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Updated: May 6, 2025
'Now swing us all, sir, one by one, when we grow tired your task is done! they laughed in their sleeve, for they knew right well, that when they'd be tired, none could tell! "But Rasâlu laughed: 'What! seventy girls for my little bride is the pearl of pearls and only one man to swing the lot! Shall I spend my life in such silly rot?
Now, before they sat down to play, Raja Sarkap fixed his stakes, on the first game, his kingdom; on the second, the wealth of the whole world; and, on the third, his own head. So, likewise, Raja Rasalu fixed his stakes, on the first game, his arms; on the second, his horse; and, on the third, his own head. Then they began to play, and it fell to Rasalu's lot to make the first move.
"Then Râjah Rasâlu stood aghast; but he thought of the cricket's gift at last, and taking it out of his pocket thrust it into the fire, and a cloud as dust showed in the sky and the distant whirr of thousands of wings caused the air to stir, as, dark'ning the day like a fun'ral pall, a flight of crickets appeared at the call. 'What is our task? asked his friend with a laugh; 'only that?
Take the path that is nearest; The fire burns high That will scorch up our dearest! Life's joys we have seen: East and west we must wander! What has been, has been; Quick! some remedy ponder. Then all the giants turned and fled to their astrologer brother, and bade him look in his books to see if Raja Rasalu were really born into the world.
I've brought too many by half! So they set to work with a will indeed, till the sand lay separate from the seed, and sixty-nine maidens pouted and frowned as they wondered what new task could be found, to puzzle Rasâlu and keep him there a slave to the wishes of maidens fair.
So Rasalu took some of the bones lying about, and fashioned them into dice, and these he put into his pocket. Then, bidding adieu to the headless corpse, he went on his way to play chaupur with the King.
Yet still the King did not send for him, and so he mounted his steed and set off in the pride of his youth and strength to the palace. He strode into the audience hall, where his father sat trembling, and saluted him with all reverence; but Raja Salbahan, in fear of his life, turned his back hastily and said never a word in reply. Then Prince Rasalu called scornfully to him across the hall
And learning that he was stopping at the house of an old woman in the city, till the hour for playing chaupur arrived, Sarkap sent slaves to him with trays of sweetmeats and fruit, as to an honoured guest. But the food was poisoned. Now when the slaves brought the trays to Raja Rasalu, he rose up haughtily, saying, 'Go, tell your master I have nought to do with him in friendship.
With that the flight of crickets set to work, and in one night they separated the seed from the sand. Now when the sixty-nine fair maidens, daughters of the King, saw that Rasalu had performed his task, they set him another, bidding him swing them all, one by one, in their swings, until they were tired.
Grant us our request, Unloose these chains, and live for ever blest!" And Raja Rasalu hearkened to them, and bade King Sarkap set them at liberty. Then he went to the Murti Hills, and placed the new-born babe, Kokilan, in an underground palace, and planted the mango branch at the door, saying, "In twelve years the mango tree will blossom; then will I return and marry Kokilan."
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