraswati replied, “I know. I am sorry for it.”

Bhupati then proposed, “It is not enough to be sorry. Can’t you flee with me?”

“Such a thought had never occurred to me,” Saraswati admitted. “If I do as you say, how do you propose to maintain me?”

“I will take up some work somewhere and earn,” Bhupati assured her.

“I can’t say anything today. Let us meet tomorrow,” said Saraswati, and they parted ways.

The Escape

The following evening, Bhupati met Saraswati and asked, “What is your decision?”

“I’m willing to go away with you. Let us start forthwith,” Saraswati replied, and they began to walk together through a forest. It was getting dark, and Bhupati had no idea where to go. Soon, however, Saraswati spotted a beam of light coming from a solitary house nestled among the trees.

As they approached the house, they found the main door open. They entered and saw an old man relaxing in a room.

A Refuge for the Night

Bhupati peered into the room, and the old man said angrily, “What sort of conduct is it to enter my house without my leave?”

“I’m sorry. But I seek refuge here for the night.”

“Not possible here. Seek somewhere else,” the old man dismissed Bhupati’s request.

“I have a young lady with me. Should you not take pity on us?” Bhupati pleaded.

The old man softened slightly. “All right,” he said. “Let the lady sleep in the adjoining room, which can accommodate only one. You may sleep on the verandah.”

Secrets Unveiled

Bhupati agreed to the arrangement. At midnight, he woke to a sound and quietly approached the old man’s window. He observed the old man opening large trunks and scanning their contents, appearing quite pleased.

The next morning, Bhupati told Saraswati what he had seen and whispered to her, “The old man should kick the bucket before long. What will happen to his wealth? Even now he does not make use of it but takes satisfaction only in looking at it. There is no reason why we shouldn’t make that wealth ours and put it to proper use.”

The Truth Revealed

When the old man emerged at daybreak, Bhupati told him, “Grandpa! You have to bear with us for one more night. Tomorrow, we will go away.”

Reluctantly, the old man agreed to the request. Bhupati spent the day roaming around while Saraswati remained in her room. That night, as agreed between them, Saraswati called out to the old man, “I don’t see Bhupati anywhere. What could have happened to him? Will you please join me in looking for him?”

As they stepped outside, Bhupati, hiding behind the door, quickly entered the old man’s room and examined the trunks. After wandering for a little, the old man called for Bhupati, who came running and claimed he was only taking a moonlit stroll.

After the old man went to sleep, Bhupati turned to Saraswati. “We misjudged the old man’s trunks. I found nothing inside but a few pieces of tattered clothes, perhaps belonging to his departed loved ones. He looks at them from time to time and feels happy.”

“I knew there were no treasures in them,” Saraswati giggled.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Bhupati asked, surprised.

“I wanted you to realize that money was all you cared for in this world. My father was right about you. He thought you desired to marry me because you had your eye on our property. To prove his point, he gave me a chance to discover the truth myself. The old man was sent here by my father, and this house belongs to us. Now, you may go away. I wish you well, nevertheless.”

A New Beginning

With the day breaking, Saraswati returned to her father’s house with the old man, while Bhupati took the opposite path.