King Nal and Queen Damyanti – नल-दमयंती

Documented by Coralynn V. Davis
Transcription and Translation by Pranav Prakash

Teller: Abha Das
Location: Ranti
Date: 9/12/16

September 12, 2016: Session A2
Maithili Folklore 16_09_12_a_2

View the transcription in Maithili.

नल राजा रहथिन्ह अ दमयन्ती रानी रहथिन्ह ।

There was King Nal, and there was Queen Damyantī.

त हुन्का बहुत…राजा रहथिन्ह त हून्का बहुत धन सम्पैत हाथी घोड़ा सब चीज रहैन हून्का, अपन । 

So, he was very….as he was the king…he was very wealthy and affluent. He had elephants, horses, and everything for himself. 

त ओ अपन राज-पाठ दुनु पराणी अपन नीक स अपन रहै छलैथ अ प्रजा के सेहो बहूत नीक स देखै छलखिन्ह हँ अपन । 

So, they had their kingdom. The two of them were leading a good life together, and they took good care of their subjects, too. 

त हुन्कर जे दाय रहथिन, नौकरनी रहथिन, त फागुन मास छलै, हँ, होली जे होय यऽ, फगुआ के परात छलै, त ओ गेल्खिन, अपन, नदी में अस्नान करैलऽ । 

So, they had a maid who was their servant. And it was the month of phagun. This is, as you know, when we celebrate holī. It was a day after the festival of phāgun. She went out to bathe in a river.

त ओत्तै देखलखिन, लोग सब के नऽ, से डोरा बाँधेत । धागा, हाथ में बँधै । 

So, she saw a lot of people there who, you know, were tying threads. They were tying thread on their hands.

त ओ पुछल्खिन कि जे, “इ आहाँ सब की करैछियै,” लोक सब के पुछल्खिन । 

So, she asked them, “What are you all doing?” She asked those people. 

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “हम सब ने, इ, से डोरा, “सप्ता डोरा” एकरा लोग कहैछे, हम सप्ता डोरा बाँधेछियै ।” 

Then they replied, “We are — this thread, you see, this thread, everyone calls it “saptā dorā”– we are tying saptā dorā.”

त पुछल्खिन, “ऐय, से कि होयेछै ?” 

So, she asked, “Is that so? What is this thread?” 

त कहल्खिन, “लोके…अपन बेटा लऽ, अपना सामान लऽ, धन सम्पैत लऽ, कोनो चीज नीक काज करैछै लोग, त मनोकामने से करेछै, ‘इ चीज हमरा पूरा भौ जाये ।’” 

Then they replied, “Most folks…for the sake of their son, for their belongings, for money and wealth, for anything they want, for any good they want to do. Everyone after all is driven by some wishes and desires in their minds. So, they pray, ‘Let my wish for this thing be fulfilled.’” 

त कहलके लोग सबके कि जे, “हमहूँ इ ब्रत से करै के चाहैछी ।”

So, she said to all of those people, “I too want to undertake this fast.” 

त कहलके, “त करूँ आहाँ, ऐय में की दिक्कत ?” 

Then they replied, “Go ahead, perform it. What’s stopping you?”

त, “हमरा तऽ,” उ दाय कहलके, “हमरा त कीछ नै ऐच्छ ऐखन ।  

So, she said, “I have…” That maid said, “I have nothing with me now with which to perform the rite. 

हमरा त नै बुझल छलै ।

I did not know about this ritual.

लेकिन आहाँ सबकॅ जे हम देखैछी न इ डोरा बाँधेत, त हमरो बड्ड मन होयेअ । 

But now when I see you all tying this thread, I really want to do this.

मने, पकवान सब, फल सब लॅ कॅ बाँधेत, त हमहूँ ।”

That is, when I see you offering all kinds of cooked delicacies, fruits, and other things before tying this thread, I too want to it the same way.” 

त कहलके, “कोनो बात नै छै, आहाँ के नै ऐछ न, त हम ही दै छी, आहाँ इ से अपन बाँध लिय ।” 

Then they replied, “There’s no problem, if you don’t have all of these things, then we will give them to you. Here you tie this thread.” 

त ओ दाय अपन बाँध लेल्खिन ।

So, the maid tied the thread herself onto her wrist.

ओ जखन रानी अ राजा लग एलखिन, नल राजा दमयन्ती रानी, हुन्का घर, फेर काज करेलऽ, त रानी पुछल्खिन कि जे, “इ आहाँ कि बाँधने छीये ?” 

When she returned to the queen and the king — to King Nal and Queen Damyantī — when she returned to their home in order to resume her work there, then the queen asked her, “What have you tied here?”

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “हम नऽ से इ सबटा डोरा लोग सब नदी किनार में बाँधेत छलैय, त हमरो मन भैल, कहलक जे, ‘ए स नीक होये छे,’ त हमहूँ बाँध लेलौं हँ अपन ।” 

So, she replied, “I saw…you know…these threads were being tied by the folks on the banks of the river, so I too wanted to tie it, and they told me, ‘Good things come on account of this thread,’ and so I too tied this thread.” 

त कहल्खिन कि जे “हमरो, आब जे, मने, अगला सप्ताह आहाँ बाँधब – रैबे, रैबे सबटा डोरा के कथा सुनल जायछे, ओकर – त इ से आहाँ जे सुनब अ बाँधब न, त हमरो आहाँ से कहब, त हमहूँ बाँधब, त हमरा बेटा – मने, संतान – ने ऐच्छ एकोटा, त भो सकेय इ केला के बाद हमरा संतान भो जाए ।” 

So, the queen said, “I too want it. From now onwards, that is, when you tie the thread next week — everyone goes to hear the story of the thread on Sundays — when you get to hear the story and tie the thread next time, you see, you should let me know. I too will tie it, since I don’t have any sons — that is, any children — it is possible that after I do this, I will bear a child.” 

– [दमयन्ती कहल्खिन ?]

– [Was it said by Damyantī?]

दमयन्ती कहल्खिन, अपना दाय के ।

Damyantī said so, to her maid.

त कहल्खिन, “ठीक छै ।”

So, her maid replied, “OK.”

त अगला, फेर संडेय एलै न, रेब एलै न, त ओय में उ, दुन्नु दाय ओ मालकीनी जे रहथिन अपन, दमयन्ती, दुनु आदमी सुनल लगल्खिन अपन, खिस्सा, अ उ डोरा रानी अपन बाँध लेलखिन ।

Afterwards, when the next Sunday arrived, when  Sunday arrived, then, on that day, she — both the maid and her queen, both of them together, Damyantī and her maid — they both went together to listen to the story of the thread, to its tale, and the queen too tied that thread.

त ओकर नियम छे डोरा के कि जे आहाँ बाँधबै न जब तब सौंपल ने जायछे, त लोग हाथै में बांधले रहेछे । 

Now, the rule of tying this thread is that when you decide to tie it, then you must keep it fastened to your wrists as long as the final offerings of your vow have been offered to the deity.  

त ओ बाँध क, अपन राजा एलखिन्ह जखन घर, त खाना दै ल गेलखिन ।

After tying it — when the king entered the house — she went ahead and served him food. 

तऽ रानी के भैलेन कि, दमयन्ती रानी के, जे, “इ जे हम बाँध क, हमरा राजा देखता, त कहता कि, ‘आहाँ के एते धन सम्पत – मने सोना चाँदी – ऐच्छ – हीरा जवाहर – तब आहाँ इ की धागा बाँधने छी, पहिरने छी ?’”

Then, the queen thought, Queen Damyāntī thought, “Now that I have tied this thread, when the king sees it, he will ask, ‘You, who has so much wealth and money — that is, you have gold and silver, and you have diamond and jewelry — even then you have tied a thread. Why are you are wearing a thread?’” 

तैं डर से, से अपन उ की केलखिन, बाँह के अपन, झँएप लेल्खिन अपन, तब राजा के खाना देल्खिन । 

Being afraid of what the king might ask, what she did — what she did to her arms — she covered the thread beneath her dress, and then she served the food to the king.

त राजा पूछल्खिन कि जे “आए आहाँ पूरा देह झाँपने किया छी ? आन दिन जे हमरा खाना दै छेलौन्ह, बैसे छलौं लॅग में, त आहाँ एहना सामान अथि जेकाँ बैसे छलौं । आय आहाँ बाँह किया झाँपने छी ?” 

Then the king asked her, “Why have you covered all of your body with these clothes? On other days, when you served food to me, you sat next to me, but now you are sitting away from me as if you were a luggage set to the side. Today, why had you covered your arms?” 

त कहल्खिन कि जे “नै, नै, हम एहना झाँपने छी ।” 

So, she replied, “No, no, I have covered them without any purpose.” 

तऽ, “नै, कीछ त बात छै तै आहाँ बाँह झाँपने छी ।” त राऽ…“से हमरा आहाँ देखऽ दिय, किया झाँपने छी, या त कीछ भौ गेले ऐच्छ आहाँ के बाँह में ?” 

Then he said, “No, there is something going on; that is why you have covered your arms.” The king…, “You must show me, why are you covering them? Has something happened to your arms?”

तऽ, “नै, नै, हमरा नै किछ भेलै है । आहाँ की देखबै ? रहै दियो नऽ । काल कहब ।” 

So, she replied, “No, no, nothing has happened to me. What could you possibly see? Let it remain covered. I will tell you tomorrow.”

“नै, नै, हमरा आय्यै कहू ।” 

“No, no, you should tell me today itself.”

राजा ओकरा देखल्किन उघाएर कऽ ।

The king uncovered her arms and saw what was there.

देखल्खिन त ओ धागा रहै अपन, सूत के, त कहल्खिन कि, “आहाँ के एते सोन-सोबर्ण, मने, ऐच्छ हीरा जवाहर, से ने पहिरल होय्यऽ, अ इ धागा आहाँ कि पहीर लेलौंहऽ ? 

He saw that there was the same thread made of cotton. He said, “You have so many of gold-and-golden ornaments, you see, you have diamonds and jewelry. You don’t wear those things, why are you wearing this cotton thread instead?”

त कहल्खिन कि, “आहाँ नै बुझबै, से हमरा पहिरे दियो ।“

So, she replied, “You will not understand; just let me wear this.” 

त, “नै, नै, आहाँ एकरा तोएड़ क फेक दियौ ।” 

Then he said, “No, no, you should rip it off and throw it away.” 

त कहल्खिन कि, “नै, नै, इ, से हम अपन कोनो, कोनो अनुष्ठान कॅ क केलौं हँ, त एकड़ा आहाँ नै तोड़ूँ ।”

So, she replied, “No, no, don’t do this. I have personally performed some rituals and customs for doing this, please don’t rip it off.” 

लेकिन राजा कि केल्खिन, त ओकरा तोड़-ताएड़ के फेक देल्खिन । 

But what the king did was that he ripped it apart and threw it away. 

फेर रानी ओकरा कि केल्खिन, दमयन्ती रानी, ओ टुकड़ी, राजा त चेल गेल्खिन अपन, दरबार-तरबार लगाबै लॅ, ओकरा फेर अपन जोड़ कॅ, टुकड़ी-टुकड़ी जे काएट कॅ फेक देने रहथिन, ओकरा जोड़ कॅ, फेर गीठह बनाह कॅ रानी अपन पहीर लेल्खिन ।

Then what the queen did was that she, Queen Damyantī, assembled the torn pieces of the thread. Meanwhile, the king went out to attend to his court and assembly. She joined those pieces together. She connected every little piece of the thread which the king had ripped off and thrown away. She joined them together, and she knotted them together, and she ties it on again.

फेर अगला रैब एलै, त फेर उ अपन पहीर कॅ, कथा सूइन लेलखिन, ओय दाय संगै । 

Another Sunday had arrived, so, she wore the thread again, and she, accompanied by the same maid, went to listen to the story of the thread. 

त राजा फेर देखल्खिन जे हिन्कर बाएँह, मने, झाँपल छैन । 

Then the king noticed her arms again. That is, he saw they were covered again. 

त पुच्छल्खिन, “आहाँ बाँएह फेर किया झाँपने छी ?  

So, he asked, “Why have you covered your arms again? 

से हम आहाँ के बार-बार मना करैछी, जे लोक आहाँ के की कहत, जे रानी भौ कॅ जखैन धागा पहीरे छथिन्ह, सूत पहीरे छथिन्ह, त आहाँ के जे प्रजा छै, जत्तै, मने लोक एच्छ अपन, समाज में, त से की कहत, जे रानी के नै छै औकात, तैं पहीरै छै, आहाँ के औकात नै यऽ, से बात त नै यऽ, त आहाँ ई…?” 

I am stopping you from doing this again and again; what will the people say about you? That she is wearing a cotton thread even though she is the queen. Then they who are your subjects, that is, all of our country folk, who reside in our communities, what will they say — that the queen is no longer affluent. Since this is not true, why are you wearing this…?”

त ओकरा की केल्खिन ओ राजा जे इ रहतै, तोड़-ताएड़ के फेख देय छै, त इ बाँध कॅ पहीर ले छै, त ओकरा की केल्खिन, डिबीया जे जोड़ै छै, ढ़ीब्ड़ी जे जोड़ै छै, ओय पर ओकरा जड़ा देल्खिन । 

Then what the king did was that he took it, tore it into pieces, and threw them away. Since she would join them together and wear it again, what he did was that he burned the pieces of the thread on the flames of an earthen lamp – a clay lamp which is lit with fire. 

ओय पर जे जड़ा देल्खिन, त ओ सप्ता बिप्ता जे रहथिन दुनु बहीन, हुन्का दुनु बहीन के, पूरा देह फोँका भौ गेल ।

As soon as he burnt them on the earthen lamp, Saptā and Biptā — the twin sister-deities who were there — found their bodies fully covered in boils.  

एम्हर इ जड़ैल्खिन, ओम्हर ओकरा दुनु के फोंका भौ गेल, दुनु बहीन के, सप्ता बिप्ता के । 

While here he burnt the piece of the thread, over there both deities became covered with boils. Both of them had boils, both Saptā and Biptā got them. 

कहल्खिन कि “जे देखियो, से इ रानी, मने राजा के एतै घमंड छै, रानी अगर शौक से, मने केलकै इ ब्रत, त इ हमरा, मने जड़ा देलक, धागा के । 

One of them said, “Don’t you see how this queen is. The king obviously is so haughty. The queen was desirous of doing this ritual. That is, she has already performed this ritual. But he still did it to us, that is, he put the thread on fire. 

से एकरा बहुत घमंड भौ गेल छै, त से नै एकर जाँच लेबाक चाही । हीन्का एकर, से सज़ा भेटै के चाही, राजा के ।” 

Indeed, the king has grown very haughty, so we must examine his conduct. For his actions, he must get some punishment, the king should be punished.” 

त ओ नै सप्ता बिप्ता, से राएत में, से एल्खिन, राजा रानी जे सूत्तल रहथिन । 

So, they both, Saptā and Biptā, they arrived there one night. The king and the queen were asleep. 

त पूछल्खिन जे “कोई छी घर में ?” 

Then they asked, “Is there someone in the house?” 

त कहल्खिन जे, “आहाँ के एतै रात में बॅजैछी ?”  

So, he replied, “Who are you that is calling to me so late in night?” 

त कहल्खिन जे, “आहाँ बाहर निकलू, त हम कहेछी जे हम के छी ।”

Then they said, “Why don’t you come outside, then we will tell you who we are.” 

त राजा निकल्खिन घर सॅ बाहर, दरवाज़ा पर गेल्खिन । 

Then the king came out of his chamber, and came to the door. 

त पूछल्खिन जे, “की बात ?” 

Then he asked, “What’s the matter?”

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “हम सप्ता बिप्ता छी, से आहाँ के रानी, से एना-एना ब्रत केने छलैथअ, अ मने धागा बँधने छलैथअ, त आहाँ ओकरा जड़ा देलयै ।

Then they said, “We are Saptā and Biptā. Your queen had undertaken a vow on such-and-such occasions. That is, she was wearing a thread. But you burnt that thread.

एकर मतलब आहाँ के अहंग ऐब गेलै ।  

This shows that you are filled with much pride.

त तै द्वारे से हम आहाँ के श्राप दैय छी, आहाँ के ई…आहाँ की लैब ?

That is why we are cursing you. What would you like…which punishment will you choose? 

मने, बुढ़ाड़ी दुख लेब अ की लाबाड़ी दुख लेब ?  

That is, do you prefer a painful old age or a difficult adulthood?

मने, अक्खेन आहाँ सज़ा चाहेछी, की बाद में चाहेछी ?”

That is, do you want suffer pain now, or do you want to defer it to a later period in life? 

त कहल्खिन राजा कि जे, “देख्यौ, अक्खेन त हम…आहाँ अनायास हमरा पूछ रहल छी, त इ चीज हम अक्खेन नै कहब आहाँ कॅ । 

Then the king replied, “Look, now I am…you have posed this question all of a sudden, so I will not be able to answer it immediately.  

हमहूँ सोचब दुनु पराणी, तब कहब – जे बुढ़ाड़ी में हमरा दुख बर्दाश्त हैत, या अक्खेन हमरा दुख बर्दाश्त हैत ? 

We both spouses will think about this. Then we will let you know whether we can endure suffering in old age, or whether we must suffer now. 

राज-पाठ चेल जाएत, त भीखमँगा भौ जाएब हम । त से, जाऊँ, आय हम नै कहब, काएल आहाँ आऊ, त फेर हम कहब ।” 

If we lose our kingdom, then we will be beggars. So, please leave, I will not decide today. Please visit us tomorrow; then I will tell you what we want.”

फेर राजा घर ऐल्खिन ।  

The king returned to his chamber. 

त रानी पुछल्खिन जे, “की बात, के आएल छला ?”

So, the queen asked him, “What’s the matter? Who came here?” 

त, “नै, नै, सूतू न, हम कएल दिन में आहाँ कॅ कहब ।”

Then he replied, “No, no, go to bed, I will tell you this tomorrow in the daytime.”  

कहल्खिन, “नै, नै, जखन पति-पत्नी के बात छै, त आहाँ हमरा से छुपाएब की ?  

She said, “No, no, when the matter concerns both husband and wife, why would you hide it from me?  

आहाँ कहू जे कि बात छीयै ।”

Tell me whatever is the matter.” 

त कहल्खिन, “एना एना हमरा सप्ता बिप्ता दुनू से आएल छलैथ, मनुख के रूप धर कॅ ।  

Then he replied, “It was like this: both Saptā and Biptā came here, they were present in human form. 

त हमरा पूछलैथ हँ जे, ‘आहाँ लाबाड़ी दुख लेब कि बुढ़ाड़ी दुख लेब ?’”

And they asked me, ‘Would you like a difficult adulthood or a painful old age?’” 

त रानी के भेलैन जे “घुड़ाय-घुड़ाय हम जे धागा बँधने छलियै, राजा एकरा जड़ा देल्खिन, तही श्राप से बुझायऽ हमरा उ पूछै आएल छलै ।” 

Then the queen thought to herself, “This has most likely come to pass because the king burnt the thread that I had tied on my wrist, so I guess they want to punish us, and that’s why they posed this question to us.”

त कहल्खिन, “आहाँ की कहल्यै ?”

So, she asked, “So, what did you say?”

त कहल्खिन, “हम किछु नै अक्खैन कहलियै । 

Then he replied, “I have not said anything to them.

हम ओकरा काएल कहै के नाम कहल्यै जे ‘काएल आहाँ आऊँ, त काएल हम आहाँ के, से कहब, जे हम लाबाड़ी दुख लेब कि बुढ़ाड़ी दुख लेब ?’”

I told them I will decide tomorrow. I said, ‘Please come tomorrow, as I will decide tomorrow, I will tell you, I will let you know whether I would like a painful youth or a painful old age.’” 

कहल्खिन, “ठीक छै ।” 

She replied, “Okay!”

फेर…ए…प्रात भेलै, त एल्खिन…रात में…फेर उ सब, सप्ता बिप्ता । 

Then…er…the morning arrived. Then they came…in the night…they both, Saptā and Biptā, came again.

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “से लबाड़ी दुख त सहल जाएत, लेकिन बुढ़ाड़ी में दुख नै बर्दाश्त हैत । 

Then he replied, “I can endure a difficult adulthood, but a painful old age will be intolerable to me. 

राज-पाठ नै रहैत, किछु नै रहैत । 

When I lose my kingdom, I will be left with nothing.

अक्खेन त शक्ति य, त भीख-दुख माँग कॅ खा सकैछी ।

Right now I have physical strength, so I can beg for food and endure suffering. 

लेकिन बुढ़ में त भीखो-दुख नै माँगल हैत ।

However, when I am an infirm, I will not even be able to beg for food.

अ बाल-बच्चा एच्छै नै, त की करब ?”

Besides, I do not have any children, so what will I do in old age?”

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “अच्छा ठीक छै, आहाँ लाबाड़ियै दुख लेब ?”

So, they said, “That’s fine, so you would like a sorrowful youth?”

त कहल्खिन, “हँ ।”

And he said, “Yes!”

त जत्तै रहै राजा के धन-सम्पैत, हाथी, मने, दाय-नौकर, सबटा उनका बिला गेलैन । 

So, all money and property that the king owned — for instance, elephants, maids, and servants — all of them disappeared. 

उ भीख-मँगा भौ गेल्खिन ।

He became a beggar.

त कहल्खिन कि जे रानी के जे, “ए रानी” – दमयन्ती रानी के – जे, “जेय गाम में हम एतै दिन राज केलौं, ऐय गाम में जे हम भीख माँग कॅ खाएब, त हमरा लोक की कहत ? 

So, he said to the queen, “O Queen!” He spoke to Queen Damayantī, “If I beg for food in a village that I have ruled for such a long time, what would people say to me? 

‘जे देखी राजा के…!’  

‘Look at the king…!’

इ त लोग आंतरिक बात नै बुझतै जे हीनका श्राप पड़ गेलेन्ह…केकड़ो…सप्ता बिप्ता के ।

No one would know our internal affair…no one would realize that the curse of Saptā and Biptā has been cast on us.

हम कहबै, तैय्यौ नै लोग पतियैते ।

Even if I explain it to them, these people won’t be convinced. 

त लोग बुझतै कि जे राजा के घन सम्पएत छैय्यै नै, त हमरा कै पूछत ? 

Instead, they will think all of this is because the king has lost all his money or wealth. Why would anyone check with me?

तऽ तै द्वारे से जे…मने…जे गाम में एते सुख केलों, ओय गाम में दुख काएट कॅ रहब, तऽ से नै, तऽ चलू अपना सब दोसर जगह जायछी । 

That is why, where…that is…the village where we were living so well, were we to live in the same village in penury, we would endure much suffering there. This must not happen. So, let us go to a different place. 

कतो भीखै-दुख माँग कॅ खाएब, त दोसरे जगह खाएब ।” 

After all we have to live by begging for food somewhere, so we might as well beg in a different place.”

त कहल्खिन कि, “ठीक छै, चलू ।” 

She said, “That’s fine, let’s go.”

उ अपन ओइठाँ में राज-पाठ छोइड़ देल्खिन – किछु रहबै नै करैन ।

So he abandoned his home in his kingdom. He was after all left with nothing.

अपन दुनु पराणी बिदा भौ गेलै ।

Both of them took their leave.

गेली त पहिले गेलखिन दोस्त ओइठाँ । 

After leaving their home, they first arrived at her girlfriend’s place.

दोस्त रहैन, दोस्तिनी रहथिन, त हुन्का ओइठमाँ गेलखिन ।

She had a friend. She had a girlfriend. So, they went to her girlfriend’s.

त उ हुन्का…दोस्तिनी बेटी के…ओइ समय में बियाह होय लॅ रहैन ।

Then her friend’s…her friend’s daughter…was about to get married at that time.

त दुनु पहुँचल्खिन, त कहल्खिन कि जे…एँ…से, “के एलेथ्ह ?” 

When they both arrived there, she asked…that…”Who has come?”

पहिले त लोग दरवज्जे पर रूकैत छलै ।

In old times, visitors had to wait at the doorstep.

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “हम…से…आहाँ के हम दोस्त दोस्तिनी ।”

Then she replied, “I…er…I am your friend — your girlfriend.”

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “नै, हमर दोस्त दोस्तिनी त बड्ड धनिक छैथ ।” 

Then she replied, “No, my friend…my girlfriend is very rich.”

इ त एहैन भोस-भूसा में नै ऐब सकै छै ।

She can’t possibly have come here in such a disheveled state.

मैल-कूचैल नूआ छैन, अ राजा के फाटल-चीटल धोती छैन, आ तन पर मने वस्त्र नै छैन, त हमर राजा त एहैन नै छै दोस्त-दोस्ती में ।

Her clothes are dirty and wrinkled, and the king is wearing a torn and ragged dhotī and his torso is…that is…without clothes. Our king was not like this, no, my friend—girlfriend was not like this.

उ त बड्ड धनिक छै ।

She was very rich.

त कहल्के, “नै, नै, हमही आहाँ के दोस्त-दोस्तिनी छीयै ।”

Then she replied, “No, no, we am indeed your friend.”

त कहल्खिन, “कोनो बात नै, ठीक छै, आऊँ आहाँ दोस्त बैन कॅ एलौं हँ, त हम आहाँ कॅ अपमान नै करब, आहाँ रहू, हमरा बेटी के बियाह ऐच्छ, तऽ हमरो हेल्प भेट जाएत, आहाँ सॅ अपन ।”

So, she said, “No problem, that’s fine, since you are visiting us like our friend, we will not disrespect you. Please stay with us. Besides, since our daughter is getting married, I can definitely use your help…you can help us.”

त कहल्खिन, “ठीक छै ।”

Then she replied, “Sure!”

उ रहल्खिन अपन, बियाह के दु-चाएर दिन रहै ।

She hosted them. The marriage would take place in two to four days.

त अपन दुनु पराणी रहै लगल्खिन, हुनकै अपन काम धँधा कॅ दैथिन, दोस्तिनी के – अपन बियाह के घर में त बड्ड काज होयेछे, त अपन सबके…।

So, both husband and wife were staying there, they would do some household work for their hosts, for their girlfriend. As you know, there is always so much work in a household getting ready for a marriage ceremony. So they helped them…

त ओ दोस्तिनी देल्खिन कि हुन्का बेटी के गाला कै गृमल्हार रहैन, त ओ देल्खिन गाँथैलॅ, अपन दोस्तिनी कै, “लीय, आहाँ बैसल छीहै, त अपन कनि गाँठ दीय हमरा बेटी कॅ…अथि…पहराएब से ।” 

Then her girlfriend noticed that she did not have a necklace for adorning her daughter’s neck, so she asked her friend to string a necklace for her, “You are sitting idle here. Would you mind stringing these together for my daughter?…so…so I can have her wear it.”

त कहल्खिन, “लाओ ।”

And she replied, “Sure, bring it to me.”

त ओ सप्ता बिप्ता कहल्खिन, “देखैछी राजा रानी के टॅस अक्खनो नै गेलैय ? 

Then they, Saptā and Biptā, conferred, “Don’t you see how the king and the queen have not yet given up their vanity?

दोस्तिनी ओएठ्माँ गेला, त केहन, मने, अपन रहैय मजा सॅ, खाइय पीबैय अपन ।

They relocated to their friend’s place, how well…that is…how merrily they are living there, they are feasting and drinking there.

से एकरा सब कॅ अक्खनो तक, मने, बिपैत के एहसास ने भेलैय ।”

That is to say, they have not yet…felt the pain of adversity.

त ओ की केल्खिन, परबा के रूप धॅ लेल्खिन सप्ता बिप्ता ।

So what they did was that they took the form of a birds…Saptā and Biptā became birds.

परबा के रूप धॅ कॅ एल्खिन अँगना, ओ जे अपन राखल रहै…मोती…ओकर गृमल्हार के गाँठै बला, ओ किल-केल्खिन…उ अपन मुँह मेँ सबटा…परबा रहबै करथिन…परबा के रूप धॅ के एल्खिन…उ सबटा अपन अंदर पेट में घोएट लेल्खिन सप्ता बिप्ता ।

They arrived in the courtyard in the guise of birds. And whatever pearls were kept there…pearls…pearls for stringing together the necklace…what they did was that…they gobbled up the pearls…After all they were birds…they were disguised as birds…they swallowed all the pearls into their stomach…Saptā and Biptā swallowed them. 

त ओ जे एल्खिन…त अब त हिन्का मोती रहबै नै करैन, त इ की देयतिन्ह गाँएथ के ? 

So, when she came back…now she had no pearls at her disposal; what was she to string together?

त दोस्तिनी एल्खिन त कहल्खिन कि जे “दोस्तिनी, गृहमल्हार दिय हमरा, पहिराएब बेटी कॅ ।”

When her friend arrived, she said to her, “O girlfriend, give me the necklace. I will adorn my daughter with it.”

त कहल्खिन कि जे “आब गृहमल्हार त नै ऐच्छ, जे हमरा बड्ड भूख-प्यास लागल छलै, हम सबटा गील गेलौं, खा गेलौं ।”

To which she replied, “I don’t have the necklace anymore. I was very hungry and thirsty, so I gobbled up all the pearls, I consumed them.”

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “मोती-हीरा त कोई नै खायछे ।

Then she said, “No one eats pearls and diamonds.

त आहाँ केना खा गेल हाएब ?”

So, how could you possibly eat them?”

त उ दोस्तिनी बूझ गेल्खिन, “किछु नै, हिनका श्राप कोनो चीज के पएड़ गेलैन हॅ, तै द्वारे इ ।”

Thus her friend realized, “Never mind, she is clearly suffering from some kind of curse, that is why…there is no other explanation for this.”

त फेर दोस्तिनी हीन्का नै किछु कहल्खिन । “अच्छा, कोनो बात नै, आहाँ, मने, आहाँ बुत्तै हेरा गेल, या जे भेल, त हम फेर दोसर गढ़ा कॅ दॅ देब ।”

So, her friend did not reprimand her. She said, “Okay, no problem, you…er…you probably lost them, or something else happened… I will get another necklace strung and give it to her.”

त ओ बियाह…“नै, नै, रहू न बियाह भएर, हमर बेटी के बियाह है ।” 

Then, for the wedding…”no, no, you should stay for the wedding ceremony, it is our daughter’s marriage.”

त कहल्खिन, “नै, नै, जाए दियो ।”

But she insisted, “No, no, please let us leave.”

त कहल्खिन, “नै, नै, आहाँ रहूँ, दोस्तिनी बन क हमर एलौं, त आहाँ भर बियाह कम से कम रहूँ ।”

Then she replied, “No, no, please stay. You have come here as my friend, so you must stay at least until the marriage ceremony is over.”

त हुन्कर बेटी के बियाह भौ गेल ।

So, their daughter’s wedding took place.

त कहल्खिन कि “चलू, आब त हिन्कर दोस्तनी के बियाहो देख ललूँ, बेटी के, त आब चलू, कतौ दोसरे जगह देखेछिये, जे कतौ रहै के ठिकाना भेँट जाय । 

Then he said, “Let’s go, now that we have attended your girlfriend’s daughter’s wedding. We should leave now. We should go somewhere else; we should find a refuge somewhere else.

भीख-ऊख माँग के खाय के ऐच्छै ।”

We anyway have to beg for food.”

त कहल्खिन कि से, “ठीक छै ।”

So, she replied, “All right.”

त हुन्का बहीन रहथिन ।

So, he had a sister.

नल राजा के बहीन रहथिन । 

King Nal had a sister.

उहो बहुत धनिक-मनी ।

She too was very affluent.

त हुन्का ओएठमाँ गेल्खिन ।

They went to her place.

त ओए समय में, अथि रहे, आहाँ के सत्तूआइन रहे, जूड़-सीतल जे होय्य, से रहे ।

Around the same time, this festival called Sattūāin was taking place. As you may know, this is also called Jūḍa Sītal.

त कहल्खिन कि जे, जे “आहाँ के?” 

So they were asked, “Who are you?”

कहै गेलेन, अपन, नौकर-चाकर, “ये मइलकिनी, से आहाँ के, से भाए-भौज एलैथ य ।”

The maids and servants reported to their mistress, “Hey Madam, your brother and sister-in-law are here, they have come here.”

त ओ निक्ललखिन बाहर, त कहल्खिन, “हैय, हमर भाए-भौज एहन छै । 

When she came outside, she said, “Oh, my brother and sister-in-law are like this!?

हमर भाए-भौज त बहुत धनिक-मनिक, मने, पहिरल-ओढ़न एहन छेन हमर भाए-भौज के, ओ तो बहूत धन…राजा छैथ हमर भाए, त हमर भाए नै हेता ।”

My brother and sister-in-law are very rich and affluent, that is, you could tell from their dresses and clothes that they are very wealthy. My brother is a king after all. This can’t be my brother.”

त, “नै, नै, हम अहीँ के भाए-भौज छी ।” 

Then, he said, “No, no, we are your brother and sister-in-law.”

त कहल्खिन कि, अपन नौकर के, “रे, हीन्का, से, अथि, जे भूसखारा घर जे होएछे, जे में भूस्सा-तूस्सा रहैछे, तै घर में बैसा देही ।”

So, she said to her servant, she directed him, “Hey, take them…er…take them to the hay shed — the place where hay is stored, where hay and fodder are kept — let them sit in that house.”

अपन बैसा देल्कै ।

She permitted them to lodge there. 

त राजा के, न, से बहूत, मने, दुख भेलै । 

The king was, you know, he was very hurt by this.

“देखियौ, आय हमर बहीनो हमरा नै पहिचाने य ।

“You see, today even my sister fails to recognize me.

मने, बिपैत आबैछे जखन लोग के, त अपन लोग कोई नै चिन्हेछै, ककड़ो चिन्हैछै ।

I mean, misfortune appears in someone’s life, and then their own people fail to recognize them…no one recognizes them. 

त देखियौ, आय हमरा इहो नै चिन्हलक, कहलिये जे हम एकर बहीन-बहनोई छियै, तय्यौ त कनिक मान करतै हमरा, घर में बेसैबते, कनिक खाय-पीयेल पूछतै, किछु नै पूछलकै, भर दिन बीत गेलै ।”

So, you see, today even my sister failed to recognize me. Even when I told her that we are her brother and sister-in-law, she still did not care for us. She showed no respect to us; she did not permit us to stay in her house; she did not offer us for food or water; she did not inquire after our well-being. Those days are over now.”

अ ओई दिन रहे जूड़-सीतल, आहाँ के पाबेन । 

And it had then been the day of Jūḍa-Sītal, it had been a festival day.

त किछु नै अपन पूछल्खिन ।

Still, she did not inquire after their wellbeing.

त हीन्का दुनु पराणी क बहूत दुख भैले जे “देखियौ आय पाबेन के दिन, से अपना घर में रहे…मने, जखन राजा रही, त नौकर-चाकर के हम बाँटैत रही – सत्तूआ, गूढ़, चीनी, सब चीज । 

So, both husband and wife were very hurt that, “You see, today was a festival day. When we were living in our home…When I was the king, I had maids and servants, I had everything — sattū, jaggery, sugar, everything.

आय हम जे, मने, फाबेन-तिहार छे, से एते खाइब, से हमरा नै यऽ ।

Today I have nothing. Today is a day of festivity and celebration. But they did not care about serving us food. How much food do we really eat?

अ जकरो ओएठमाँ एलिये, ननेद-नन्दोइस ओठमाँ, उहो हमरा आय नै देलक खाय लॅ ।”

And where we have arrived — that is, in the home of my sister and brother-in-law — they too did not give us food today.”

त से ने, त कहल्खिन कि, “अच्छा, ठीक छै ।“

This isn’t how it should be. They nevertheless conceded, “Well, so be it.”

जखन सुत्तै के बेर भेलै, राएत में, त दाय कहल्खिन कि, “ए रानी, आहाँके उ जे आएल, से बहीन-बहनोई बन कॅ, अथि, भाए-भौज बइन कॅ, तकरा आहाँ किछौ ने देल्यै, खाए-पीये लॅ ?”

When it was time to sleep at night, then a maid queried to her mistress, “O Queen, those relatives of yours, who came here under the pretense of your sister and brother-in-law…er…brother and sister-in-law, you did not give them anything…anything to eat and drink?”

त कहल्खिन, “गेहे, देखी, हमरा त बिसरा गेलै, गे, किछु ने देल्यै ओकरा हम, देखी पाबेन-सनक दिन छलै, से ओकरा हम देत्त्यै न किछो खाए लॅ ।”

Then she replied with regret, “Oh dear, I somehow forgot about them. Oh no, I did not give them anything, even though today was a festival day, I did not give them anything to eat.”

त कहलके, “जो, देखी गॅ, भंडार-घर में जे हेतै न, त से दही ग, अपन, दॅ दही, खै लेतौ, जो, आब हम जाएछियौ सुत्तै लॅ ।”

So, she said, “Go to the storeroom, and see if there is anything left there. Serve them whatever you find there to eat. Give them something, they will get to eat something. Now go, and let me go get some sleep.”

दाय देखॅल गेलै ओ भंडार-घर में, त भंडार-घर में जत्तै ओकरा भंडार में नीक चीज रहै, सबटा बिला गेलै ।

The maid went to that storeroom. But everything in the storeroom was gone, everything that was good had disappeared.

जौ के सत्तूआ रहै, आ गुढ़ रहै ।

Only some barley, flour and jaggery were left.

त कहल्खिन कि जे, कहल्के “ए रानी, किच्छो नै छै भंडार में, त एना-एना जौ के सत्तूआ ऐच्छ आ गूढ़ य ।”

So, she said to her, she said, “O Queen, there is nothing left in the storeroom, that there is only such things as some flour of barley and some jaggery.” 

त उहो रहथिन बहीन, हुन्कर अपन सुत्तै के बेर रहै, ओँघाएल सनके, त कहल्खिन, “जो, जे छे, से दॅ दहीग ।” 

And she too was a sister.  It was already her bedtime, and she was sleepy, so she said to the maid, “Go…give them whatever is left there.”

नौकरनी गेलै, ओकरा कहल्के कि जे, “से, हय्या लिय आहाँ सब ।”

The maid went and told them, “Here, take this.”

फूटल एकटा बरतन देल्खिन, बुचकट में, अ पाएन देल्खिन, फुटलहे बरतन में ।

She gave them a broken vessel. It was a little pot. She poured water in it. She poured water in the broken pot.

कहल्खिन, “इ घोएर क आहाँ से खा लियो ।”

She said, “Mix it, stir it, then eat it.”

त राजा कहल्खिन कि जे, “देखियो, जत, मने, खीर-पूरी-मिठाई हमरा अघाय नै छलौं खाएत-खाएत, तत इ हमरा, मने, केना घोटाएत ? त अन्न छिय्यै, त अन्न के अपमान नै करबै ।

Then the king said, “Look at this, that is, once I had so much khīr-pūrī-mithāī that irrespective of how much we chose to eat, the food would not run out. Today how will I be able to swallow this stuff? This is nevertheless our food, so I will not deride it.

त तैं द्वारे खाओ नै सकैछी, केना खाएब ?

Still I will not be able to eat it. How can I eat this stuff?

इ फूटल बरतन में घोड़बै करबै ? त ऊ नीचा बह जेत्तै ।

How can I mix it in this broken pot ? It will leak from the bottom.

त खाओ नै सकैछी ।

Nor can I eat it.

त हे धरती, आहाँ फाटू, हम आहाँ के सौँप दै छी ।

So, O Earth, please break open, I will leave this food in your custody.

इ अन्न के, आ जखेन हमर दिन गुजरत बारह साल के बाद, कोनो, अथि के बारह साल के बाद, लोग दिन भूल जायछे, लोग क होयेछे ।

Keep this food…after the twelve years of my suffering are over, that is, once twelve years have passed by, when everyone has forgotten about this day…most people tend to forget; they form different views.

त तहिया हम अपन, से ननेद-नन्दोएस के देखै देबै ।

At that point in time, I will show this food to my sister-in-law and her husband, I will show it to them.

जे ‘देखियो, दुखल में हम आहाँ लग एलों, त आहाँ हमरा कतै अपमान केनै छी, आ केहन खाना देनै छी, त से ।’”

I will tell them, ‘When I was suffering from hard times, I had come to seek your help. How disparagingly you treated me then, what kind of food you served me!’ I will tell them this.’”

त धरती फाट गेलै, ओही में ऊ दुनु सबटा अपन सौंप देल्खिन, जे बरतन रहे, सेहो सौंप देल्खिन, अ खानो, जे सत्तूआ रहे जौ के, सेहो सौंप देल्खिन ।

Then the earth burst open, and they both deposited their food into the earth. They kept the broken vessel there, and whatever food they had received — all the sattū that they had received — they deposited it into the earth.

फेर ओत्तै सॅ प्रात भेलै, कहल्खिन कि जे, “हम जाएछी आहाँ ओठमाँ से ।”

It was morning again. They said to their host, “We must leave your place.”

त उहो बुझल्खिन जे, “एहैन भाए-भौजाय हमरे थोड़बै हैथा !

On her part, she had already presumed, “How can I possibly have such a brother and sister-in-law!

इ त ओहिना बएन कॅ एला भाए-भोज, त हम एकरा कथि लॅ कहियै रहैलॅ ?”  

They are anyway disguised as my brother and sister-in-law. Why should I request that they stay longer?”

त, “ठीक छै,” कहल्खिन, “जाऊ ।”

So, she replied, “That’s fine, you may leave.”

ओत्तै स ऊ अपन चैल गेल्खिन ।

They departed from that place.

दोसर गाम भीख माँगेत−माँगेत अपन चैल गेल्खिन दोसर गाम ।

Begging and roaming as they went by, they arrived in another village.

त एवं प्रकारेण हीन्का दुख कटैत-कटैत बारह साल – बारहम साल ऐब गेले रहैन ।

So, in this manner, they suffered for twelve years. Finally the twelfth year had arrived. 

त ओय गाम में के राजा रहै, जेय गाम में इ पहूँचल्खिन, ओई गाम के जे राजा रहथिन, हुन्कर तबीयत खराब रहै ।

So, there was a king in the village where they had recently arrived. Whoever was the king of the village, his health worsened.

त तबीयत खराब रहैन, त राजा बीमार रहथिन ।

Then his health had worsened; the king became ill.

त सब कहल्कै जे, “देखियौ, से की कहैछै राजा त बीमार पेड़ गेला, आब इ राज-पाठ के चलैते ?

Then everyone said, “Look, what they say is that the king has fallen sick, now who will rule the kingdom?

कोई नै छै चलबै बॅला, अ राजो के संतान नै रहैन,” जे गाम में इ पहूँचल्खिन, तै राजा के ।

There is no one to run it. Besides, the king does not have any offspring.” This was the condition of the king of the village where they had recently arrived.  

“त से नै, त एना करू, अपना सब जत्तै जनता छी, गाम-समाजक लोग छी, त कोइ राजा के, मने, अथि करू, जे के राजा हैत ।”

“So it can’t remain this way. Let us do this. All of us are his subjects. We are the people of this village society. Someone should be our king. That is, someone should decide who will be the king.”

त कहलके, “ओहन त कोनो लोक नै हमरा बुझाय यऽ, जे ओहँ राजा बनै जोग ।”

Then they replied, “We do not know of anyone like the king, anyone who is qualified to be a king.” 

त कहल्खिन, “नै, नै ।”

Then they replied, “No, it can’t be so.”

लोग सब कहलके, “कोई त हेत्तै ज़रूर ।”

Most people contended, “There must be someone who is fit to be a king.”

त इ नऽ से गेल रहा अपन…ओही…इ जे ओत्तै से गेल्खिन, अपन बहीन-बहनोई ओएठाँ से, त इ कुम्हार औइठमाँ गेल्खिन ।

So, you see, he had been there…he was there…when he arrived there, after leaving left his sister—and—brother-in-law, he had gone to a potter’s house.

त कुम्हार औइठमाँ जे गेल्खिन, त देखल्खिन कि जे…बे…कुम्हार कॅ कहल्खिन, “हमरा नौकर में आहाँ राएख लियो ।

So, when he went to the potter’s, he saw that…er…he said to the potter, “You should keep me as your servant.

हम आहाँ के काज धंधा, माएट आएन देब, आहाँ कहब त माएट के बरतन जेना जेना कहब त बना देब ।”

I will work for you. I will do your work. I will bring mud for you. If you ask me to mould clay in the form of a pot, I will do it in the same way as you ask me to do it, and I will make that vessel for you.”

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “ठीक छै, नौकर एलैअ तऽ – कि हेतै – अपन भूखल-दुखल छै त राएख ले छीयै ।”

Then he replied, “Okay, that’s fine! If a servant has come to me — what can possibly happen — he is starving-and-suffering; let me keep him.” 

कुम्हार हुन्का राएख लेने रहै ।

The potter had retained him.

त ओ अपन राजा कुम्हार – नल राजा – कुम्हार औएठमाँ काम करै लगल्खिन आ रानी जे छल्खिनअ, त उ ओइठमाँ, ओत्तै, तऽ ओ…नै…बीच में…आहाँ के की भेलै…उ जे जाएत रहथिन, नदी पार करैत रहथिन ।

So, he — the potter-king, King Nal — began working at the potter’s place, and she who was the queen, she was there, at that place, then she…no…in the midst of all this…what had happened to them is that…while they were wandering, they had to cross a river.

बीच में नदी एलै पहिलै ।

In the midst of their wandering, they first came upon a river.

नदी जे पार करैत रहथिन, मने…ए…जेना अपन बहीन के औइठमाँ से एल्खिनअ…

When they were crossing the river…that is…er…after leaving his sister, when they arrived at…

[अच्छा, ओत्तै फेर कुम्हार लग गेल्खिन…]

[Oh, I see, there they went to the potter’s again…]

….कुम्हार लग बाद में जाये छथिन । 

…they go to the potter’s afterwards.

पहिले अपन बहीन लग से जे गेल्खिन, त बीच में नदी पड़ैत रहै, त ओइ पार जैतथिन, त ओही…राजा…रानी कहल्खिन कि, “यै राजा, से हमरा त बड्ड भूख लागल य ।”

After leaving his sister, when he began roaming at first, then there was a river in the midst of their journey. And they were about to cross the river, then there…the king…the queen said to him, “O king, I am very hungry.”

रानी कहल्खिन, दमयन्ती रानी, “त कोनो उपाय करतों, एइ गाम मे कतो, दु गाम चार गाम माँग कॅ कुछो आएन्तो, त बना दैतों, त दुनु पराणी खैतों अपन ।

The queen, Queen Damyantī, said, “Perhaps you could find a way to eat, somewhere in this village. Perhaps you can beg in a few villages and bring something. I could cook them, and both of us could eat afterwards.

त कहल्खिन कि, “ठीक छै । 

Then he replied, “That’s fine.

आहाँ एइ गाछ तर में बैसु, हम देखै छीयै, कत्तौ किछौ भेंट जात, त हम…।”

Sit under this tree. I will look around, and see if I can find something somewhere, I’ll…”

त गेल्खिन अपन ऊ गाम में, दु चार अँगना गेल्खिन, त माँगल्खिन ।

So, he went in the village, and he visited a couple of courtyards. He begged for food.

त कोइ एतै, से आटा लॅ कॅ देलकै ।

Then someone brought, someone brought flour for him.

आ मलाह माछ मारैत रहै पोखर में, त कहल्खिन कि, “हौ, दुटा माछ देबऽ हमरा, चायटा ।”

And there was a fisherman who was catching fish in a pool. So, he said to fisherman, “Hey you, can you give me a few fish?”

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “है, तु के छीयै, किया…केना तोरा माछ देबौ ?”

Then he replied, “Hey, who are you? Why should I?…How can I give away my fish to you?

त, “नै, हमरा दैय दूटा, त हमर घरवाली के, से भूख लागल्ह बड़ । 

He answered, “No, please give me two fish. Give it for my wife…she is very hungry.”

से किछु नै यऽ हमरा उपाय खाएला ।

I have nothing. I have no way of providing for us.

त इ माछ कॅ झड़का लेब, आ रोटी कॅ पकालेब, तऽ दुनु पराणी खा लेब ।”

And so I can fry this fish, and I can bake some rotī, and both of us can eat it.”

त कहल्खिन कि, “ठीक छै ।”

Then he replied, “Fine!”

तब, दैल्कैन, उ बेचारा, दया लाग गेलै, मलाह के, त दैल्कैन हुन्का, उ माछ । 

Then he gave some fish to him. The poor fisherman felt sorry for him, so he gave the fish to him.

आनल्खिन ।

The king brought the food to the queen.

त राजा कहल्खिन कि जे, “रानी, हम न्हाए लै जाए छीयै । आहाँ ताबे, इ माछ कॅ पकाऊ, अ चटनी बना लेम माछ के, अ रोटी बना लियौ ।”

Then the king said, “O Queen, I am going to go bathe. Meanwhile, you cook this fish, and make some paste of the fish, and bake some roṭī.”

त लकड़ी-तकड़ी तोड़ कॅ, सेहो आन-देल्खिन जंगले सॅ ।

Afterwards, he had chopped some wood into pieces, and he also brought some firewood from the forest.

त ओ नऽ, ईँटा जोड़ कऽ अपन, ओकड़ा पक्बैत रहथिन ।

So, you know, she arranged bricks for the stove, and she was cooking the food there.

उ नऽ से रोटी – जखन दुख पड़ैछै, बिपैत्त पड़ैछै आदमी के, त अपन भाएग नै साथ दै छै, त बहूत लोग के झेलै पड़ैछै – उ की भेलै, रोटी जैड़ गेलै, आहाँ के, पक्बैत जे रहथिन ।

While she was making roṭī — when one suffers from misfortune, when people are in distress, then they are not favored by their fate, they have to endure a lot of misery — so what happened then was that her roṭī got burnt. The roṭī she was cooking got burnt.

हुन्का कहियौ बन्बै के आदत नै, नौकर-चाकर दसटा रानी के, त हुन्का कतै सॅ बन्बै के आदत रहथैन ?

She had never been in the habit of cooking food. She used to be a queen who had tens of servants and maids. How could she possibly acquire the habit of cooking food?

त उ रोटी जएड़ गेलै ।

So, the roṭī got burnt.

माछ जे रहै, सेहो माछ, आहाँ के…से कनि…झड़ैक गेलै, त राजा एल्खिन नहाकॅ त कहल्खिन, “ए रानी, दियौ न खाएलॅ ।”

Those fish that were there, they too, you see, they too…a little bit…got burnt. The king returned after bathing, and he requested, “O queen, please give me food to eat.”

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “की दिय आहाँ कॅ हम खाए लॅ ? हमरा बड़ भूख लागल छलै ।”

So, she replied, “What can I give you to eat? I was very hungry.”

गेल्खिन पाइन में, “पहिले, जे देखिये, धो देबै त कम-से-कम ओकर उपरका परत हैट जैते, झड़कल जे छै ।”

She waded into the water, thinking, “First of all, let me see, if I wash the burnt fish, then it is possible that the topmost burnt layer of the fish will get washed away, and the remaining fish could still be edible.”

तो ओ एहैन हिलकोर एलै जे उ पाइन में दहा गेलै ।

But there came such a vigorous wave that the burnt food got swept away in the water.

रोटी अ माछ दुन्नु ।

Both roṭī and fish got swept away.

त आब त किछु ने रहै । ओ झड़कलो माछ अ लहकर लिट्टी नै रहलै ।

So, now there was nothing left to eat. Not even a burnt fish, nor a burnt liṭṭī.

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “ये रानी, से कि कहेछियै, जे दियऽ नऽ खाए लऽ ।”

Then he said, “O queen, what are you saying? Give me whatever food is left.”

तऽ, “की दिय आहाँ कॅ खाए लॅ ? हमरा बड़ भूख लागल छलै । हम सबटा खाए गेलौं ।”

So, she replied, “What can I give you to eat? I was very hungry. I ate everything.”

राजा बुइझ गेल्खिन, “किछु नै, मने, हीन्का नै छैन, तै दुआरे ।”

The king understood the situation, “No problem, I see, she has got nothing, that’s why.”

उ तऽ राजा रहथिन, किया नै बुझथिन ?

He was the king after all, why would he not figure out the true cause?

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “से ठीक छै । खा लेलौं, त कोनो बात नै छै ।”

So, he replied, “That’s fine. If you have eaten them, then there’s no problem.”

त कहल्खिन कि, “राजा, हमरा बड़ नींद लागल एच्छ ।” हँ…त कहल्खिन कि…रानी कहल्खिन ।

Then she said, “O king, I am very sleepy.” Yes…then she said…the queen said.

त, “आहाँ जे, नीचा धरती पर केना सुतब ? किछु तऽ ऐच्छ नै ।”

So, the king replied, “How can you sleep on the ground? There is nothing here on which you can lie down.”

तऽ, “आहाँ जे…जाँघ…पलथी मारी बैसतौं, त हम आहाँ के, से जाँघ पर, मुड़ी धॅ कॅ हम सुइततों ओएपर,” रानी कहल्के ।

Then she said, “You have…thighs…if you were to cross-legged, then I could lay my head in your lap, and I could sleep with my head on your thighs.

त कहल्खिन, “इ कोन बड़का बात छीयै, ठीक छै, आहाँ कॅ नीँद लागल यऽ, त आहाँ सुतू, अ हम जाँघ फैला देयछीयै ।”

So, he replied, “This is not an extraordinary request, it’s fine with me. You are feeling sleepy, so you sleep while I spread my thighs for you.

त राजा पलथी माएर कॅ बैस गेल्खिन, अ रानी के, से, अपन, सुता लेल्खिन जाँघ पर, मुड़ी धॅ कॅ ।”

Then the king sat crossed-legged, and he let the queen put her head in his lap, and he let her sleep.

त सप्ता बिप्ता कहल्खिन, “देखी, राजा रानी के…।”

Well, then, Saptā and Biptā said to one another, “Look at them, the king and the queen…”

हुन्का तऽ श्राप देने रहथिन…त कहल्खिन, “देखी, राजा रानी के टॅस एखनो नै गेलै हऽ । 

They had cursed both of them…they said, “Look at them! The vanity of the king and the queen has not left them.” 

केहन छै, मने, इ, जे पत्नी के, मने, अपन सुतैने ऐच्छ अपन कोड़ा में ? हँऽ !”

What kind of people are they that he lets his wife, that is, his spouse sleep in his lap? Sheesh!”

तऽ से, “एकरा सबके अखनो तक, से अपन अहंग नै गेलै यऽ ?”

Then they continued, “They have not yet given up their pride, have they?”

त फेर एल्खिन ।

So they appeared again.

कहल्खिन, मनु के रूप धर कऽ, “हे केहन मनुख छऽ तू, से की कहैछऽ, पत्नी कॅ लोग जाँघ पर सुत्तैबेयऽ ? आएँ ? से तू सुत्तैनै छऽ ?”

They, in the guise of humans, said to him, “Hey you, what kind of person are you…answer me that…who allows his wife to sleep in his lap? Who does that, let her sleep on you in that manner?”

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “की हेतै ? एकरा नींद लागल छै, तैं सुत्ता देल्यै ।”

To which he answered, “So what? She was sleepy, so I let her sleep.”

“हैय, एहनो लोग काज करैयऽ जे पत्नी क जाँघ पर सुतैबे यऽ ! नीचां में धॅ दहक, धरती पर ।”

“Ugh, how unbecoming it is of a man to let his wife sleep in his lap. Put her down, lay her on the earth.” 

आब राजा के एहन मन भौ गेलैन, मने, दुन्नु के एहन मन कॅ देल्खिन जे राजा हुन्का छोड़ कॅ चैल गेल्खिन ।

Now the king felt disgusted about his conduct. They both, Saptā and Biptā, had so affected the heart of the king that he left the queen and went away.

रानी के ।

He left the queen.

तऽ रानी जे उठल्खिन…धरती पर मुड़ी के धॅ देल्खिन, अ राजा अपन चैल गेल्खिन, नदी पाएर कॅ क, चैल गेल्खिन दोसर गाम ।”

So, when the queen got up…he had placed her head on the earth, and he went away all by himself. He crossed the river and went to a different village.

ओइ गाम गेल्खिन, त अपन ओइठवाँ, कुम्हार ओइठवाँ रहल ।

He went to that village, then he went to that place, to the potter’s place.

त कुम्हाएर हुन्का नौकर में राएख लेल्केन ।

And then the potter retained him as his servant.

रानी जे उठल्खिन त राजा के नै देखल्खिन ।

When the queen woke up, she did not see the king.

त इ बड्ड कनल्खिन रानी ।

So, she wept bitterly.

कहल्थिन कि “देख्यौ, एकटा, मतलब, रानी-यो, राजो छलाह साथ में हमरा, सेहो हमरा, मने, बिपैत एला, त हमरा छोड़ देलक ।

She said, “Look, the one person who stayed with the queen…that is, the king was with me…even he…I mean, he too…when I was in hard times, he too abandoned me.

आब हम, मने, जनानी छी, हम कत्तॅऽ जाएब ? 

Now I, being a woman, where should I go?

अ एहन भारी जंगल छै ।

This is such a dense forest.

आब हमरा सिंह खाएत, कि बाघ खाएत, कि की हैत !

Now, a lion may devour me, or a tiger may devour me. Who known what shall become of me!

से हम की करू, किछु नै फुराएयऽ ।”

What should I do now? I can’t think of anything.”

त लोक-सब जे घास-फुसा करैत रहै नऽ, त कहल्खिन कि जे, “हैय्य, से, किया कानै छऽ ?”

Then all those people who were gathering twigs and grass from the forest, they asked, “Hey you, why are you crying?”

“अ, तऽ ऐना ऐना, से देखियौ नऽ, हमरा राजा छलाह, हमरा पति छलाह साथ में,” – राजा कैना केहततै, ओकर पति छलाह साथ में – “से नै देखैछियै, हमर पति कतैदन चेल गेला छोड़के ।”

“Ah, you see, I had a king…um…I had a husband with me” — after all, how could she disclose to them that her husband was the king —  “then this and that happened, now, you see, he has abandoned me and gone somewhere.” 

त कहल्खिन कि जे से, “ओत्तै देखल्यै एक आदमी के, तोड़ा धार मुड़ी राख देल्कै नीचा में, अ ऊ त नदी पार के कॅ चल गेलौ ओए पार ।”

Then they replied, “We saw a man there. He placed your head on the earth, and he crossed the river and went to the other side.”

त कहल्खिन, “सैह, देख्यौ, राजो हमरा बिपैत में छोएड़ कॅ चेल गेल । आब हमरा राजा से कत्तै भेँट हैत ?”

So, she said, “Ah, you see, when I am in crisis, even the king has abandoned and left me. Now where will I ever get to meet with him?”

कहल्खिन कि जे…रानीयै रहथिन, संतोष भेलैन…कहल्खिन, “कोनो बात नै । जे भगवान लिखनै हेथिन, सैह हेत्तै, अपन ।

She carried on…she accepted her fate, she was a queen after all…she continued, “Never mind, whatever has been inscribed by the God, that will certainly happen.

जखैन हमरा श्राप पड़ल सप्ता बिप्ता के, त वैहै श्राप हमरा खियारैय्यऽ । 

Since I suffered the curse of Saptā and Biptā, I am now being driven by their curse.

त हमरो दिन जइहा घुड़ाबै के हेतेन भगवान के, त घुड़ेता । 

If God chooses to bring back good times to me, then he will do so.

राजा से भेँट करैके हैत, त हैत, ने त, नै हैत ।”

If I am destined to encounter the king, then it will happen. If not, then it won’t.”

उहो अपन ककड़ो ओइँठमा, नौकरनी जेकाँ ।

She too went to someone’s place, she was living like a servant there.

त बैश्या जे रहथिन नऽ, हुन्का ओठमाँ, उ अपन गेलखिन, त कह…लोग कहलकै कि, “हैय, एकरा कत्तै सॅ आनल्यै हँ ?”

So, you know the prostitute who was living there. The queen went to her place. Then other people began asking, “Hey, from where have you brought her?” 

त उ बैश्या जे रहथिन, उ कहल्खिन कि, “जे नै, हम एकरा राएख लेबै, अपना ओठमाँ ।”

Then the prostitute who was living there, she said, “Never mind, I will keep her, I will keep her at my place.”

जे गाम में लोग नै कहैछै जे, “एकरा नै रखिय…अपना समाज से अलग रहतै ।”

As villagers do, they said, “Don’t keep her…let her stay away from our society.”

त उ कहल्के, “है, की हेतै ? दुखछल छै, भीखमंगनीय छै, त की हेतै ?

But she answered them, “Come on! What could possibly happen? She is in distress, she is after all a beggar, what could possibly go wrong?

हम अपना एठमाँ, हमरा बच्चा ऐच्छ, हमर अपन बच्चा के खेला देत अपन ।

I will keep her at my place. I have children, so she can watch over them for me.

हम ओही तरे एकरा खाय लॅ दॅ देबै अपन, खा लेते ।”

I will feed her in compensation for her service, she will receive food in return.

त कहल्खिन, “ठीक छै ।”

They replied, “Ok then.”

त ओ अपन…दुन्नु आदमी, दुन्नु पति-पत्नी, दु गाम चेल गेल्खिन ।

So, she…both of them, both husband and wife…they went to two different villages.

त ओ जे कुम्हार ओएठमाँ रहथिन, त कुम्हार अपन ओकरा रखने रहे ।

So, he had been living at the potter’s place, and the potter retained him.

अपन नौकर-चाकर जेकाँ, अपन खाए-पीये लॅ देय ।

He kept the king like one of his servants, providing for him food and drinks.

कुम्हार के उ काज कॅ दे, सबच़ी अपन कॅ दे, अपन ।

He worked for the potter, he himself did everything for the potter, he himself.

इ की केल्खिन…राजा ओए गाम के जखन बीमार पएर गेलै, त ओ राजा मएर गेले, ओए गाम के ।

What he did…when the king of that village fell sick, then he died. The king of that village died.

त लोग कहल्के कि जे, “दैखियौ, ऐतै बड़का गाम में राजा नै रहत, त इ राज केना चलत ?

So, the people said, “Look, if there is no king in this large village, how will the kingdom be administered?

के चलैते ? त से नै, त राजा के चुनाव त हैबाक चाही,” त सभा लगलै ।

Who will make it run? It can’t be like this, so the election of a king must take place.” Thus an assembly was organized.

सभा लगलै, त लोग कहल्कै कि जे से, की कहैछै से, “हाथी के माला दॅही, जेकड़ा गारा में हाथी माला धॅ देतै, से एइ गाम के राजा हैते ।”

An assembly gathered. And the people said…what they said was…”Give a garland to an elephant. He, on whose neck the elephant chooses to place the garland, will be the king of the village.”

त कहल्के, “ठीक छै ।”

Then everyone responded, “It is agreed.”

हाथी के माला देल्कै, हाथी…सब…जैत्तै रहै जनता, मने देखैत, ओइठमाँ सभा-गाछी में, कतो नै उहो रुकले उ हाथी, उ हाथी दौड़ैत-दौड़ैत गेलै, अ एकरा ओइठमाँ जे रहथिन…राजा के दिन पुइर गैलन रहे, बारह साल पुर गेलैन रहै ।

They gave a garland to the elephant. The elephant saw…everyone…everyone who had gathered there — that is, everyone who was watching the elephant, that is, everyone who was present in that assembly and its vicinity…But the elephant did not stop near anyone of them…That elephant…that elephant kept running until it arrived at the place where the king was living…The tenure of the king’s curse was over, twelve years had gone by.

इ जे कुम्हार ओइठमाँ नौकर बन कॅ रहथिन, ओकरा गाला में धॅ देलकै ।

He was living as a servant at the potter’s. The elephant placed the garland on his neck.

त लोग कहल्के की…म…मने जे…”इ…त भेले”…मने “अथि…भेलै…।” 

Then the people said…that is…”this…this has happened”…that is…”this has happened…”

“हाथी…,” लोग कहल्के जे, “देख्यौ, हाथी भुइल गेलै, से इ ऐतै लोग छलै, तेकरा ककरो नै गारा में माला देल्कै, राजा बनै के, आ इ जे नौकर छै, तकरा देलकै य ।

”The elephant…,” the people said…”look, the elephant was clearly lost. After all there were so many people around here, it did not place its garland…the garland for becoming the king…on the neck of these people. Instead it ran all the way to the servant, and gave its garland to him.

त…से केना हेतै, कुम्हार के नौकर कहीँ राजा बन्तै ?”

Now…how can this be, how can the servant of a potter ever become a king?”

त लोग सब कहल्के कि, “हैय, छोड़ दहक आए ।

Then everybody said, “Sheesh, let’s leave it for today.”

त इ नै भैल्ल, त काइल खना, फेर सभा लगाभिय, ओइ में जेकरा जेत्तै हाथी माला पहिरा देत्तै, ओकरै राजा मानब ।”

As this is not acceptable, let us gather again tomorrow. Whoever receives the garland tomorrow, wherever they may be — anyone to whom the elephant gives the garland to wear tomorrow — we will recognize that very person as the king.”

त कहल्खिन, “ठीक छै ।”

And they said, “It is agreed.”

ओइ दिन सबा बिसर्जन भौ गेलै । 

The assembly was dismissed for that day. 

दोसरो दिन फेर हाथी की केल्कै, दौड़ल-दौड़ल गेल ।

On the second day as well, what the elephant did was that it ran and ran.

इ रेहै पूजा के बर्तन माँजैत अपन…अथि गाछ…नदी किनार में, त ओ पूजा के बर्तन जत्तै माँजैत रहै, ओ की केलक, सबटा फेँक-फाँक देल्कै ओ पूजाक बर्तन के, एकरा गारा में हाथी से माला धॅ देल्कै ।

He was cleaning the utensils that he used for worshiping the gods…near a tree…on the shore of a river. What the elephant did was that it threw away all the utensils he was cleaning, and placed the garland on his neck.  

अ अपन…मने…कहै कि, “चॅल । ऊठ ।”

And, it was as if it were telling him, “Come on. Get up!”

ओकरा सूँड़ में लपेटने जाए ।

It began rolling him in its trunk.

त इ कहै कि जे, “देख्यौ, इ हमरा काएलो गला में…हाथी…मने…धॅ देलक माला, अ आइयो धॅ देलक ।” 

And all the while, he wondered, “See, it placed the garland on my neck yesterday as well…this elephant…that is…it has put its garland on me today as well.” 

त ओ त नौकर-चाकर रहै, ओकरा त नै जानकारी जे गाम में की भौ रहल्छै, नै भौ रहल्छै । 

He was, after all a servant, so he was unaware of what was or wasn’t going on in the village.

फेर लोग सब कहल्के कि जे, “देख्यौ, इ हाथी, केहन छै जे…जे…आब…ओ…ओकरे ओइठमाँ जाइछे ।  

Again, the people said, “Look, this elephant — what sort of being it is — that it…it…goes to his place again. 

लोग की कहतै, ‘कुम्हरा औइठमाँ…,’ कहेछै…जे की…, ‘कुम्हराँ डीँगर…आ…हाथी…से केना राजा बनते ?’ त से…ओ कहीं राजा बन्ले, ओकर नौकर ।”

What would other folks say, ‘At the potter’s place…,’ they say…that…, ‘a stubborn potter…and…elephant…how can he become the king?’ So, he…how could he ever become king, how could his servant be a king.”

त एकटा बुढ़िया रहे, कहल्के, “हैय्य, छोड़ दहक, त आए, दूसर ते सत्त त भौ गेलॅ, तीन से ते सत्त कोनो चीज़ होयेछै । 

Now, there was an old woman. She said, “Well then, leave it for today. The truth of two days is already evident. There is nothing more truthful than the truth of the third instance. 

तेसर बेड़ में, से सत्त होयेछे । जौं काएल्हो इ हाथी ओकरे राजा देत्तै, त ज़रूर ओकरा में राजा के कुछ अंश हेत्तै ।  

Whatever comes out in the third instance, that is certainly true. If the elephant identifies him as the king tomorrow as well, then there is definitely some kingly qualities in him. 

तैं दैत हेत्तै । 

That is why it always gives it to him. 

या त नीक लोह हेत्तै ।”

Otherwise he is just a good person.” 

हाथी…ओकरा की कैलकै सब…रहो…जे…कुम्हार के घर रहै, मने, भूस्सा-तूस्सा भरल रहै अपन, तैं घर में ओकरा बंद कॅ देलकै, आ जींजी लगा देलकै । 

The elephant…they all did to him…that…there was the house of the potter…that is…it had a room filled with a large pile of hay and fodder. They shut him in that room, and they chained the door. 

राजा…अथि…फेर सभा लग्लै, हाथी, की केलक, दौड़ल-दौड़ल गेल, चारू बगल तॅ, कत्तौ नै भैँटे । 

The king…er…the assembly gathered again. The elephant — what he did — ran and ran. All four sides of the hut were closed, it could not find him.  

उ की केलक, भूस्खाँर घर क तोएड़ देलक, टाँट के । 

What it did was that he tore down the hay and straw hut. He tore down its wooden walls. 

ओइ घर में जाकर फेर ओकरे हाथ में दॅ देल्के माला । 

It went into the hut, and it placed the garland on his hand again. 

त लोक सब कहल्के, “से नै…जेन…जैं किच्छो…एकरा में किच्छो अंश छै, तै न ।” 

Then everyone said, “There is…in him…something…there is some royal quality in him, that’s why it happened to him.” 

त कहल्के कि जे, ओकरा पूछल्के…कि जे…, “आहाँ जे नौकर छियै हीन्कर, त हाथी बार-बार अहीं के किया दैय्य इ चीज ?” 

So, they said…they asked him…that…,”You who are his servant, why does the elephant give this thing to you again and again?” 

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “से देख्यौ से हम, मने, कत्तौ के राजा…हमर नाम रहे…जे नल राजा…हमरा दमयन्ती रानी रहै ।

Then he replied, “So, you see, I…er…I used to be a king somewhere…my name was…was King Nal…I had a Queen Damyantī.

त हमरा सप्ता बिप्ता के श्राप पड़ल य ।

Then the curse of Saptā and Biptā fell on me.

तेही दुआरे से हमर सब किछु बिला गेलै एच्छ ।

That is why I lost everything I ever owned.

त भौ सकैय, हमरा बारह साल पुइर गेलै य, हमरा त ओत्तैक जानकारी नै एच्छ । तै दुआरे ।

It is possible that I have spent twelve years already. I do not know that much about it, but this might be why.

हम त इ हाथी के नै…जानेलिये जे हमरा राजा बुझ कॅ दैय्य कि की ?”

This elephant was not acquainted with me…how can I possibly know why it recognizes me as the king and gives me that thing?” 

त लोग सब कहलके कि, “कोनो बात नै छै, राजा नै हेतै, राज-पाठ नै चलबै आबैत हेतै न, की हेतै, बैसा दही एकरे…राजा के अथि बना कॅ ।

Then everyone conferred, “No problem. If he were not the king, then he would not know how to rule and administer a kingdom, what can possibly go wrong; let’s place him on the throne…that is, let us declare him to be king.

अ एकरा नै चलबै आबैत हेतै न राज-पाठ, त हटा देब एकरा, दूसरे आदमी कॅ राजा बनाब्बै ।”

And if he does not know how to rule the kingdom, then we will remove him, we will choose another person to become the king.”

त ओ त राजा रहबै करथिन, हुन्का किया नै एतै ?

But he had, of course, been a king, so why would he not know how to administer his kingdom?

त फेर दरबार लगेल्खिन अपन राजा जेकाँ, अपन दरबार लगेल्खिन, लोग सब कॅ बजैल्खिन, पंडित-पुराण के बजैल्खिन, पान-सुपारी देल्खिन प्लैट में लॅ कॅ ।

And, he, like a king, assembled his court again. He established his court, he invited many people, he invited the priests and learned men, he served them betel leaf and areca-nut on a plate.

त राजा के लक्षण रहे, त राजा वला त सबटा हीन्का में गुण रहबै करैन ।

Thus, he had the attributes of a king. And he already had all those qualities that were becoming of a king.

त इ अपन से, त लोक सब कहल्के, “किछु नै, ज़रूर, इ राजा हेतै, तैं इ झूठ ने कहैछै । नै त एकरा जे…इ जे…सामान्य आदमी रहतै, त पहिले हमरा तोरा पान नै देतो खाए लॉ, दरबार में । तब अपने खैते ।”

When he himself served others, then everyone concluded, “No doubt, he was a king before, so he is not lying. If not…had he not been king…if he were just a common person, then he would not serve the betel leaf first to you and me; instead he would eat it first.”

त राजा रहै लागला आब ।

So, he had now become the king.

ईद जखैन रहला, त कहेल्खिन की, राजा, जे से “ऐइ गाम में से कोई छै नै, जे कि राजा के सामाख्या पुरैछै ?” त से ।

When the time for the coronation arrived, then he, the king, asked, “Isn’t there any woman in this village who can perform some rituals for the king?” He asked this. 

त कहल्खिन कि से, “हाँ, हाँ, किया नै रहतै, से ऐइ गाम में एना सेंखी छै, से पुरैछै राजा के सामाख्या ।” 

Then they replied, “Yes, yes, how can we not have such a woman! There is one female companion in this village, she performs the customary rituals for the king. 

मने, कहनाय के मतलब जे कोनो पत्नी के दरज़ा देनाय, त से । 

That is, his query was intended to find someone who can take the place of a wife. So he asked. 

त कहल्खिन कि, “हाँ, हाँ, छै न, से ।” 

Then they replied, “Yes, yes, there is someone like that, there is.” 

त कहल्खिन, “अच्छा, ठीक छै । त ओकरा आहाँ ।” 

So, he said, “I see, that’s good. Then, please invite her.”  

राजा ओकरा की केल्खिन, एक डाला सोना…अ…हीरा लॅ कॅ पठा देल्खिन । 

What the king did was that he sent his messenger to her along with a basket of gold…and…diamonds.

कहल्खिन जे, “आय राएत कहबैन, राजा हुन्का बजैल्खिन हँ ।” “हाँ ।” 

He said, “Please tell her to come tonight. Tell her that the king has called her.” “Right!”

कहल्खिन, “ठीक छै ।” ओ त उहा काजै करैत रहै, त उ अपन कहल्के, “ठीक छै । हम जाएब ।” 

The messenger replied, “Sure!” He was after all used to doing this very work. So he too replied, “Sure! I will go.”  

उ जै अपन…राजा कहल्खिन जे, “नै, पहले हम उन्का ओइठमाँ जेबैन, हँऽ, हुन्का ओइठमाँ ।” 

While he was…the king said to him, “No, I will first visit her place, you see, I will go there.” 

त कहल्खिन, “ठीक छै । कहबैन राजा के आबै लॉ ।” 

Then he replied, “Okay, that’s fine! I will tell her that I will bring the king.”

त पहिले एक डाला…रु…सोना, उ पठा देल्खिन । 

So, he first sent a basket of…money…gold. 

हुन्का ओइठमाँ गेल्खिन, त हुन्का ओइठमाँ देखल्खिन नौकरनी के बच्चा खेलाबेत । 

When he went to her place, there he saw a maid who was babysitting and playing with children. 

उ कहल्खिन कि, “गै नोकरनी, तू गेट पर बेस, बच्चा के खेला, अ हम जाइछियो तैय्यार होये लॅ । हँ ? तऽ…घर में…अन्दर जाइछी, तऽ हम राजा ओइठमाँ हमरा जाए के ऐच्छ राइत में ।” 

She said, “Oh maid, sit near the gate and play with the children; meanwhile I will get ready. Is that alright? Then…in the house…I will go inside the house, and I will get ready for a visit to the king’s palace tonight.

त कहल्खिन जे, “ठीक छै । मेल्किनी एना आहां आउ, हम बच्चा कॅ खेलबेछी ।”

Then she replied, “That’s alright! O mistress, you get ready and come back. I will watch over and play with the children.”

उ गेल्खिन घर में तैय्यार होये लॅ । राजा जे एल्खिन, त देखल्खिन हीन्का । त राजा चीन्ह गेल्खिन अपन रानी के ।

She went inside the house to get ready. The king arrived there, and he saw her. He recognized his queen.

अप्पन लोग के किया नै लोग चीन्हतै ? तै में जेकरा संगै रहल रहतै, पत्नी के रूप में, ओकरा तॅ आरो चीन्हतै ।

Why would one not recognize their one’s own person? More so, why would one not recognize someone one used to live with as husband and wife. They would be recognized more easily.

त राजा कहल्खिन कि…।

Then the king said…

चइल गेल्खिन ।

He departed.

हाँ, बिना कहने सुन्नै किच्छो ।

Yes, without saying or listening to a word.

त ओ एलेसेल्खिन, मने, घर से निकल्लै नै, तो ओ पूछल्के जे, “आँए गै…से कि कहली राजा के से राजा चैल गेल्खिन ?

Then the mistress…that is…came out of the house, and she asked, “Hey you…what did you say to the king that made him leave so quickly?

ओ हमरा भैंटो ने केलैत, अऽथ…।”

And he did not even meet me, sheesh…”

कहल्खिन, “गै, मइल्काइन, हम तऽ कीछ नै कहल्यैन, से हम तऽ बच्चा के खेल्बै छलौंह, अहीं कै ।

She answered, “O mistress, I did not say anything to him, I was busy playing with children, your children.

त राजा देखल्खिन आहाँ के, पूरा घर-दुआर, हमरा देखलेथ बैसल, हमरा नै किछु पूछलैथ, हमरा खाली पूछलैथ, ‘आहाँ के छीयै ऐय घर के ?’

And the king saw your entire house and courtyard. He saw me sitting here, and he did not ask me anything. All he asked me was, ‘Is this your house?’

हम कहलियै जे, ‘हम नौकरनी छीयै ऐय घर के, बच्चा के खेला देयछियै । तेकर बदला में खाय-पीये लॅ दैय्य अपन ।’

I replied, ‘I am a maid in this house, I watch over and play with the children. In return, I am provided food and drink here.’

त कहल्खिन जे, ‘ठीक छै ।’

He replied, ‘Okay.’

त से…आ चैल गेल्खिन राजा ।”

And then…and the king went away.”

राजा फेर ओकरा एक डाला सोन एक डाला रूप पठा देल्खिन, कहल्खिन कि जे, “जाऊ, से ओ ओकरा दॅ देबै…कहबै कि…कामाख्या के, जे, “औकर जे नौकरनी छै, तकरा बेटी-पूतोह जैकाँ, से हमरा औइठमाँ पठा देतै ।”

The king again sent his messenger with a basket of gold, a basket of money, and said to him, “Please go to her, give these to her…and say to her…to that ritualist, “She should send her maid, the woman who serves her, to me, and she should send her as one would send off their daughters or daughters-in-law.”

मने, जेना लोग बिदाई करैय लड़की अपन, तैहना ।”

That is, she should be sent in the same manner that people send off their daughters to the grooms’ home. That’s how it should be done.”

त ओ जे रहथिन, से नाचै लगलै तामसे ।

Then she, who lived there, she went into a rage.

“जे देख्यौ जे, मने, हम नौकरनी के रखनै छीयै, त हमरा नै माँग कॅ, मने ओ नौकरनी के कहैय कि…जे हमरा नौकरनी के मांगलक, अ कहैय कि जे, “आहाँ, हमरा नौकरनी के भेज दियो ।”

“Look here, I mean, I have a maid-servant. But instead of inviting me, he is soliciting the maid, I mean, he is accosting my maid, and he is saying that, “You should send your servant to me.”

त ओ अपन सब लॅग बाइजले, एक-दू आदमी लॅग ।

Then she disclosed his wishes to her people, she spoke about it to one or two people.

अ भेर गाम हल्ला भौ गेलै, जे राजा से एना-एना ओकर नौकरनी छलै, तकरा माँग करै छथिन ।

And the whole village was abuzz — that the king did so and so, and that there was her maid, and that he is asking for her maid.

जे आए उ नौकर-चाकर माँगैछथिन, कहैछथिन नौकरनी दै लॅ, काइल त उ बेटियो-पूतोह कॅ माँग सकै छथिन, मने लोग के जे मन में भावना आबै छै, त से नै, त इ केना हेतै, हँ ।

That today he is asking for servants and maids, today he is telling us to give a maid, so, tomorrow he could even demand our daughters and daughter-in-laws. That is, people were filled with ideas in their minds. But this can’t done. How could this happen?

त कहल्खिन कि जे…तऽ…किछु आदमी, बूढ़-बुढ़ानुस कहल्खिन कि जे, “है, तऽ तोरा ऐइ में कि लगैछऽ ?

Then they said that…so…some men who were old and decrepit said, “So, how come you are so attached to this issue.

तोहर तऽ कोनो खरीदल नै छऽ नौकर ? हँ, त राजा कॅ अगर पसंद छै, वैह नोकरनी, त दॅ दहक अपन, तोरा की लगै, जहिया बेटी पूतोह माँगतै, तहिया देखल जेतै ।

After all, you haven’t had to purchase that servant. Isn’t it so? Thus, if the king likes her, if he likes that very maid, give her to him. How will it affect you? When he asks for daughters and daughters-in-law, then we will see what to do at that point.

ओ गाम से भगा देब अपन, नै राखबै राजा ।”

Then we will drive him away, we will not keep the king.”

त कहल्खिन कि…त उ गेल्खिन अपन ।

Then she said…then she went away.

बेटी-पूतोह जेकाँ ओकरा पहिरा-ओढ़ा कॅ बिदा कॅ देल्खिन राजा ओइठमाँ ।

She dressed her servant like she would dress her daughter or daughter-in-law, and she sent her away, she sent her to the king’s palace.

त राजा कहल्खिन जे “ए रानी, ए रानी…से आब त अपना सबके दिन घूइर गेला, तैं सब चीज राजा बनैलक, इ हाथी ।

Then the king said, “O queen, o queen…so now our good days have returned to us, that’s how we have gotten everything back, I am now the king, and I have an elephant.

त से नै, मने, जत एते…सुख केनै छी, त एइ गाम में किया रहब हम राजा बन कॅ, अपने गाम चलूँ अपन । आब त दिनो घूइर गेलै ।”

So, let this not be all that we have. That is, after all that…we have enjoyed, why should we, as sovereigns, stay tied to this village? We should return to our own village. After all our good times have finally returned to us.

त कहल्खिन कि जे,” ठीक छै । त चलू । अपने गाम चलू ।”

Then she replied, “All right. Let us go. Let us go to our village.”

त कहल्खिन, लोग सबके बजैल्खिन, सभा लगैल्खिन, कहल्खिन कि जे, “देखू, से हमरा एना-एना सप्ता-बिप्ता के श्राप पड़ल छलै ।

So, he said, he called all his people, he organized a meeting, and he said, “Look, so, after this-and-this happened, the curse of Saptā and Biptā had fallen on me.

तैइ दुआरे से हमरा एइ श्राप बारह साल काटै के रेहै, तै दुआरे हम दुनु पति पत्नी बिछुर गेल छलौंहँऽ ।

That is why I had to endure much suffering in the last twelve years, that is why we both, husband and wife, were separated.

त आए हम मिल्लोंहँऽ, त हम आब एइ गाम में, हम भनै आहाँ के गाम के देख-भाल कॅ देब, कोइ राज्य में ऐत तऽ ।

But today we have found each other, and now we want to leave this village and return to our own. We will certainly take care of your village, and we will defend it when someone intrudes here.

लेकिन हम एइठाम में नै रहब ।

But we will not live here.

हमर जे अपन गाम ऐच्छ, जेत्तै हमरा हाथी…मने…सब-चीज छलाह, अपन दरबार, हम ओहींठाम में जैब ।”

We have our own village, where we had all our belongings…that is…our elephant, our court, we will go there.

तऽ…आब लोग कहल्के, “राजा छीयै, एकरा तऽ बँएध कॅ नै रखभिही, त तैं दुआरे ।”

So…now the people said, “He is a king, you cannot tie him up and make him stay here, so let him go.”

त कहल्कै, “ठीक छै । त आहाँ जाऊँ, जत्तै ने रहै चाहेछी ।”

Then they replied, “OK. Since you don’t want to stay here, proceed to your village.”

ओ अपन चइल एल्खिन, अपन गाम एल्खिन, त जहिना सब चीज हुन्का रहैन राजा वला – दरबार-तरबार, सब-चीज, मकान-तकान, ओहिना हीरा-जवाहरात, नौकर-चाकर – सब चीज ओहिना हुन्का भौ गेल ।

They returned, they returned to their own village, and the village had everything that they owned previously — court and assembly, all belongings, palace and mansions, the same jewelry and diamonds, maids and servants — they had everything like they owned in old times.

तऽ राजा कहल्खिन कि जे, “देख्यौ, से एत्तैटा राज-पाठ त ऐच्छ, सब चीज ऐच्छ, लेकिन…अ…से…अथि…नैय्य, बाल-बच्चा नैय्य ।

Then the king said, “Look, we definitely have a vast kingdom, we have everything, but…that is…we don’t…we don’t have children and offsprings.

त अपना सब जभे जिन्दा छी, ताभे न इ सूख भोगब, तकर बाद त कोई ने भोगत ।”

So, we will enjoy prosperity as long as we are alive. But, after us, no one will be able to do that.

त कहल्खिन कि से…राजा जे नदी पाएर केने रहथिन, त ओ बच्चा..बच्चा हुन्का संगै में रहैन । हाँ ।

Then he said that… the king while he crossed the river, then the child…the child was with her, wasn’t it?

बच्चा…दुनु…जे जंगल में रहल्खिन, त ओए में हुन्का बच्चा भो गेल रहैन, राजा के ।

That child…both she and her child…while she lived in the forest, she bore this child, the child belonged to the king.

त रोहित दास नाम रहे, ओए बच्चा के…[रहु दास]…हँ…त…रोहु दास…कि भेलैन…त आहाँ के….ओ जे खएस पड़ल्खिन, नाव जे पार करैत रहथिन न, तै में उ रोहु दास खएस पड़ल्खिन ।

So, his name was Rohitdās. To that boy…[Rahudās]…er…then…what happened to Rohudās…you know…he was the one who fell down. When they were crossing the river, then Rohudās fell in the river.

त ओकरा माछ न अपना पेट में से राएख लेने रहे, माछ…ओ बच्चा के ।

Then a fish kept him in its stomach. That fish…kept the boy.

त जखैन राजा एल्खिन अपन गाम, त…ओ…सब अपन-अपन उपहार लॅक के गेलै, राजा लॅग ।

So, when the king returned to his village, then…he…everyone brought gifts to him, they brought them to the king.

“जे चल, मने राजा बेन कॅ एला ह, फेर वेहा राजा, त अपना सब किछु-किछु उपहार हुन्का दिहैन, सनेस हुन्का दिहैन ।”

“Let us go to his place. That is, he has arrived here as our king, he is the same king we had before, so let us all give some little gifts and presents to him.”

त मल्लाहिन जे रहथिन न, उहो अपन माछ लॅ कॅ गेल्खिन, दै लॅ ।

So, a fisherwoman who was there, she too brought her fish to the palace, she gifted it to them.

सगुन होइछै माछ, आहाँ के ।

The fish, as you know, is considered auspicious.

त से कोनो काज हैत – मूड़न, चूडा-कर्ण, बियाह-दान – त माछ के डाली धरै छै न, त से ।

That’s why, whenever there is a ritual event – be it muḍān, cūḍa-karṇa, or a wedding ceremony — a basket filled with fish is given as an auspicious gift. This is how it is.

बड़काटा माछ रहै, ओएमें ते बच्चा रहै पेट में ओइ माछ के ।

It was a big fish. It contained a child in its stomach. The fish had a child.

मने, रोहु दास रहथिन, त माछ बड़काटा रहै ।

That is, Rohu Dās was in it, so the fish was huge.

त ओ अपन से बन्बैलॅ नौकरानी कॅ कहल्खिन, “गै, एना-एना मल्लाह जे दॅ गेलौ, मल्लाहिन, माछ, मल्लाह, से ओकरा बनेहली नै ?”

So, the queen said to a maid who would to cook fish, “Hey, the fisherman gave us this fish after such and such happened. The fisherwomen brought this fish. That was from the fisherman. Did you already cook that fish?”   

त, “नैय्य, रानी, नै बनेलियै, से जाए छीयै, बना दै छीयै ।”

Then, she answered, “No, O Queen, I did not cook it. Let me go now, I will cook it now.”

त कहल्खिन, “जो बना ले गॅ ।”

So, she said, “Go ahead and cook it.”

ओ जे कण्ठुर धॅ के माछ के कटैत रहथिन, त ओ रोही दास कहल्खिन कि जे, “से, आहाँ, से, ओना नै काटब, मने, नीक से काटब, हम एइ में, रोही दास ।”

And at the precise moment she was trying to chop the fish by placing a hook on its throat, Rohīdās said, “So, you who is cutting this fish, please cut this fish carefully, I am inside, I am Rohī Dās.”

त कहल्खिन कि, “ये रानी, हम त माछ नै बनाएब, से देखियो न, माछ त, मुँह बजैय्य ।”

Then she said, “Hey queen, I won’t cook this fish, look at it, look at this fish, its mouth is talking.”

त कहल्खिन कि, “हैय्य, एहनो कहीं भेलैय, माछ के…कहीं भासा…लोग बुझतै ? माछ, केना मुँह बजतै ?”

To which she replied, “Huh, has such a thing ever happened? Have humans ever comprehended fish…the language of fish? That is a fish, how can its mouth speak?”

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “ठीक छै, तू ने बनैबै, से नै बनेबै, तोरे एतै चालम-चत्कार सॅ, जे हमरा एतै दुख कटलौं ।”

And she continued, “That’s fine, if you won’t cook it, then don’t do it. I won’t beg for your favors. After all, I didn’t need your service and pampering when I had to endure several years of suffering.”  

मने, तो ने हमरा सप्ता-बिप्ता वला डोरा दिखैबतैं, नै हम ओए में पैड़तौं, आ की कहैछै, एतै चालम-चत्कार कर, तोरे अथि से हम एतै, मने, बारह साल, हम दुःख कटलौं हँ, त फेर तो एना करैछैं, त हमरा फेर दुख दियैबै तों, त से नै, रहै दही, हम अपने माछ काटब ।”

That is, had you not shown me the thread of Saptā and Biptā, had I not got involved in that thread, I would be better off. And what more, it was not with your service and support that I was able to endure years of suffering, twelve years of suffering. And you are still behaving the same way; you would cause me suffering again. So, forget it, I will cut up the fish myself.”

त माछ काटैल अपन रानी बैसल…त कहल्खिन कि जे, “माँ…।”

So the queen sat down to cut up the fish…and cried out, “Ma…!”

बेटा रहथिन ओए में, त कहल्खिन कि, “माँ, माँ, से कर खुर उदारब, नाभि धर, से अथि करब…माछ कॅ बनाएब, जे एइ में हम आहाँ के रोही दास ।” 

Her son was in it, so he said, “Ma, ma, remove its scales by holding its navel, do this…while preparing this fish. I am inside. I am your Rohīdās.”

त माए रहथिन, माए त बुझ गेलखिन, माए अपन, कटल्खिन नीक से माछ के, मतलब बच्चा निकल्लै ।

Since she was his mother, she immediately understood his situation. She was indeed a mother. She cut up the fish accordingly, meaning, a child emerged from it.

ओ मल्लाहिन जे रहै, तऽ भर गाम हल्ला भौ गेलै, “जे राजा के जे मल्लाह, माछ दॅ एलै, त ओकरा माछ में बच्चा छलैय एकटा ।”

That fisherwoman who was there…The news spread like a riot in the whole village, “That king, to whom the fisherman had gifted the fish…that king found a child in the fish.”

तऽ ओ मल्लाह के बच्चा नै रहै, अपना बाल-बच्चा नै रहै ।

So, that fisherman had no child, he had no child or offspring of his own.

तऽ ओ कहल्के कि जे, “इ बच्चा, त हम्मर भेल, माछ त हम दै एलियैय । त जे दॅ एलै, तकरै न बच्चा हेत्तै ।”

Thus, he argued, “This child should belong to me, I had given the fish to the king. The child must belong to the person who gave the fish to him.”

त ओ कहल्खिन कि जे, “से, नै, से आहाँ के बच्चा केना भैल ?”

Then he said, “No, that can’t be, how can this be your child?”

राजा कहल्खिन, “आहाँ के बच्चा केना भैल ? उ त माछ हमरा आहाँ…ककरो कोइ उपहार दॅ दैयछे, सगुन दॅ दैयछे, ओ त ओकर भौ जाएछै ।”

The king contended, “How can this child belong to you? You have given that fish to me…When someone gives a gift for the sake of an auspicious occasion, then the gift belongs to the recipient.”

त राजा कहल्खिन कि….मल्लाह कहे, मल्लाहिन कहै जे, “नै, इ हमर बच्चा छै ।”

Then the king said…then the fisherman replied, then the fisherwoman replied, “No, this is my child.”

रानी…त अपन बच्चा रहबै करैन ।

The queen…she knew it was her child.

त रानी कहथिन, “नै, इ हमर रोही दास छीयै ।”

Still, the queen replied, “No, this is my Rohīdās.”

त राजा कहल्खिन, “देखूँ कि आहाँ दुनु आदमी झगड़ा-झंझट नै करू । हँ ।

Then the king said, “Look, don’t quarrel and argue with one another. Okay?

से हम…आन लोग सब के न्याय त हम करैछी अपन, लेकिन हमर न्याय के करत ?

It’s I…I am the one who delivers justice to all people. But who will deliver justice in my case?

त कोनो बात नै, हम एकर न्याय कॅ दै छीयै ।”

Well, it’s nothing; I will find a just resolution to this issue.”

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “इ केना हेतै ?”

Then he wondered, “How will this happen?”

त कहल्खिन कि, “ठीक छै ।“

And he said, “It’s all right!”

गाम में अपन ढ़ोलो पीटैलै जे सभा लगै, हाँ ।

The village reverberated with drum beats, and a meeting was called. It was!

सभा लाग्लै, त लोग पूछल्के, ”कथि के सभा लग्लै ?”

An assembly gathered, and people queried, “Why has this assembly gathered?”

त, “एना-एना मल्लाह जे एकटा माछ दॅ गेलै, ओए में एकटा बच्चा छलैअ ।”

Then, “So-and-so fisherman had given a fish, and a child was found inside the fish.”

त रानी कहै छथिन, “इ हमर बच्चा छीयै ।”

And, the queen is saying, “This is my child.”

अ मल्लाहिन कहैछे, “नै, हम माछ दॅ गेलियै माएर के, त हमर बच्चा छियै ।”

And the fisherwoman is saying, “No, I had caught the fish and gifted it to her, so, it is my child.”

त इ झगड़ा केना फेरछएतै ।

So, how will this dispute be resolved?

त कहल्खिन, “अच्छा, ठीक छै ।”

Then he said, “Okay fine!”

त ओ अपन कि केल्खिन…राजा अपन…ओहाड़ लग्लै, कपड़ा के ओहाड़ लग्लै ।

So, what he did…the king…he raised a curtain, a curtain made of canvas was raised.

एइ कात मल्लाहिन बैसले, अ एइ कात, दुनु आदमी…दुनु…अथि में बैसल्खिन, अ दुनु आदमी बीच में ओहाड़ लागल रहै, अ लोग सब अपन…सब रहै, सभा लागल ।

The fisherwoman sat on this side of canopy, and both people…both, that is…sat on the other side, and a curtain was placed in between them. And everyone was there, the assembly had gathered.

त कहल्खिन कि, “देख्यौ, अपन-अपन अस्तन से दुनु आदमी दूध गारू ।

Then they said, “Look, both of you squeeze milk from your own breasts.

जेक्कर दूध ओइ बच्चा के मुँह में…अ बीच में बच्चा के सुता देनै रहथिन…त जक्कर दूध बच्चा के मुँह में जेत्तै, ओकर बच्चा इ छै ।”

The one whose milk falls into the mouth of the baby…And they made the child lie in between the two of them…“Then one whose milk falls into the mouth of the baby, this child belongs to her.”

त…मल्लाहिन के दूध जे रहै, मने, अपन से सुखा गेलै ।

Then…whatever milk the fisherwoman had, that is, whatever milk she herself had, it suddenly dried up.

उ जे दूध गाड़लके अपन अस्तन में से, त दूध के सुहो ने फूटले ।

When she squeezed the milk from her breast, not even a drop of milk was expressed.

आ इ जे, बारह साल हीनका भौ गेलेन रहैन, इ जे अपन स्तन में से दूध गाड़ल्खिन, त ओ से सबटा बच्चा के मुँह में गिर गेले ।

And she, who had spent twelve years, whose situation…when she squeezed her breast, then all of it fell into the mouth of the child.

त लोग सब कहल्के जे, “नै, तखन त इ रानियै के बच्चा भेलै, जे तोरा…तोहर बच्चा रहितौ त तू जखन दूध गाड़ली, तोहर बच्चा के मुँह में कहाँ गेलौ उ बच्चा के दूध, आ ई…?”

So all people said, “No, this shows that this is clearly the child of the queen. If he is your…your child, then when you squeezed your breast, how come it did not fall into the mouth of the child, and this…?”

त अपन नल राजा, दमयन्ती रानी ओ बच्चा जे रहैन छोट सनके अपन, कनिकैटा बच्चा रहै कोड़ा में, त उ बच्चा अपन रहै लागल्खिन ।

Then King Nal, and Queen Damayantī and that child — he was a little baby in their lap — then that child began living together.

त नल राजा अपन, अपन राज-पाठ बेटा संगै भोगै लाग्ला अपन, नीक से रहै लाग्ला ।

King Nal began ruling his kingdom with his son, they enjoyed their rule, and they started living well together.

[ “अ उ जै धरती में धौ देनै छेलखिन, ओकर किछु नै भेलै बाद में ?” ]

[ And that which she had given to the earth, did nothing come of it? ]

“आएँ ? घरती में एल्खिन नै…ओ…अथि त ओकरे श्राप पड़ल छै अहाँके ।

“What? When she came to the earth…that…that is, it was their curse, you see, their curse fell on them.

धरती में जे देल्खिन, जखन बारह बरस के बाद दिन घुर के आबै छल्खिन्ह, त उहो लहकलितिइ माछै ।

When they had given to the earth…when their good days returned after twelve years, then they too came back to the burnt fish.

त कहल्कै कि जे, “जा, से तोरा, की कहैछै से, जखन दुख में सुमिरलिय खाए लॅ…मने…केल्यऽ, त तो हमरा नै एलऽ ।”

Then she said, “Let it be! What can I say! I remembered you when I was in distress. That is, I…I mean…I needed some food, but you did not come to me.” 

दिन जखन घुड़लेन, त सबक ओइठमाँ उ गेल्खिन, बहिनो ओइठमाँ गेल्खिन आहाँ के, दोस्तिनियों ओइठमाँ गेल्खिन ।

When their good times were returned to them, then they visited everyone again. They went to his sister’s, and they went to her girlfriend’s place as well.

हँ, जखन घुरल्खिन, त बहिन ओइठमाँ…त ओ…फेर की केल्खिन परवा आहाँ के घुटके-घुटके देल्खिन, उहो माला खसा देल्खिन ।

Yes, when good times were returned to them, then at his sister’s…then she…what she did was that, you see, the birds were watching them continuously, they too dropped the garland.

त दोस्तिनी त बुझनै रहथिन जे, “किछु नै, इ माला, मने, अपने की गिल…हीन्का त श्राप रहैन । तै दुआरे ई ।”

Their girlfriend, of course, was aware of her curse, “This is not possible, that is, how could she swallow this garland… she was suffering from a curse. That is why this happened.”

त ऊ जे अपन माला देल्खिन, “लीयऽ ।”

So, when she saw her garland, she offered it to her, “Take it.”

त उ त अपनो कथा-कहनै रहथिन, त कहल्खिन दोस्तिनी कि, “आहाँ हमरा किया दैय छी, से किया आहाँ के बेटी हमर बेटी नै ।

But, meanwhile she had already told her story to her friend, her girlfriend said, “Why are you giving this to me, is not your daughter my daughter as well?

त तै दुआरे हम देलौंहऽ इ माला ।”

That is why I am gifting this garland to you.” 

हुन्को अपन लौटा देल्खिन ।

She returned it to her.

बहीन-बहनोई ओइठमाँ गेल्खिन, त अपन बहीनो-बहनोई क कहल्खिन ।

They went to his sister and brother-in-law’s place, and they talked to his sister and brother-in-law.

त कहल्कै, “हँ, हँ, हमर येहै भाए-भौह छै ।”

Then they acknowledged, “Yes, yes, these are indeed my brother and sister-in-law.”

अपन नीक से बैसेल्खिन, खाना-पीना बनैल्खिन अपन सब्ज़ी…पकवान सब ।

They put them up comfortably in the house. They cooked food for them, prepared drinks, and cooked vegetables…all kinds of delicacies.

खै लॅ देल्खिन, आसन लगा कॅ ।

They arranged their dining seats, and served them food.

त कहल्खिन कि बहीन ओइठमाँ जे, “हे धरती, फाटू, जे बहीन हमरा एतै दुक देनै छै, जखन हम हीन्का लग एलियैन दुख में ।” 

Then, at her sister’s place, she said, “O Earth, split open and show it to my sister, who caused me so much pain when I was suffering from hard times and when I had sought her refuge.”

त धरती फाटल्खिन, त ओ देखल्खिन कि ओ बुचकट में पाएन अ सत्तूआ आगू एलैन ।

Then the earth split open, and she saw a small vessel containing water and sattū emerge.

बहीन के देखै देल्खिन जे, “देखियौ, जखन हमरा सप्ता के श्राप पड़ल छलै, तखन जे हम आहाँ लग ऐलौं, त आहाँ हमरा एहन खाना देनैछियै ।

She showed the vessel to her sister, saying, “Look, when I was suffering from the curse of Saptā, then we came to your place, and this is the kind of food you served us.

अ अखैन की कहैछे जे आहाँ हमरा एहन आसन लगा के खाए दै छियै ।”

And now, what can I say, you are serving us food on such lavish dining seats.”

त बहीन के बड्ड दुख भेलैन जे, “देख्यौ दुखछल हमर भाए एहन बिपैत पड़लै, से भाए-भौज के हम एतै अपमान केल्यै, अ एत्तै दुख देल्यै ।”

Her sister was deeply saddened, and she said, “See how my helpless brother suffered from misfortune and how badly I insulted my brother and sister-in-law; I hurt them so gravely.”

त ओ बहीन प्रान त्यज देल्खिन ।

And having said this, his sister gave up her life.

त कहल्खिन कि जे, “से देख्यौ, से एतै दिन पर दिन घुड़लै…आहाँ जे बहीन…मने प्राण त्यज देलथ, त आहाँ के लोग की कहत, कि, “राजा अपन बहीन के बध केनै जाए छै, दिन घुड़लैन तऽ ।”

Then he said, “So you see, our good days have returned after such a long period…and that my sister…my sister gave up her life. Look here, what will your people say about us, “That after their good days have returned, the king killed his own sister.”

“त से नै,” रानी कहल्खिन, “किछु त उपाय आहाँ के कड़ै पड़त । बहीन के जियाबै लॅ ।”

“That must not be,” the queen replied, “You will have to find a way out. You have to bring your sister back to life.” 

“त हम कोन उपाय करियै, आहाँ तेहन बात य, जनानी के अथि में नै पड़ै के चाही, ऐय दुआरे ।

“What can I possibly do now? What are you talking about? That’s why, they say one should not get involved with women’s issues, that’s why they say so.

से ओ किरिया चरितर में…देख्यौ, आहाँ हमरा तेहन बात नै कहलौं, तब हमर बहीन देखलैथ, उ सत्तूआ अ बुचकट में पाएन ।”

Especially when women are embroiled in ritual vows and personal conduct, one should stay away from them…you see, you should not say such things to me. Had you not brought up this issue, my sister would not have seen that little vessel filled with water and sattūā.

त हुन्का अन्धैर्ज भौ गेलैन ।

After seeing that, she felt desperate.

अन्धैर्ज भौ गेलैन, त उ प्राण त्यज देलैथ ।”

She felt desperate, and she gave up her life.” 

त राजा के अँगूरी में, कँगूरिया उँगरी में अमृत रहैन, त कँगूरिया उँगरी काट क राजा, अपन कनि छील कॅ, अमृत छीट देल्खिन । 

So, there was the life-giving nectar in the pinky finger of the king, in the little finger of the king. So, the king cut his pinky finger, he scraped his finger a little bit, and he sprinkled the nectar on his sister.

त हुन्कर बहीन जी गेल्खिन ।

Then his sister came back to life.

त बहीनो ओइठमाँ से फेर चेल एल्खिन ।

Afterwards they returned from their sister’s place.

फेर जे नदी पाएर कॅ क ऐय पार ऐल्खिन, त आहाँ के वैहे लहकल माछ…आ…लिट्टी एलैन आगू ।

When they were about to cross the river again, then the same burnt fish…and…liṭṭī came to the surface.

त कहल्किन कि जे, “जा, जैय समय में तोरा हम दुख में सुमिरलियऽ, त तों की कहैछै, हमरा, मने, पेट नै भरै, तोरा से हमरा ।

Then they said to them, “Go away! When we were in distress, we remembered you. But you all, what can I say, did not fill our stomachs. Our hunger was not quenched by you.

पाएन में चएल गेल ।

You (fish) escaped in the water.

त तोरा हम श्राप देय छियै जे “तों पीपरक पात होइयऽ । हँ ।”

So, I cast a curse on you now, “You will become a leaf of the peepul tree. That’s right.”

लिट्टी के श्राप देल्खिन जे, “पीपर के पात होइय । तू बिना बरसाते डोलैत रहिये, हवा नहियौ चलतै, तैय्यौ तोरा…अपने उ तू पत्ता डोलैत रहबै ।“

She cast a curse on the liṭṭī, “You will become a leaf of the peepul tree. You will always vacillate even when there is no rain or wind…you will keep moving constantly.”

आहाँ के पीपर पात के, घर-तर में ।

You know the peepul leaf, those that are found near homes and elsewhere.

आ बिषना…उ माछ जे रहै…तकरा देल्खिन, “जे जा तू बिषहारी माछ होइय्य ।

And to the biṣnā…that fish which was there…she saw the fish, “You will become a poisonous fish.

हँ, तोरा नल राजा के खोरनाठी के चैन कहियौ नै हेत्त ।

Yes, you will never ever get the privilege of entering the kitchen-store of King Nal.”

आ तोरा लोग हीलस से त बड्ड लेत्तऽ, लेकिन तू तै नै बिषाएन महकबऽ जे तोरा कोए खाए नै चाहत, बिषानी माछ के ।”

And people would greedily catch you, but you will smell so bitter that no one will want to eat you. You will be a poisonous fish.” 

बिषानी माछ लोग नै न खाय्य ।

People don’t eat poisonous fish.

तकर बाद अपना राज-पाठ एल्खिन, त वैह दिन घुड़लैन, त अपन सब-चीज भौ गेलेन अपन, तेकर बाद से, अपन बेटा संगे, रोही दास संगै अपन, राज-पाठ अपन ।

Afterwards, they returned to their kingdom, and the good old times were back, and they had everything, and thereafter they started living with their son, Rohīdās, and they watched over their kingdom.

आब खतम भेलै…।

Now it is over…