রাজার বাগানহান

In a certain region, there lived a king.

That king possessed a massive flower garden.

From the heavenly Parijat onwards, there was no variety of flower that was not present there.

To look at, it was exceedingly beautiful and enchanting.

There's no comparison to what will happen when all the flowers bloom together.

Within the entire kingdom, the king's strictest watch and deepest affection were upon that flower garden.

Day and night, a strict guard was maintained there.

In the middle of the garden path, silver-plated chairs with clear-patterned armrests and comfortable velvet-draped framed chairs were arranged for sitting and enjoying the breeze, surrounded by various bright lights.

Moreover, there were many other enchanting decorations.

Thus, it was not called 'The King's Garden' for nothing.

Days passed, weeks passed, but when suddenly for some unknown reason no flowers bloomed, the king grew deeply suspicious and anxious.

He began to question and search the guards.

Still, not a single flower would bloom.

All kinds of bad and dark thoughts began to swirl in the emperor's head.

Out of suspicion, the jobs of the previous guards were terminated.

All the subjects of the forest fell at the king's feet, folding their hands in fear.

They worked rigorously with all their might, swearing by their children's heads, yet no way was found to make the flowers bloom.

In this state, ruling the kingdom became difficult for the king.

Even upon searching, no one could spot any flowers in the garden.

Just because of this one bizarre event, a cry of despair echoed across the entire land.

At that time, a prince from another country, having a dispute and discord with his family, left home in disguise, taking the form of a poor daily laborer.

Wandering along, he arrived at the palace of the king with this flowerless garden.

The king then questioned him and asked, 'Will you be able to strictly guard this garden?'

The king further said, 'If you can catch the thief or make the flowers bloom, I shall award you half of my kingdom.'

The disguised prince gladly accepted the guard's job, saying, 'Yes Your Majesty, I can do it.'

That very night, the responsibility of guarding was assigned to him.

Past midnight, he saw that miraculously, various kinds of flowers began to bloom across the entire garden!

Seeing this beautiful sight, he was beside himself with joy.

But see the irony of fate—as he sat on the path and took a brief nap out of exhaustion, upon waking up he saw that everything was completely empty, with not a single flower left anywhere!

Seeing this, a tremor of intense fear and astonishment gripped his heart.

He himself was a prince after all, not an ordinary man.

He is not used to hard work.

Yet, in the morning, he went and fabricated a story to the emperor.

He said, 'Your Majesty, I saw a wonderful flower bloom at night, but as soon as the morning light broke, it vanished.'

Tomorrow, somehow or other, I shall try to stay awake and lie in ambush until morning to protect that flower and the garden.'

Please grant me the time of one more night, Your Majesty.'

The next night too, the responsibility of guarding was given to him.

Again, as that specific time arrived, all the flowers in the garden automatically began to unfold and bloom.

That day, the prince applied oil to his eyes, trying his best to ward off sleep, and remained in ambush.

Deep in the night when all was silent, seven daughters (fairies) of the heavenly king flew down into the garden.

They would gather the wonderful flowers of this garden to arrange a beautiful basket for the king of heaven.

In great joy, competing with one another, shouting 'who can pick finer flowers than the other,' they began plucking the flowers.

The disguised prince, watching from behind the bushes, was struck spellbound by this beautiful pack of fairies.

As they finished plucking and prepared to fly back into the sky one by one, the prince quickly sprang forward and caught hold of one of them.

Being caught suddenly, the beautiful fairy began to tremble in fear and astonishment, trying her best to free herself.

The prince firmly held onto the edge of her silken traditional shawl (inafi) tightly.

The fairy wept and said, 'Oh human child, what have you done! Release me, I am getting late, I won't be able to deliver the flower basket to the heavenly court!'

I have fallen into a great peril, please set me free!'

The prince said, 'I shall release you, but first tell me what is your true identity?'

She replied, 'I am the daughter of the heavenly king, a celestial maiden.'

We are seven sisters who come here together.'

For the most virtuous prince of heaven, we seven sisters gather and bring this basket of earthly flowers every day.'

Among us seven sisters, whichever basket is the most beautiful, the prince of heaven shall marry her.'

For that purpose, we come to steal and pluck flowers from this garden every day.'

If I am late today, I might lose the prince, please release me.'

The prince said, 'If that is so, before leaving, make all the flowers in this entire garden bloom miraculously.'

The fairy then extended her hand and blew a spell into the air, and instantly the entire garden gleamed with colorful blooming flowers.

But having been touched by a mortal human, that fairy became deeply worried in her heart.

She realized that having been touched by a mortal man, there would be no room left for her in the divine realm and she could not return to heaven.

Therefore, having no alternative, she requested the prince to marry her.

The prince gladly married that beautiful celestial maiden.

Before departing, the princess said, 'We are bound in marriage, it is true, but you are a mortal and I am a heavenly maiden, how shall we meet hereafter?'

Saying this, she handed a tiny magical flute, as small as a finger, to the prince and said, 'Whenever you play this flute, I shall instantly return to your side.'

She flew into the sky, but as she went a little distance, the prince curiously blew the flute once, and the fairy quickly descended back to him.

The fairy asked, 'What is it?' The prince smiled and replied, 'No, I was just testing it, now you may go.'

Again, as she went a bit further, the prince blew the flute a second time and she returned once more; upon asking, the prince said, 'No, just checking.'

The fairy then pleaded, 'Please do not do this again, morning is breaking, if people see us it will be a disaster; now let me go.'

The prince said, 'Very well, now go.'

But just as she was blending into the deep sky, the prince could not resist and blew it a third time, and she returned again; this time the fairy said angrily, 'I am truly leaving now, do not call me again today!'

Saying this, she departed for heaven forever.

Morning came.

The news reached the king.

The queen and the king rushed over quickly and were beside themselves with joy upon seeing the magnificent sight of millions of blooming flowers.

From that day forth, flowers miraculously bloomed in the king's garden every night.

Meanwhile, the fairy, having gone to heaven, was unable to give the garland of flowers that day.

Because her body carried the scent of a mortal human, everyone in the divine realm deemed her impure, ostracized her, and banished her.

She began to weep loudly in deep sorrow and humiliation.

She could neither return to earth nor remain in heaven; there was no place left for her to go.

A period of dark and tragic sorrow began in her life.

On earth, the king, as per the agreement, handed over half of his kingdom and the ownership of the garden to the disguised prince.

The prince then went to live in his palace; but one day, by mistake, he left the magic flute under his pillow and went outside for a walk.

His wife found the strange flute under the floor of the palace, blew on it out of curiosity, and as if by magic, the fairy who had fallen from heaven appeared on earth in an instant.

Arriving, she saw that her husband had not called her, but rather an unfamiliar woman was standing there.

In a fit of anger, the fairy slapped the woman hard, and the woman, unable to bear the blow, fell to the ground and died.

The fairy then fled the spot.

A while later, the prince returned from his walk and stepped into the room only to witness a total disaster.

He saw the magical flute lying on the floor.

He remembered the fairy; he was so excited that he blew on his flute, and the fairy came.

'Can you tell me what happened here and why she's frozen like this?' he asked.

Why would she call me, that's why I killed her.

The prince broke into tears and said, 'She committed no fault, I left the flute by mistake! Bring her back to life by any means, or else you shall not leave!'

Under the influence of the fairy's magic, the woman came back to life and opened her eyes.

He revealed their true identities to everyone and spent their married life together in absolute happiness, peace, and prosperity.