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Updated: June 21, 2025
"Is it again for nothing, or has something happened to you?" "Nothing has happened," answered Guzra Bai, "only somehow I felt so frightened that I wanted you near me." "Guzra Bai, I am away on affairs of state," said the Rajah. "If you call me in this way when you have no need of me, I shall soon refuse to answer the bell. Remember this and do not call me again without reason."
When they were all assembled, Draupadi arose and said to him, "Noble sir, we had looked to see your wife Guzra Bai with you. Pray you tell us wherefore she has not accompanied you." The Rajah was much surprised to learn that Draupadi Bai knew anything about Guzra Bai, and he said, "Speak not of her: she is a wicked woman; it is fit that she should end her days in prison."
"The gardener who has charge of this garden has one daughter; her name is Guzra Bai, and she is very beautiful. If you will count the bingals you will find there are twenty-and-one. Whosoever marries the gardener's daughter will have twenty and one children, twenty boys and one girl." Chundun Rajah was very much surprised at what his Wuzeer said. "I should like to see this Guzra Bai," said he.
Then, if you walk daily in this garden, you may some morning meet the pretty Guzra Bai, of whom I speak." Upon this advice the Rajah acted; and one day whilst walking in the garden he saw the Malee's young daughter, a girl of twelve years old, busy gathering flowers.
"If any danger should threaten or harm befall you, ring this bell," said he. "Wherever I am I shall hear it and be with you at once, even though I return from the farthest part of my kingdom." No sooner had he gone than Guzra Bai began to wonder whether indeed it were possible that he could hear the bell at any distance and return to her.
Then the Dhobee went to the twelve Ranees to tell them the wonderful news about the voice in the well; and they said to each other, "Maybe it's some of Guzra Bai's children; let us send and have this inquired into." So they sent some people to pull down the well and see if some evil spirits were not there. Then labourers went to pull down the well.
He could not think any one was really concerned about Guzra Bai, and he feared the young Rajah wished, for some reason, to quarrel with him. But he agreed to send for his wife, and messengers were at once dispatched to bring Guzra Bai to the palace. No sooner had she come than the young Ranee began to weep, and she and the Princes gathered about their mother.
But the Rajah continued calling till the Malee opened the door; who then was indeed surprised, seeing it was truly no other than the Rajah, and he asked what he could do for him. The Rajah said, "I wish to marry your beautiful daughter, Guzra Bai." "No, no," said the Malee, "this joke won't do. None of your Princes in disguise for me.
Then the nurse took the hundred and one little innocent children the hundred little boys and the one little girl and threw them behind the palace on the dust-heap, close to some large rat-holes; and after that, she and the twelve Ranees placed a very large stone in each of the babies' cradles, and said to Guzra Bai, "Oh, you evil witch in disguise, do not hope any longer to impose by your arts on the Rajah's credulity.
"What misfortune?" asked the Rajah. "What do you mean?" His mother then told him that while he was away Guzra Bai had had twenty-one beautiful children, but she had turned them all into stones. Chundun Rajah was thunderstruck. He called the wicked nurse and questioned her. She repeated what the old Ranee had already told him and also showed him the stones. Then the Rajah believed them.
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