2. The Prince and the Wizard
“Long live our sweet princess!” shouted the colorfully dressed fellow at the head of the procession. “Long live!” responded the crowd, dancing, singing, and whistling.
They had reason to be happy, for it was the birthday of Princess Prativa, King Bhuvansingh’s only child. The entire city of Sundarpur was in a festive mood, with flowers and flags decorating every house. Sweets were being distributed from various points in the city, and dancers and magicians kept the crowds entertained at different locations.
The Royal Rumors
“Long live the princess!” shouted a man.
“Long live Samser!” another responded.
“Samser? What makes you bring in his name?” asked the first man.
“Why! Don’t you know that the king and queen have chosen him to marry the princess?” replied the second man.
“Is that so? What a pity that a fairy like our princess should marry an imp like Samser!” commented the first man.
“Tut, tut, fellow, keep quiet unless you are ready to lose your tongue. Samser has spies everywhere. Don’t forget he is the queen’s nephew and our future king,” whispered the second man.
The Princess Appears
As the procession passed before the castle, the crowd grew louder, their voices echoing against the castle walls and towers. The beaming princess appeared on the terrace, flanked by her maids. The crowd greeted her with enthusiastic cheers.
She waved to them, but could not linger on the terrace because an assembly of noblemen awaited her in the court.
As she disappeared from view, the crowd began to disperse. Only two young men remained, spellbound, although their gazes were fixed in different directions.
Mango Mischief
“How sweet!” muttered the handsome young man, his eyes still fixed on the terrace where the princess had just stood.
“It must be quite sweet, Badal, since they look so beautiful,” commented his companion, who had a comical appearance and attire.
“What are you talking about, Ramu?”
“Why! The mangoes, of course! Look at the royal grove, Badal, and listen to me. This is a golden opportunity. Everyone is busy celebrating the princess’s birthday. There is nothing between the mangoes and our teeth except the wall, which we can easily scale.”
Ramu dragged Badal away.
The Courtly Gifts
Inside the castle, the court was packed with nobility. To the left of the king sat the queen, and to his right, the princess. After a graceful performance by a troupe of dancers, the minister announced, “Now, the noblemen of our kingdom will be happy to present their gifts to our gracious princess!”
The aristocrats stepped forward one by one with splendid and marvelous gifts. There was a golden bird that could sing and a saree that could pass through a ring. The princess, delighted, played with the gifts.
The Poetic Praise
“Hah hah! Hey!” The gleeful laughter belonged to Samser as he drew closer to the princess, handling the gifts as if he had the right to them. Yet, the princess’s smile faded; she sat glum.
“Now, our pundits and poets will sing the glory of our princess,” announced the minister.
“Our princess is as graceful as a lily; to compare her to anything less would be silly!” sang one poet, earning applause.
“To compare the princess to a lily is folly,” sang another poet, and the audience appreciated him as well.
“To behold the princess is to see the charming moon!” sang a third poet, who received a warm welcome.
“But the fickle moon wanes and waxes, whereas our princess remains ever steady!” sang the fourth poet, to hearty appreciation. But then, a fifth scholar interjected:
“Like the full moon, the princess smiles, and like the sun, Samser shines!”
This last tribute was applauded by the queen, and Samser himself joined in with great enthusiasm, looking at the princess with pride. But to his surprise, the regal seat beside him was empty; the princess had slipped away, causing Samser’s face to pale.
The Princess Escapes
“How boring is the court, with all the pompous words uttered by that silly lot,” murmured the princess as she escaped into the garden. The sweet breeze and fragrant flowers heightened her charm as she flitted about like a butterfly with her two intimate maids.
“I wish there were cuckoos to sing to us!” said the princess casually. Instantly, she heard the sound of cooing from the nearest mango tree, which thrilled her. “How wonderful!” she exclaimed, looking up. However, before she could spot Badal or Ramu, who were hiding in the bushy leaves, her eyes were drawn to the ripe mangoes.
“I wish a few mangoes would fall!” she giggled, and plop! A mango fell, followed by two more, all from Badal’s hands.
Confrontation with Danger
The princess and her maids squealed with excitement. “There is magic in your words, O Princess! Whatever just happened!” exclaimed one of the maids.
“Princess!” a stern voice called from above a mound a few yards away. It was Samser, heroically standing with his hands on his waist, a large sword dangling at his side. “How did you dare to run away from that august gathering?” demanded the angry Samser.
The princess and her maids turned to him, and their eyes widened in horror as they met the gaze of a large tiger crouching below the mound, surveying them with interest.
“Hah! hah! Hey! Don’t panic, Princess, I mean no harm. After all, you are the moon, and I am the sun!” said Samser, trying to ease their fear.
The Brave Rescue
Suddenly, the tiger growled, inciting panic among the maids. “Please save us! A tiger!” one shouted.
Only then did Samser notice the beast. He jumped as if kicked from behind, howled in fright, and was gone in an instant.
The princess and her maids looked at each other, helpless. The tiger growled again, closing in.
Suddenly, Badal leaped down from the tree, positioning himself between the tiger and the damsels, followed closely by Ramu.
“Do not fear, O Princess! I will never let the beast harm you!” declared Badal as he drew a dazzling knife from his belt. Fixing his gaze on the tiger, he instructed Ramu, “This is the one that was recently captured from the forest for the royal zoo. It must have escaped from its cage. Run and inform the zoo-keeper!”