The Princess of the Vermilion Path

Story Note: The princess of the vermilion path is symbolic of the beauty of youth and of the embellishments of the storyteller. The most highly regarded storytell- ers in Nepal are those whose mouths drip with flowers, whose stories, while fulfilling the requirements of the most effective cautionary tales, are told in beautiful language and melodious tones, instructing both moraly and aestheticaly.

Once there lived a kind and charitable king who welcomed everyone to his pal- ace. One day a saint came to the palace door asking for food, and the king served him a delicious meal. The saint was well pleased. "For your generosity,"said the saint, "I will bestow a blessing upon you. Soon you will have a daughter with all thirty-two good quali- ties." True to the saint's words, nine months later, the queen gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.

Now the king was eager to learn his daughter's destiny, so he assembled all the learned jyotshies of his kingdom. He listened as they told him her future. Indeed, she was born with all thirty-two good qualities, they assured him, and wherever she went, she would bring good fortune.

One of the most learned of the jyotshies added, "When the girl turns sixteen, she will experience some astonishing changes. When she speaks, beautiful flowers will fall from her mouth. When she smiles, her face will become as luminous as the moon. When she cries, pearls will fall from her eyes. And when she walks, she will leave a path of vermilion powder.

The king was well pleased with the jyotshi's predictions but was curious about one thing. "Whom will my daughter marry, oh learned soul?" asked the king.

Quickly the jyotshi made some astronomical calculations and said, "Oh king, she will marry a young prince, wise and brave like herself, who will have all thirty-two good qualities. He will come from the south."

"How will I know him?" asked the king. "If my daughter is so outstanding, won't she have many suitors?

"Do not worry, my king," said the jyotshi. "Just follow my instructions. When your daughter reaches the age of sixteen, you must hide her from everyone. Her astonishing qualities must be kept secret. The right prince will come to marry her on his own. If you must bring the princess before any one, disguise her face with paint and teach her to communicate only with signs."

"Then how will the real prince find her?" asked the king. "Trust my words, oh king, said the jyotshi. "In his wisdom, he will find her."Pleased by the jyotshi's words, the king rewarded him with riches.

The years passed and the little princess grew happily. On her sixteenth birthday, the jyotshi's predictions came true. As the prin- cess walked, she left traces of vermilion powder. When she smiled at the pretty red path, she saw the room lit with a gentle moonglow. "Oh, look what is happening, mother!" the princess cried, and as she spoke, beautiful flowers fell from her mouth. Now the prin- cess was frightened and began to cry. Then another strange thing happened. Instead of tears, pearls fell from her eyes. "Oh, mother, mother!" the princess called.

She ran to her mother, pearls raining from her eyes, flowers springing from her mouth, and leaving a path of vermilion powder. The queen mother was amazed at the splendid sight of her daughter and hugged and kissed her, tears of pleasure in her eyes.

"Do not worry, my darling, said the queen. "What is happen- ing to you was predicted at your birth by the jyotshies. They said that at the age of sixteen you would be thus blessed. These are the signs of your divine qualities, my darling. You are the only one in all the world who has them."

The king now hurried to his daughter's side. "My princess,"he said, "the learned jyotshi urged us to keep your amazing qualities secret, so that no ordinary man would come asking for your hand.

You must hide your luminous smile, your tears of pearls, your flower-borne speech, and your footsteps of vermilion powder until the real prince, who is your destiny, finds you."

Now that very day, in the south, a wise and handsome young prince dreamed of a beautiful princess whose smiles were as lumi- nous as the moon, whose speech was embroidered with flowers, whose tears were pearls, and whose footsteps left streaks of vermil- ion powder. At the end of the prince's dream, a saint appeared telling him he was destined to marry the princess.

"She is in the north," said the saint. "Go and find her."The prince arose from his bed, puzzled by his dream but unable to forget the princess. Days passed, and still he thought of her. One day he decided he must go and seek the beautiful girl in the north.

Soon after, the prince's father, who was able to understand the speech of animals, was visited by a crow. "King," the crow said, "your son has decided to travel to the north. He will suffer in his endeavors. You must give him your sword."

The prince's father then went to his son, saying, "I am proud of your bravery and your willingness to seek your destiny. Take my sword with you. It will be a help to you."

"I have my own sword, father," said the prince, "and I am used to it. Why do you offer me yours?"

"My son," said the king, "mine is no ordinary sword. It is a sword powerful enough to break a mountain. Take it with you."The prince, accepting his father's sword, bade him farewell.

For many days and nights the prince traveled northward. In each kingdom he stopped at the royal palace asking for water. He had one rule-he would accept water only from an unmarried person.

When he came to the princess'kingdom, he went, as usual, to the royal palace and asked for water. The queen met him at the palace door and offered him some. "Oh, queen, I do not accept water from the hands of one who is married, "said the prince. "Please send water with an unmarried soul, or I will go away from your door."

Now the king and queen were in a dilemma, for their daughter was the only unmarried soul in the palace. The king went to meet the prince. "My dear stranger,"he said, "please take water from me. Unfortunately, we have no unmarried person in the palace."

"I do not drink water from a married person, oh king,"the prince repeated. "But do not trouble yourself, for I will find another household and ask them for water. Truly I thank you.

Now the king and the queen were very sad, for no one had ever gone unsatisfied from their door. The king begged the stranger, 'Stay a moment. You cannot leave without having water.

The king and queen then decided to let the princess bring the water to the stranger. First they painted her face and told her, "Take this water to the stranger at the door, pretty one. But do not speak a word to him. Come back as soon as he has finished."

The princess nodded and took the water. When she reached the palace door, the prince saw a girl whose face was painted and who was holding a jar of water. She did not speak a word. "Why are you silent?" asked the prince. "I will not accept the water unless you speak to me." The princess signed to the young man that she could not speak.

The prince did not believe her and, looking closely, saw that, although she was painted, she was quite beautiful. He saw at her feet marks of vermilion powder. Then he knew this was the princess of his dream, but he had to be certain.

"I do not drink water from a pot, "said the prince to the princess. "Please pour it into my palms so I may drink of it there."

The prince then extended his hands and the princess poured the water into them. When his hands were filled, the prince suddenly splashed the water onto the princess' face. The paint washed away, revealing the princess'beauty.

Now the princess was dismayed. "What have you done to me, stranger?"she said. "Is this how you repay our generosity? No one has ever treated us so." As the princess spoke, flowers floated from her mouth.

The prince was both happy and amazed. "Beautiful princess," he said. "Forgive me my meanness. I met you in a dream and left my country to find you. I have come to marry you.'

"Who are you?"asked the princess. "How is it that you propose marriage at first glance?"

"I am a prince from a southern kingdom, my princess. My father is king and my country prosperous. As you can see, you and I will make a good match."

"Do not talk to me of your father's prosperity," said the prin- cess. "I am not interested in fortune. I will marry only a person who can stand on his own. I will marry the bravest man in all the world." "I will endure anything to marry you, "said the prince. The king then came to the door and spoke to his daughter.

"You need not test him, my dear," said the king, "for the great jyotshi predicted the destined prince would recognize you. He is indeed the one."

"Oh, noble king," said the prince, "you need not speak for me. I welcome your daughter's challenge and will prove my bravery." "Then let it be," said the king.

The next day the princess called for the best smiths of the kingdom to build seven iron chambers. She called the country's magicians to fill each chamber with ghosts and evil spirits. In the last chamber, she placed a mohar, a gold coin stamped with the royal sign. Then she proclaimed to all the people, "He who brings me this mohar, I will marry."

News traveled quickly throughout the kingdom and soon reached the other kingdoms in the north and south. In no time, all the kings and princes of the world had heard about the wonderful princess and all wanted to marry her. Many of them rushed to her kingdom and into the mysterious chambers, but not one came out. After many days, the king said to the prince, "Why are you not trying to win the mohar as the others have done? Are you afraid?"

"No,"said the prince. "I will risk my life for your daughter's hand, but I am allowing the others to satisfy their desires first." "You are indeed noble,"said the king, "but already a thousand suitors have entered the chamber and not one has come out. There are no more candidates, so it is your turn to go into the chambers and fetch the mohar. Then I will arrange the wedding feast."

"I will go now,"said the prince. The prince then walked into the first chamber. Quickly the door closed behind him. It was dark inside, and though the prince could not see anything, he heard voices calling, "We were so foolish to fall into the princess'trap."

"She is nothing but a witch."

"Why did I fall in love with such a cruel one as she?"

Their helpless cries touched the prince, but he was neither sad nor afraid. Instead, he removed his father's sword from its sheath and struck it to the ground. Fire suddenly flared up, and the prince saw in its light hundreds of men crawling along the floor, struggling to find their way out. Hundreds more lay unconscious.

One of the suitors spoke up, "Oh, great one, who are you? Your fire has made me hopeful we are not lost." The brave prince then struck the ground again and the fire flared higher. Now he saw a torch attached to the wall and litit. The suitors gathered around him. The brave prince spoke, "Dear friends, do not accuse the prin- cess, for she is only trying to find her equal. I will rescue you, but first I must pass through the seven chambers and bring back the mohar."

"Don't be silly," said a suitor. "If you know a way out, help us to escape. Do not go further into the chambers."

"I am sorry," said the brave prince, "but I must." The prince then went to the second door and read what was inscribed: "Proceed courageously, and you will be rewarded. Step back like a coward, and you will be killed. The brave prince struck the door with his sword. It opened with a sound like thunder. Hundreds of ghosts flew out, small ones, large ones, some with eyes and mouths in their bellies, some mere skeletons.

The suitors were fearful, but the prince covered them with his sword and drew a circle around them. The mark of the circle began to burn and the ghosts and the spirits sprang back. "You are safe now,"said the prince to the suitors. "In a few days I will return with the mohar."

He then stepped out of the circle, and the ghosts attacked him. He hit them with his sword and, strange to see, every one of them turned into a piece of ragged clothing.

The prince entered the second room and broke down the third door, whereupon thousands of fire-ghosts rushed out at him. The whole room was burning and the prince could not find his way. The ghosts tried to burn him too, but the prince jumped into their midst and began slashing at them with his sword. Suddenly the fires dwindled and the fire-ghosts turned to ash.

The prince then stepped forward and broke down the fourth door. Suddenly he was hit with a wall of water that almost drowned him. He flailed at the wall with his sword, and in an instant the flood waters became vapor.

Again the prince stepped forward and broke down the fifth door. This time, boulders tumbled out upon him, and he was almost buried. But he fought back with his sword and the boulders turned to sand.

Again the prince stepped forward and broke down the sixth door. Now lions and tigers swarmed upon him, elephants and bears, snakes and scorpions, vultures, mosquitoes, and wasps. The prince was in pain and was suffering, but still he was not afraid. He pierced every creature with his sword and fought for seven days and seven nights until all the animals were but a stack of dry hay.

When he felled the last animal, the seventh door opened, and the prince saw inside the mohar, as brilliant as a burning fire.He stepped forward to seize it but suddenly he was surrounded by beautiful maidens, offering him fresh fruit and cool water.The prince tried to brush past them and reach for the coin, but the maidens stood like a gate before him. "Why do you hurry, brave prince?"they asked. "Please stay and enjoy this food. It is all for you."

"Dear ladies, I have a purpose," said the prince, "and I will not be detained."

"Prince, here in our world no one dies. Everyone lives forever. Stay with us and rule over us."

"Thank you for your offer, kind ladies," said the prince, "but I cannot stay. I am a human from an earthly world and am therefore destined to die. I cannot leave my people, my family and friends. Most of all, I cannot leave the princess whom I plan to marry. I must go back."

The maidens closed in a tighter circle around him. "Why is it you want only one lady?" they asked. "Look at us. We are as beautiful as the princess. You could marry us all."

"Please do not force me to hurt you, beautiful ladies,"said the prince. "Though you propose to kill my will, I must move forward and retrieve the coin." The maidens blocked his way, their arms outstretched, pleading, "Please, do not leave us. Stay with us. Stay." The prince pushed the maidens aside with his sword and sud- denly they turned into silken swaths of cloth.

Now the prince did not waste a moment. He plucked up the golden mohar, and in an instant everything he had touched with his sword vanished-the silken cloths, the grains of sand, the ashes, the vapors, the ragged clothing. The prince hurried back to the first room where the suitors were waiting.

"Friends,"he said, "follow me. I will break down the door and you all will be set free."With that, the prince struck the door with his sword and it fell apart with a clap of thunder. On the other side stood the king and queen. The suitors, frantic to escape the iron chamber, pushed past the prince, causing him to drop the mohar. Then they all rushed to get it, scrambling in the dirt, each one claiming the coin was his. The brave prince remained apart, saying not a word.

Disgusted by the spectacle, the king went up to the prince and said, "It was you who broke through the chambers and brought back the coin. Why then don't you claim it?"

"My king,"said the prince, "the princess has tested my bravery. Now I will test her wisdom. Let us see how she discovers who is the bravest among us." The princess smiled, her face lit with a silvery glow. She spoke in a shower of beautiful flowers.

"Tomorrow morning, everyone who is my suitor will come to the courtyard. I will then discover which of you is the brave soul who has brought back the mohar."

The next day the princess sat in the courtyard, surrounded by ragged clothing, ashes, sand, vapors, hay, and silken cloths. "He who recognizes these things," said the princess, "is the bravest and the one I will marry."

The king added, "And the person who fails to recognize these things will be hanged." The suitors mumbled among themselves, laughing at how simple it would be to identify the few items. They then quarreled as to who would go first.

One by one, they came before the princess and, pointing at each item, said, "This is ragged clothing, these are ashes, this vapor, this sand, this hay, and these are bits of fine cloth."

Finally, at the end of the long line, the prince came before the princess. Pointing at each item, he quickly said, "These are ghosts. These are fire-ghosts. This is water. These are boulders. These are animals. These are maidens."

The princess clapped her hands and announced joyfully, "In- deed, you are the bravest of all, my prince. It is you whom I will marry." As she spoke, flowers floated from hèr mouth.

"Bravo!"cried the king. "There will be a marriage ceremony the likes of which no one has ever seen." Then he turned to the suitors and snarled, "But first we must hang the cheats!" The suitors fell at the king's feet.

"Have mercy, oh king, they pleaded. "Forgive us. Please spare our lives so that we may honor you for the rest of our days."

The brave prince spoke, "Just king, please forgive them on this joyous occasion."

The king, touched by the brave prince, said, "You are the one who has rescued them, yet they tried to cheat you. Still you want to forgive them? Noble prince, you are not only the bravest, you are the kindest. I am grateful my daughter will marry you. May you live a long and fruitful life together."The king then forgave the suitors, who vowed to pay tribute to the brave prince as their emperor. The king arranged for the wedding banquet, the likes of which has never been seen, then and now.

[1]saint-holy man

[2]thirty-two good quualities-Hindus believe that the perfect person has all thirty-two good qualities, including kindness, patience, courage, and wisdom

[3]jyotshi-fortune teller