Vikram Betal Stories

King Vikramaditya, a legendary king known for his valor and wisdom, is tasked by a sorcerer to bring Betal, a vampire-like being, from a tree in a desolate forest. Betal has a peculiar habit: he loves to tell stories. Each time Vikramaditya captures Betal and tries to carry him, Betal begins narrating a story to pass the time. At the end of each story, Betal poses a riddle or a moral question to Vikramaditya. If the king knows the answer and remains silent, his head would explode. If he speaks, Betal escapes back to his tree, and Vikramaditya must capture him again. This cycle continues through several stories.

The Miracle Man And His Son

The Vampire started: In Vaishali lived a Brahmin named Shur Sharma. He was a priest by profession and quite well off. But he was far more learned than any ordinary priest. He was unhappy that his learning brought him no extra benefit. He felt envious of those scholars who were honored by the king. Shur Sharma had only one child, Krishna Sharma by name. He successfully completed his studies in the Vedic school and began assisting his father in the priestly duties. Shur Sharma saw that his son was quite efficient. It would not matter much if he absented himself from home for a few days." "I am going on a pilgrimage," he told his son and left the town. He walked into the Himalayan region, determined to locate a Yogi who had mastered supernatural powers. Luckily he met such a Yogi before long. He remained with him and served him with great care. A few months passed. One day the Yogi said, "Look here, Brahmin, you have left your family behind. I do not think that you came here because you lost all interest in worldly affairs. I have a hunch that you are here in order to get some desire fulfilled. Should I teach you a secret by which you can have your desire satisfied?" "O great soul, I should not hide anything from you. I desire fame and wealth. Pass on to me a secret that would enable me to have them," said Shur Sharma, his hands folded. "Brahmin, it would have been creditable for you to rise above such vain desires. Since you cherish them, I should oblige you. I can teach you a hymn by which you can bring down rain and again stop it too. This will naturally bring you both fame and wealth. But, be on your guard. Let not your greed make you blind to your circumstance," warned the Yogi.

The Brahmin jumped with joy. "I will be grateful to you O noble Yogi if you impart such a hymn to me!" "Very good. But do not forget my warning. You shall be in grave danger if you let your greed possess you!" After this caution, the Yogi taught the Brahmin the promised hymn. Shur Sharma was back in Vaishali. To his joy, he found that his own country was seething under a terrible drought. The king had already performed many rites but to no avail. It had just been announced that anyone who can bring down rain will be honored and rewarded. "My son," Shur Sharma told Krishna Sharma, "I know a hymn by which I can bring down rain at wish and can stop it too. Let me impart it to you lest I forget it in the future. You have to face north and stand on one leg and recite the hymn thrice, both for bringing the rain and for stopping it." Shur Sharma taught the hymn to his son. "Father," said Krishna Sharma, "Why don't you recite it in the proper way, facing north, so that there is rain immediately? Drought is destroying the crop and almost killing the people!" "Don't speak like a fool. I perform the rite here and bring down the rain, how will the king know that it is my power that brought the rain? Did I take so much trouble to learn the hymn for nothing? The king must know that I am performing a miracle so that he rewards me," said Shur Sharma. Krishna Sharma kept quiet. Shur Sharma proceeded to meet the king. "The rains will come at my calling!" he announced in the king's presence with confidence.

The king could not believe him, but said, "Brahmin, I shall give you a reward of ten thousand gold coins immediately if you do so. Afterward, you'll be honored in public." "Very well. You will see what I can do within an hour," said Shur Sharma. "Let one of your courtiers follow me." In order to create an impression that what he was doing was not at all easy and it could be done only at some special place, he went near a deserted temple outside the town. After taking a dip in the water, he made postures and gestures that were really not necessary. The king's emissary observed him with a keen eye. Then he stood on one leg facing north and recited the hymn thrice. At once dark clouds were seen gather in the sky. In ten minutes a heavy downpour began. The emissary ran and informed the king where the Brahmin was performing his penance. The king, followed by his ministers and courtiers, came to meet Shur Sharma, unmindful of the rain. In fact, the people were dancing in the streets enjoying the shower. The king handed over to Shur Sharma a casket containing his reward and bowed down to him.

Others touched Shur Sharma's feet. "Your Majesty, I shall be waiting here. When you are satisfied that there had been enough rain, send me word so that I can stop it," said Shur Sharma. "Thank you. Let it be so," said the king and he left the place with his party. Left alone, Shur Sharma went inside the deserted temple and began counting the coins with great excitement. Excitement also ran high among the people. They were praising Shur Sharma to the sky everywhere in the town. After four hours of non-stop rain, the king thought that more might be harmful. He sent a delegation of his courtiers to ask Shur Sharma to stop the shower. But, to their horror, the courtiers saw the Brahmin lying dead inside the deserted temple. The gold coins were missing. He had been stabbed. The lonely place was the regular haunt and shelter of some bandits. They had committed the crime. The news shocked the king. How to stop the rain? He was at his wit's end. Carrying the king's condolence the chief minister went to meet Krishna Sharma. Krishna Sharma stood speechless at this most unexpected tragedy. 

The minister said, "Your father's murder is a matter of great sorrow. But that is not all. The question is, how to stop the rain?" "What can we do except praying to God?" said Krishna Sharma. Then he faced north and stood on one leg and recited the hymn thrice. The minister thought that this was Krishna Sharma's style of praying. He went away. Within minutes the rains stopped. Nobody of course knew that Krishna Sharma stopped it. The vampire paused and demanded the King Vikram in a challenging tone, "O King, how could Krishna Sharma, the son of as clever a man as Shur Sharma, behave so foolishly? Had he told the minister that he knew the hymn and proved his claim, he would have been rewarded. Why did he not do so? Was it because of his fear that he too might be assassinated? Answer me, if you can. Should you keep mum despite your knowledge of the answer, your head would roll off your neck!" King Vikram answered forthwith: Far from being foolish, Krishna Sharma was truly wise. He had asked his father to bring down the rain immediately, without coveting the reward. 

His father called him a fool. Soon it became evident that Shur Sharma himself was a fool when he began counting the coins in the deserted temple instead of coming home. He had mastered power but had not developed any control over his impulses. Krishna Sharma had no desire to win fame and wealth. That is why he did not feel it necessary to declare that it was he who was stopping the rain. It was not out of fear, but out of his detachment that he kept the secret to himself." No sooner had King Vikram concluded his answer than the vampire, along with the corpse, gave him the slip.

 The Magic Ring

The vampire went on: Sumant was an orphan. A sage was kind to him and enrolled him as a student in his Ashram school. Sumant spent ten years in the Ashram and completed his studies successfully. The sage gave him a scroll and said, "My boy, this will secure you a high position as a scholar in any of the royal courts around. Go and prosper." Sumant decided to meet the king of Rohitpur. He began walking in that direction. He lost his way and found himself in a forest. The sun was setting. He looked in all directions and saw a house in ruins on a hill. He thought of spending his night there. At the foot of the hill, he met a young man who looked like a prince. Sumant smiled at the young man and greeted him. But the young man looked grave. "So, you too wish to try your luck! Who between us should have the chance? Should we fight a duel and decide?" the young man asked, putting his hand on his sword. Sumant was surprised. "What do you mean?" he asked in return. "How can we fight a duel when I don't even have a sword?" "Then you must wait for the next full dark night and give me the chance to try my luck tonight!" "I tell you once again that I don't know what you mean. Try your luck by all means. I have no desire to stand in your way. I am a traveler looking for a shelter," said Sumant. The young man calmed down. By and by he told Sumant what had brought him there. He was the prince of Rohitpur. The deserted house on the hilltop was a haunted house. During the last fifty years whoever entered it never came out of it alive. Inside the haunted house, there is a bed.

Under the pillow on the bed lies a magic ring. One who would be able to pass a moonless night in the house would find the ring. Whoever wears the ring would live for a hundred years. The night that was coming was to be a moonless night. The prince had decided to try his luck. "In order to get the ring one must climb the hill alone and spend the night in the haunted house all alone. But if you camp here, I shall feel encouraged," the prince told Sumant. "I shall be happy to await you here. I wish you success." Sumant sat down on a rock. The evening was coming upon the forest. The prince began to climb the hill. Sumant sat listening to the chirping of homecoming birds. An hour later Sumant heard footsteps behind him and saw the prince coming back. "What's the matter?" Sumant asked. The prince confessed that halfway up the hill his mind was filled with great fear. He could not proceed. "Dear prince! Remember God and push on. Have courage!" Sumant encouraged him. The prince began climbing again. By then it had grown dark. Jackals howled behind the haunted house and glow worms flitted around it. The prince came back to Sumant again and broke down. "No, my friend, I do not have the courage to spend a night in a haunted house," he said, sighing repeatedly. Sumant consoled the prince and then asked, "Dear prince, will you let me take a chance?" "Who am I to stop you?" said the prince. Sumant climbed the hill. The house on the top was utterly dark, but its doors and windows were open.

The star-studded sky could be seen through the windows. As soon as Sumant entered the house he was greeted by blood-curdling laughter and shrieks. Sumant did not show any sign of fear. When his eyes got accustomed to the darkness, he found out the bedstead and sat down on it. "Young man! Your desire to live a hundred years is going to be the cause of your death tonight!" a nasal voice announced. "I have no desire to live for a hundred years. At the same time I am not going to die tonight unless that is what Providence wills for me," said Sumant. There was silence for a long time. Then, after a sudden peal of laughter, the nasal voice said again, "Are you not afraid of ghosts?" "Why should a living man be afraid of those dead?" said Sumant. There was silence again. Sumant sat meditating. The bedstead rocked violently and blasts of cool wind burst upon him, accompanied by the same terrible laughter. Bats flew crisscross, almost touching his head. But Sumant did not seem to pay heed to anything. Time passed and dawn broke out. The laughter and the blasts ceased totally. Tender light flooded the room. Sumant lifted the pillow and picked up the ring. He sang a prayer and then came out of the house. In a few minutes, he was at the bottom of the hill. The prince lay asleep, leaning against a rock. Sumant stood near him, looking at his sword. He coughed and shook the tree. But the prince's sleep was sound. Sumant waited. Suddenly there was the sound of a crash.

The prince woke up. Both looked up and saw that the haunted house had collapsed. "Here is the ring!" Sumant said, handing the precious possession over to the prince. "My friend, I cannot believe my eyes. Now, tell me, what reward can I give you?" asked the prince and he added, "I don't mind giving you this diamond necklace valued ten thousand gold coins." "I am a scholar. My joy lies in studies and discourses, not in such wealth. Thank you." "How then am I going to pay my debt to you?" asked the prince. "Spend the money you would have given me in helping the poor and the sick," said Sumant and then he started walking. "Where are you going?" asked the prince. "To Vishnupur or Sumangarh, I am not sure," said Sumant and he went away. The vampire paused for a moment and then demanded of King Vikram in a challenging tone, "O King, there are several issues to be resolved. If nobody could come out alive of the haunted house, how is it that Sumant survived the night? Why did he not keep the precious ring to himself? He was on his way to Rohitpur. Why did he change his mind and set out for an unknown destination even after striking a friendship with the Prince of Rohitpur? Answer me, if you can. Should you keep mum despite your knowledge of the answers, your head would roll off your neck." Forthwith replied the king Vikram, "Ghosts cannot harm a man unless the man is afraid of ghosts. Sumant was totally fearless. That is why the ghosts could not harm him. All those who had died in the house must have felt some fear thereby giving the ghosts a chance to do their mischief.

"Sumant did not keep the ring to himself because of several reasons. First of all, he was a believer in destiny. He knew that he will live as long as it was ordained. Living for a hundred years is not a boon by itself. It might mean long-suffering with old age and disease! Thirdly, he knew how much the prince coveted the ring. Had he kept the ring to himself, the prince might have killed him. Of course, the prince was fast asleep and Sumant could have used the sword to finish off the prince. But Sumant was too enlightened to do such a thing! "Sumant decided not to live in Rohitpur because his presence will deprive the prince of his pride. The prince would like to be known as the winner of the ring. He will always fear that Sumant might disclose the truth. Coming to know that Sumant was a scholar the prince could have invited him to remain in the court of Rohitpur. But he wanted Sumant to accept a reward then and there. That means he did not wish Sumant to be known to others in his kingdom. For Sumant Rohitpur or any other kingdom made little difference. So he changed his destination." No sooner did King Vikram conclude his answer than the vampire, along with the corpse, gave him a slip.

 The Wonder Parrot

The vampire went on: Sudarsan was a merchant who lived in Dhara Nagari, a fine city. Once a year he paid visits to distant cities for the sake of trade. He had an attraction for new and rare things. Once he was camping at Ratnapur. A stranger showed him a parrot and said, "Sir, this is a very unusual bird, without a second in the whole world. I am selling it because I am poor and I need money badly." "What is its specialty?" asked the merchant. "It can solve many problems for you. At moments when you feel sad, it can amuse you through wonderful tales," replied the man. The merchant at first did not believe the man. But a few minutes of conversation with the parrot amazed him. The parrot appeared to him wiser than anybody he knew. He gladly paid a thousand coins to the man and bought the parrot. On his return journey, the parrot narrated numerous tales and recited sweet verses to him. The merchant felt more and more fascinated by it. He had many friends, but all of them expected some benefit or the other from him. The parrot alone had no selfish motive. The merchant valued it as his greatest friend. Back home he told everybody of his wonderful parrot. The members of his family were happy at the beginning. But when they saw that the merchant was devoting almost all his time to the parrot, they grew pensive. They feared that the business will suffer if the merchant did not give his attention to it. One day his children told him, "Father, is it right for you to spend so much of your valuable time in the company of a parrot? Will our business not suffer?"

"Why should it suffer? What if I die tomorrow? Can't you manage the business? I find much peace and happiness by talking to the parrot. That is why I spend my time with it," replied the merchant. "Why don't you ask the parrot to give you peace and happiness at a time?" asked his wife. The merchant did not reply to her. In the evening, when he was alone with the parrot, he put the same question to the parrot. "My master, how can I, a prisoner myself, give peace and happiness to you? You have to find them yourself," said the parrot. "How can I do that?" "By coming out of the prison cell of your little self. As you broaden your mind, as you sympathize with others and be kind to all, happiness and peace will be yours," said the parrot. From the next day, the merchant began to take stock of the problems of the others. He helped some people with money and some people with advice or his influence. He rushed to the side of the townsfolk whenever they were in difficulty. He found much happiness and peace in his activities. One day he told the parrot, "You have shown me the path to happiness and peace. What can I do for you in return?" "Set me free," said the parrot. The merchant's face paled. "That is not possible," he said softly. "Ask me for some other reward." "Nothing else will make me happy," said the parrot. The merchant's children and wife were eager to get rid of the parrot. It was because the merchant was giving away much wealth to others under the parrot's influence.

One day his eldest son told him, "Father, is it even possible that a mere bird would be so wise? It must be a ghost who has taken possession of the bird. I'm afraid, it is inauspicious to keep such a possessed bird in our house." The merchant did not like his son's observation of the parrot, but he kept quiet. At an opportune time, he asked the parrot, "How did you master so much wisdom?" "Once a great Yogi, under a curse, became a parrot. I am his offspring. It is he who endowed me with such powers," said the parrot. "It is my good luck to have you with me," commented the merchant. "Maybe. But it is my bad luck to be a prisoner," said the bird. Some days later one morning the merchant observed that his servant who fed the parrot had forgotten to lock the door of its cage. "Your cage was open. How is it that you did not escape?" the merchant asked. "It is true that I desire freedom. But I cannot be dishonest. You have paid the price of a thousand coins for me. How can I go without your consent?" answered the parrot. The merchant was happy. Thereafter the cage was never locked. Once or twice the parrot warned the merchant, saying, "You are keeping the cage open. If I feel tempted to escape, you should not blame me." But neither the merchant locked the cage, nor the parrot tried to escape. A month passed. The merchant fell ill. Although the best physicians in the town treated him, his condition worsened. His sons called a renowned physician from another city. 

He examined the merchant carefully and said, "This is a rare disease. I know of one herb that can cure this. But that herb can be obtained from such a plant that is also very rare. We have not come across it in recent times." We are ready to spend any amount for it, five thousand coins or ten thousand or even more if you can tell us where to find the plant," said the merchant's eldest son. "That is what I cannot tell!" confessed the physician. Suddenly the parrot asked, "Will you let me try to find it?" The merchant agreed to the suggestion. The parrot left for some unknown forest. It returned three days later with a branch of the plant. The physician prepared the medicine and the patient recovered speedily. All were happy. But the parrot was not to be seen. They looked for it here and there but in vain. Six months passed. One day the parrot flew into the merchant's room and perched on a statue and said to the merchant. "I see, you are still keeping the cage hanging. Should I enter it?" "You may if you so please, you may leave whenever you please," said the merchant. "Thanks," said the parrot and it entered the cage. The merchant looked delighted. The vampire ended his story here. After a pause, he asked the king in a challenging tone, "O King, had the parrot not declared that it won't go away without the merchant's consent? How could it escape then? Again, why was it so eager to enter the very cage from which it had escaped? Answer me if you can. Should you keep mum despite your knowledge of the answer, your head would roll off your neck."

Forthwith replied the king Vikram, "One the parrot had brought the herb that saved the merchant's life, it had paid back infinitely more than the price the merchant had paid for it. It had earned its freedom. It returned to the merchant because of its love for him and because of its own human qualities. The cage was no longer a prison for it, but another nest. It could go at will!" No sooner had the king concluded his reply than the vampire, along with the corpse, gave him the slip.

 The Saint's Double Standard

The vampire went on: On the verge of a forest on the river, Mahanadi lived a Yogi known as Shivacharya. People came from far and near to learn philosophy and yoga from him, but he did not accept all who came. He chose his disciples with care. At a time he had no more than a dozen students living with him. They had to observe many rules of discipline. Once he had in his Ashram a student named Prashant, son of a rich man. One day Prashant was returning to the Ashram from his home in the town. The rain came when he was crossing the forest. He lost his way and strayed into a far corner of the forest. He would have faced great difficulty had not a young man came to his rescue. The young man, whose name was Sundarsingh, lived in the forest with his kinsmen. His forefathers too were forest dwellers. Sundarsingh led Prashant to his hut. It rained heavily and Prashant had to pass the night in the hut. The two young men sat near a fire and Prashant heard from Sundarsingh how they hunted and how they lived. The two became friends. Prashant stayed on there for the next day and then returned to the Ashram. Shivacharya went to the locality once in a fortnight or so, to spend more time with his disciples who were living as householders. Whenever he was out, Prashant left the Ashram and went to live with his newfound friend. One day the guru returned to his Ashram a day earlier than he was expected to return. Prashant was not there. When the young man was back, the guru asked, "Where had you been?" "Master, on the river bank there is a deserted temple. I find the place very suitable for meditation. At times I spend a day or night meditating there under undisturbed," replied Prashant.

The guru did not say anything. A month passed. It appeared that the guru had no plan to go anywhere in the near future. Prashant felt impatient to meet his friend. One day he said to Shivacharya, "Master, can I go spend a day in that temple?" "You had not sought my permission beforehand when you went there. What is the necessity of seeking it now?" asked the guru. Prashant told his fellow students that the guru had no objection to his going to spend a day elsewhere. He went out. It was evening. Shivacharya followed Prashant quietly. Prashant walked very fast to reach his friend before it became late. He did not look back. The guru observed Prashant meeting his friend. From hiding, he saw Prashant taking such food with his friend which the students in his Ashram were not expected to take. Prashant drank wine too. What was worse, the guru understood from their conversation that Prashant had joined Sundarsingh in looting travellers. "Prashant!" The guru's voice surprised the young man. He stood up and bowed to Shivacharya. "I followed you personally because I did not wish anybody else to know what you were doing. You need not return to Ashram. Go back home. I will inform your father accordingly," said the guru. "Pardon me, Master. I am not a bad boy, though bad company caused some bad habits to develop in me," said Prashant. "I have told you about my decision." Shivacharya turned and headed for his Ashram. "What to do?" Prashant whispered to his friend. "This fellow will spoil my reputation!"

Sundarsingh picked up an axe and silently followed Shivacharya. Both had gone only a furlong when suddenly Sundarsingh sprang forward and swung his axe. A leopard that was stealthily coming towards Shivacharya along the branch of a big tree got killed. The Yogi stopped. Sundarsingh at once prostrated himself to him. The Yogi asked, "My boy! What can I do for you?" "Master, be kind to me and enrol me as your disciple," proposed Sundarsingh. The yogi stood with his eyes closed for a moment. Then he said, "All right. Follow me." Sundarsingh fell at the yogi's feet once again. Then both resumed their journey. The vampire paused for a moment and then demanded of King Vikram in a challenging tone: "O king, isn't the yogi's conduct questionable? It appeared that Sundarsingh followed the yogi to kill him at a hint from his friend. If he killed the leopard, it was because the leopard was a danger not only to the yogi but also to himself. Couldn't the yogi understand this? Prashant had been spoilt by Sundarsingh. How is it that while expelling Prashant from the Ashram the yogi accepted as his disciple the chap who had spoiled him?

Is it because Sundarsingh saved his life that he could not say no to him? Besides, should he not have given another chance to Prashant? Is he not guilty of a double standard? Answer me if you can, O King. If you keep mum despite your knowledge of the answer, your head would roll off your neck." Forthwith replied the king Vikram, "Sundarsingh did not follow the yogi to kill him. Had that been his motive, he could have killed him even after killing the leopard. Rather we should suppose that he followed him lest otherwise Prashant himself will follow and kill the yogi. To eat a certain kind of food, to drink and even to loot the travellers were a natural part of Sundarsingh's way of life. Prashant not only came from civilised society but also had been privileged to learn higher ideals from the yogi. For him, it was degradation and betrayal of the guru's faith. While Prashant had been spoilt under Sundarsingh's influence Sundarsingh had been inspired to learn and be a better man. So far as Prashant is concerned, the yogi had given him a chance to refrain from his habit when he indirectly disapproved of his going out of the Ashram. Prashant did not respect the guru's sentiment. With his insight, the guru understood that there was no need to waste his time on Prashant any longer." No sooner had the king concluded his reply than the vampire, along with the corpse, gave him the slip.

 The Simpleton And The Demon

The vampire went on: In days gone by there lived a famous merchant in the city of Pratisthan, named Varun Varma. His only child was a girl, Sumitra. In the same city lived a young man named Devdas. Among his friends, he was known to be a simpleton. They teased him for his naivety and credulousness and laughed at him. It so happened that one day Devdas's eyes fell on Sumitra. He was charmed by her. He had already heard that Sumitra was a very good-natured girl. He had also heard that her father was looking for a suitable young man to marry her. At once he met a friend of his named Kumar whom he knew to be very clever. "My dear friend, I'll very much like to marry Sumitra, Varun Varma's daughter. Won't you help me in the matter?" Kumar was amused. One to marry Sumitra was to inherit the property of Varun Varma who was the richest man in the city. How can a simpleton like Devdas aspire to that fortune? Kumar, as ever, planned to have a laugh at his friend's cost. "Why don't you meet Varun Varma and put the proposal straight to him? I've no doubt in my mind that he'd be only too pleased to have you as his son-in-law!" he said. Devdas wasted no time. He met the merchant that very evening and said that he'd like to marry his daughter. The merchant too was amused. He understood that Devdas was a very simple-hearted boy. But he did not like to offend him. He wished to turn him out in a diplomatic way. "My boy," he said, "You seem to be a bright young man. Why should I object to your marrying my daughter? But I have decided upon a condition. You have to fulfill that condition if I am to accept your proposal."

"What's the condition, sir?" "Well, you must bring me gold equal to your weight within a week from today. I don't mind if it is a pound less or more!" "I see." Devdas stood thoughtful for a moment. Then he left, saying that he'd try his best to fulfill the condition. Varun Varma was sure that he had seen the last of the audacious young man. Devdas was back to Kumar and said, "Now, it all depends on my getting gold equal to my weight!" "Is that all?" Kumar asked, laughing in his sleeves. "It is not a high price when compared to your marrying Sumitra and owning her father's wealth. The question is, where to get so much gold." "Right. That is the question," agreed Devdas. Kumar's face brightened up. "Only one man can help you. He is the yogi who is camping in the temple courtyard. I know that he has changed metal scraps into gold for some people," he said. Kumar knew very well that the so-called Yogi was a fraud. He had swindled several people through his tall promises. Kumar was sure that Devdas would make himself a laughing stock once again. Devdas proceeded to the temple and told the false yogi what he needed. During the previous night, the false yogi's camp had been looted by a notorious bandit named Bhaloo. The false yogi was anxious to get hold of the bandit somehow or the other. "I'll give you the gold you need if you can bring Bhaloo the bandit to me," he said. Everybody in the locality knew that Bhaloo lived in the hills in the nearby forest. Nobody ever dared to enter that part of the forest. 

But Devdas had no fear. Soon he was in the forest looking for Bhaloo. A member of Bhaloo's gang saw the unarmed Devdas and was surprised. He led the young man to the bandit chief's presence. Devdas put his problem frankly before Bhaloo. The bandit chief did not feel like killing him. At the same time, he did not wish him to go back alive, because he had found out their hideout. He asked Devdas, "Have you heard about the demon who lives in that eastern hill?" "Yes." "He possesses a lot of wealth. Why don't you meet him and request him to help you?" The demon was the terror of that forest. All were afraid of him and there was no question of any human being ever going to meet him. Bhaloo was sure that the young man shall never return from the demon's den. Devdas walked for a whole day and reached the demon's den. He could see the demon, seated on a rock, looking at him with great surprise. On sighting the demon Devdas smiled and greeted him. The demon looked even more surprised. Devdas told him what he wanted. The demon was a kind-hearted creature, though his appearance scared everybody. He showed Devdas a few pieces of diamond and said, "Tell Varun Varma that I can give diamonds worth ten times the amount of gold that he requires. It would be easy for you to carry diamonds. If he insists on having gold, then we have to think of some way to despatch the stuff to his house." Devdas returned to Varun Varma and narrated his adventures to him in detail.

Then he asked, "Sir, will it do if I bring those diamonds?" Varun Varma, who listened to him with bated breath, said with a smile, "My boy, I have got something more valuable than the diamonds. You shall marry Sumitra." The vampire paused and then asked the King Vikram in a challenging tone, "O King, was it not foolish of Varun Varma to agree to give his daughter in marriage to a simpleton like Devdas? Secondly, why did he give up the chance of getting those diamonds offered by the demon? Answer me, O King, if you can. Should you keep mum despite your knowledge of the answer, your head would roll off your neck." Forthwith answered King Vikram, "Far from being foolish, Varun Varma was a truly wise man. Devdas appeared a simpleton to ordinary people. But Varun Varma recognized in him true courage. If Devdas braved into the presence of the bandit and the demon, it was because he had a childlike faith in the goodness of all creatures. Ultimately his faith produced the result. 

He was successful in his mission. "Varun Varma saw that Devdas was so good that even a demon was kind to him. Being a human being, should he fail to recognize the young man's quality? "It is easy to be clever and crafty. It is not easy to be simple and brave. Varun Varma knew that Devdas had these rare qualities in his character and they were more valuable than the diamonds. Varun Varma was not greedy. He had no reason to send Devdas to fetch the diamonds promised by the demon." No sooner had the king concluded his answer than the vampire, along with the corpse, gave him the slip.

 The Young Sorcerer

The vampire went on: In the Vidyachala hills there lived a yogi who was also a Tantrik. He lived in a quiet way and did not wish to be widely known. Nevertheless, seekers came from far and wide and prayed to him to teach them something or the other. The yogi generally obliged them. A young man named Suvak who had lived with the yogi for a few years knew that the yogi had far greater powers than he ever showed. He could make possible what seemed to be impossible. One day Suvak bowed to the yogi and said, "O Master, teach me all you know. Let your mysterious powers come down to me. I will remain ever faithful to you." "My dear boy, since you have lived with me for some years, you know that I have indeed mastered much power through the practice of tantra. But I am not eager to impart those powers to anybody. You can rest assured that they will do no real good to you," said the yogi. Suvak was not convinced. He continued to live there. He served the yogi even more intently. The yogi taught him a few secrets by which he could do certain miracles. But he desired to learn much more and to master greater powers. Two years passed. Suvak told the yogi once again, "My Master, be kind to me and teach me how I can be a great Tantrik." The yogi kept quiet for a moment and then said, "You can have great powers if you marry the princess of the kingdom of Ujjal." Suvak immediately left the forest and headed towards Ujjal. He took lodge in the house of a nobleman and began to show his miraculous powers. The king heard of him and summoned him to the palace and said, "Gentleman, I hear that you can perform wonderful feats. Why not give a performance in the inner apartment of our palace? My daughter is very keen to witness such feats."

"My lord!" said Suvak. "I'm no magician in the ordinary sense, but a Tantrik. I shall be happy to perform before the princess. But I have one prayer to submit to you. I desire to meet the princess privately after the show." The king consented to this. Suvak performed his miracles inside the palace. Out of the clouds he created a dragon. The princess and her maids were amazed. "How did you like my feats, Your Highness?" Suvak asked the princess. "I had never seen anything so very thrilling and awe-inspiring!" commented the princess. "Thank you. I could show far more wondrous feats, only if you were kind to me!" said Suvak. The princess looked a bit surprised. "Well, if I can help you in any way to make you more gifted, I should be happy to do so!" she said. Suvak got over the hesitation and said, "My guru has assured me that I could become the greatest Tantrik only if..." "What's the condition?" asked the princess.

"Only if I could marry you!" The princess looked extremely grave. "Gentleman!" she said. "That is out of the question. I am betrothed to Kumarendra, the young King of Vijayapuri. In fact, he should be here tomorrow to finalize the date of our wedding." "I see!" said Suvak waving his hand impatiently. "But please think again, O princess. If you marry Kumarendra, you'll become the queen of Vijayapuri. But if you marry me, you'll be the queen of the whole world. Yes, I can then have the power to become the monarch of the world!" "I am sorry. I'm not destined to hold that lofty position. Let us forget about it." The princess indicated that she was not willing to talk any longer. "Very well. Let Kumarendra arrive. I'll have a talk with him. In the meanwhile please give a second thought to my proposal," said Suvak while taking leave of the princess. Kumarendra arrived there the next day. Suvak met him at the earliest opportunity and requested him to refrain from marrying the princess. Kumarendra proved a very kind-hearted man. He heard Suvak with patience and sympathy, but said politely, "The princess and myself love each other. We decided to marry two years ago. Hope, you'll understand me." Suvak suddenly flared up and said, "I'll see to it that you can't marry the princess." He then chanted a spell and brought out a pinch of ash from his pocket and sprinkled it on Kumarendra's face. The young king felt some change in his face. To his horror, he found that he had grown disfigured! 

He sighed and collapsed on the bed and said, "You've proved very wicked. Indeed, I cannot marry the princess with such a face!" Suvak laughed. In the meanwhile, the maid of the princess who heard and saw everything through a window ran to the princess and reported to her what had happened. The princess came rushing to the scene and told Suvak tearfully, "Do you think that I was in love with King Kumarendra's mere appearance? Our love is deeper and purer. I'll never, never, hesitate to marry him." She ordered Suvak to be thrown into jail. At the insistence of the princess, their marriage took place the very next day. To everybody's surprise, Kumarendra got back his lost appearance the moment the marriage ritual was performed. "Let's release the chap. He was working under uncontrolled ambition and passion," Kumarendra told the princess. Suvak was set free. Suvak returned to Vidyachal and told the Yogi in an agitated manner, "Master, I think you knew pretty well that I'll not succeed in marrying the princess of Ujjal. Why did you ask me to try it?" "My boy," said the yogi. "Try to find the answer yourself. If you can, you'll make some progress. Now, go away." 

The vampire paused and demanded the King Vikram in a challenging tone, "O King, what is the answer to the question which the Yogi wanted Suvak to find out himself? In what way was the answer likely to help Suvak in making any progress? If the yogi was not to teach him secrets of greater power, why did he give him some powers at all? Answer me if you can, O King. Should you keep mum despite your knowledge of the answers, your head would roll off your neck!" Forthwith answered King Vikram, "One who should wield great power ought to be a noble-hearted and selfless person. Otherwise one might play havoc with one's power. The yogi sent Suvak to Ujjal to show to him where he stood. That is to say, if Suvak had some wisdom in him, he can see that he misused whatever little power he had in order to gain his own selfish end. How can the yogi teach him secrets of greater power? If Suvak realise this much, he will try to rise above his selfishness. That will mean progress for him. "It is true that the yogi had given him some powers. But the effects of such powers were temporary. For example, he disfigured Kumarendra's face, but the magic did not last long, under the beneficent influence of true love the evil magic was washed away." No sooner had King Vikram concluded his answer than the vampire, along with the corpse, gave him the slip.

 The Demon's Dilemma

The vampire went on: Ratnakar was a young man who had his education in the holy city of Kashi. At the completion of his study, he was returning to his home state that was far away when he strayed into a forest. The forest was infested by deadly beasts. But Ratnakar was lucky. He was seen by a hermit who took him to his hut and gave him shelter there. Soon Ratnakar realized that the hermit had the power to perform miracles. Ratnakar decided to please the hermit so that the hermit would be pleased to pass on some of his secrets to him. He stayed on in the forest and served the hermit sincerely. A month passed. One day Ratnakar told the hermit, "O holy man, you can perform strange deeds. You get food from nowhere. Tigers and lions behave towards you like your pets. Won't you kindly pass on some secrets to me so that I too could do such miracles?" The hermit smiled and kept quiet. Ratnakar did not lose hope. He waited for two more months and repeated his appeal to the hermit. But the hermit said nothing. That disappointed the young man thoroughly. While the hermit sat in meditation, Ratnakar began to hurl abuses at him. His nasty scream woke up the hermit who looked angrily at him. Next moment Ratnakar felt an uneasy change coming over him. He was growing bigger and uglier. He ran to the brink of a lake and saw his reflection on the water. He realized that he had become a demon. He returned to the hermit and fell at his feet, crying, "How could this become of me?" "My son, you behaved like a demon while I was in deep meditation. That is why you became a demon. What can I do?" said the hermit. "O holy man, it is true that my own misconduct reduced me to this condition. I had no true love or dedication for you. I was here simply for satisfying my desire. But, please tell me, how am I to come out of this curse?" Ratnakar asked with deep anguish.

"You'll recover your human self the moment you do something noble," said the hermit. Ratnakar went away and lived in a cave. He found it very difficult to get food for himself. Whatever fruit he could find was not enough to satisfy his hunger. He was not able to eat raw animals. He almost starved for days. One morning he told himself, "I will go out presently and eat up any creature I find!" On coming out of his cave he saw a young man passing through the forest. "Excellent! You'll be my food!" he shouted. The young man who was very brave at once unsheathed his sword and was ready to defend himself. In fact, he looked quite happy at meeting a demon. "You seem to be quite courageous!" commented the demon. "Why should I enter the forest in search of adventure if I had no courage?" "Pity!" said the demon. "What's the matter?" asked the young man. "The pity is, I'm extremely hungry. But I won't like to eat a brave lad like you. Besides, I may not prove strong enough to vanquish you," confessed the demon. "What do you mean? Are you not a demon?" queried the surprised young man. Ratnakar narrated the incident that led him to become a demon. Then he asked, "Can you tell me where to find a coward?" The young man laughed and said, "Luckily for you, the world abounds in cowards. You won't meet them here, because those who enter the forest are brave. But go to the town or the villages, you'll see cowards everywhere."

They parted. The demon reached the nearest village. It was evening. He saw a lean and thin man outside the village and got ready to pounce on him. But, to his great surprise, the young man did not look scared at all. "Who are you that you are not afraid of a demon?" asked Ratnakar. "I am Harihar, the poorest man in the village. I was desiring that a tiger or a demon should emerge from the forest and put an end to my life. I am without food for the last two days!" "Pity! This means you're not afraid of death. Well, I can't possibly kill the one who is not afraid of death. Don't you have anyone in this village who fears death?" "There is a guy who shivers at the very mention of death. That is why he is spending all he can to be cured of his illness," said Harihar. Ratnakar reached that guy in few bounds. The guy reclining in his bed, at once said, "Come, my friend, come. I'm fed up with life. No quantity of medicine seems to be effective on me. I was just praying for the God of Death to send his messenger and you are here!" "Pity! You are ready to die. I've nothing to do with you. Is there nobody in your village who is afraid of death?" asked Ratnakar who was hungry beyond toleration. "The answer to your question is Mahindra, the physician. He is giving me mild or fake medicines so that I'll suffer longer and continue to pay him his fees. Is he not doing so because of his lust for life?"

"Right. He will be my food," said the demon and he reached Mahindra's house. Mahindra was in a very bad state of mind. He had changed his life's saving into gold and had buried it. His gold had been stolen. He looked at the demon vacantly and said, "If all my life's saving is gone, what is the use of my life itself? I'm ready to die. Please eat me as soon as you can." Said the demon, "I cannot eat a man who has no desire to live. I wonder if there is someone who is blindly attached to his life." "The moneylender of our village is such a man. He is a miser beyond description. He goes on hoarding money. Is it not because he is extremely attached to life?" The demon thought that at last, he had someone to serve him as his food. He appeared before the moneylender and said, "Get ready for death. Pray to your deity." "Demon, Sir! Please give me a day's time. A client is to return me my ten thousand coins tomorrow, with interest. If I am not there, he would never return the amount," said the moneylender pleadingly. "What's the benefit in your recovering the money if you know that you'll die tomorrow?" The moneylender had no answer to this question. Suddenly Ratnakar remembered the condition that he will get back to his human form if he did something noble. He told the moneylender, "Well, I won't eat you if you give money to make a charitable hospital and a temple." "No, no, no, no. I won't waste my money," said the moneylender shaking his head vehemently. 

"Then I'll eat you!" "You may, but I must safeguard my money." "Don't you have any love for life?" asked the surprised Ratnakar. "I don't know. But I love money," the moneylender said frankly. "Pity. I know I won't get the food fit for me," muttered Ratnakar with a sigh. He left the village. Outside the village, his eyes fell on the young Harihar, the poorest man. To the demon's surprise, Harihar ran away. Ratnakar caught up with him. "O demon, please don't kill me. I want to live because the guy who is going to die has just decided to adopt me as his son. I'll inherit his property," said Harihar. The demon went to the patient to find out if what Harihar said was true. The guy said, "Brother demon, I'm much better today. The physician, at last, gave the right medicine last night. I hope to fully recover soon. Let me live." The demon met the physician and found out that the thief had been caught and his lost gold recovered. He was happy and he pleaded with the demon to let him live. By then the demon had grown so hungry that he fell down and swooned away. Then he changed into his human form. The physician's astonishment knew no bound. He brought Ratnakar back to sense and fed him. Ratnakar told him about his history and left for his home. 

The vampire paused for a moment and then asked in a challenging tone, "O king, why did the demon refrain from eating the three fellows even after they had grown greedy of life? Secondly, how did Ratnakar get back his human form although he had done nothing noble? Answer me if you can. Should you keep mum despite your knowledge of the answer, your head would roll off your neck!" Forthwith answered King Vikram, "Although Ratnakar had become a demon in form, his nature had not changed to that of a demon. Being human in nature, though he was very hungry he was not inclined to eat human beings. Being a demon, refraining from eating those three fellows was by itself a noble deed. That is why he got back his normal human form." No sooner had the King Vikram concluded the answer than the vampire, along with the corpse, gave him the slip.

 No Admission!

The vampire went on: Ramachandra of Shripur was respectable and well to do villager. His wife died leaving one child behind, a boy named Sudarshan. Ramachandra took great care to bring up the child properly. He followed such ideals which he expected his son to follow. He never uttered a lie. He refrained from any habit that he did not consider healthy for Sudarshan. With great patience, he explained to Sudarshan all matters in which the boy showed some curiosity. Sudarshan went to school. He learnt his lessons with attention and retained them in his memory. He proved himself intelligent and sweet-natured. He was kind towards his playmates. If any of them was rude to him, he did not retort but kept quiet. When Sudarshan finished his study in the village school, Ramachandra decided to admit him in a famous school in the town, known as the Model Academy. This school was founded by a great educationist, Acharya Vijay Dev. The Acharya was no more, but his sons and grandsons ran the Academy. So great was the reputation of the institution that any student who studied there to the end was assured of high posts in the royal service. Ramachandra had a deep reverence for Vijay Dev. He resolved to donate five thousand coins to the institution. He collected the necessary amount and got ready to set out for the town, with Sudarshan. But, as fate would have it, he suddenly took ill. Their journey was postponed. Ramachandra hoped that he will recover from his illness soon. But days passed and his condition turned worse. Even the foremost physician of the region failed to cure him.

The physician called his teacher, an old man who had retired to a hermitage. This old physician too did his best, even then there was no improvement in Ramachandra's condition. Ramachandra felt extremely depressed. His dream of getting his son admitted to the Model Academy got shattered. Sudarshan, of course, was continuously attending upon him and was consoling him, but he remained sad. There was a successful merchant in the village who visited Ramachandra often. He sat by his bedside and spoke to him of the principles of commerce. Sudarshan put questions to him. In the process, he learnt a lot about commerce. "Your son should study commerce," the merchant told Ramachandra. Among Ramachandra's well-wishers was a musician. The musician visited his sick friend from time to time and sang for the patient's benefit. "Why don't you learn to sing from my friend?" Ramachandra asked Sudarshan. Sudarshan was ready to do his father's bidding. He picked up the art of singing very fast. "If you admit Sudarshan to the Model Academy, let him learn music there," the musician suggested to Ramachandra. Meanwhile, Sudarshan was listening with great interest to the discussion between the two physicians. They had diagnosed Ramachandra's disease to be a rare one. They prepared medicine according to the prescription in an old book. But the medicine did not work. One day Sudarshan politely asked them, "Could it be that in this context the prescription refers to Neem leaves?" The surprised physicians read the old text once again and realised that what Sudarshan said was true.

They had failed to understand the old text properly. Now they prepared the medicine accordingly. Ramachandra showed signs of improvement overnight. The fact that his son had hit upon the right medicine gave him great satisfaction. That speeded up his process of recovery. He got back his health in a month. "Rama, you must train your son to become a physician. My cousin, Sumath, is the head of the department of medicine at the Model Academy. I can write to him recommending Sudarshan," the elder physician told Ramachandra. At last Ramachandra and Sudarshan were ready to proceed to the town. The headmaster of the village school who came to see them off, said, "Ramachandra, Sudarshan ought to study literature. That is the subject in which he can show his merit. My brother-in-law, Dinanath, is in charge of the faculty of literature of the Academy. He will help you." Father and son reached the town in the evening and spent the night in an inn. In the morning they met Sumath. "I'll like my son to study medicine," Ramachandra told him.

"Are you a physician yourself?" asked Sumath. "No," replied Ramachandra. "Was your father a physician?" "No." "Your grandfather?" "I'm afraid, no!" Sumath's lips got curled in derision. "How do you expect your son to fit into our section when none of his forefathers was a physician? Don't be so ambitious. Go and enrol him for commerce. He can earn his livelihood through some business." They went to the gentleman in charge of the commerce department. He said sternly, "A boy born and brought up in a village should not aspire to study commerce. It is different with town boys. They are exposed to the commercial atmosphere!" They went to the gentleman in charge of the music section. "Music is not literature that anybody can learn it!" commented the man. Then he hummed a song without paying any more attention to the visitors. Ramachandra and Sudarshan went to Dinanath. Since he was a relation of their village headmaster, they told him all about their experience. "Those who come to study literature because they find no place in any other section, have no place in our section either. You should have met me first if you were truly interested in literature!" said Dinanath. 

They were tired. On hearing everything from Ramachandra, the inn-keeper said to him, "All you have to do is contribute five hundred or a thousand coins to the management. They will straight away admit the boy to any department of your choice. Tell me if you are prepared. I will get the boy admitted in no time." Ramachandra nodded but said nothing. In the morning he and Sudarshan got ready to leave for their home. "Can't you afford five hundred or a thousand?" asked the inn-keeper. "No," said Ramachandra. "Don't you know that a student of the Model Academy can get any good job?" Ramachandra kept quiet. Then both father and son left for their village. The vampire paused for a moment and then asked the king Vikram in a challenging tone, "O King, we know that Ramachandra was prepared to donate five thousand for the institution. Why then did he back out? Why did he deprive Sudarshan of higher education? Answer me, if you can. Should you keep mum despite your knowledge of the answer, your head would roll off your neck!" Forthwith answered King Vikram, "Ramachandra was willing to donate five thousand out of his free will. 

He was not ready to give even one coin out of compulsion. His respect for the Model Academy was gone when he found that nobody was willing to examine the merit of the candidate. Their judgement was whimsical." "Ramachandra had no intention of securing a good job for his son. What he wanted was true education for his boy. He realised that the Model Academy was no longer the ideal institution for education, though it was good for making a career. "Sudarshan had a knack for learning things spontaneously. One who had that quality, the whole world could become the school for him. So, Sudarshan had no need for admission into the Academy." No sooner had the king concluded his answer than the vampire gave him the slip.

 The Revenge

The vampire went on: In the village, Gopipur lived Mahindra, a middle-class farmer. He was as intelligent as he was laborious. He sent his son Uttam to the town for higher education. Uttam was a meritorious boy. He became popular not only in his educational institution but also in the whole town. He received a coveted award from the king for his poetry. He participated in a seminar of scholars and was highly praised for his discourse. At the completion of his studies, he emerged as the best student of his institution. Mahindra, naturally, felt very proud of Uttam. "My son," he told Uttam when the young man was back in the village, "now I'd like you to get married. I must see you settled in life." Uttam was not eager to marry that soon. At the same time, he did not wish to hurt his father's feelings. After some hesitation, he consented to abide by his father's will. Mahindra was very happy. He prepared to go out to meet Dhir Das, his neighbour. Dhir Das was the most wealthy merchant in that area. Mahindra used to observe his daughter, Sumati. She was beautiful and humble. Mahindra nursed a desire to bring her home as his daughter-in-law. Just then they were met by a messenger from the king. He brought some good news that Uttam had been appointed as a scholar in the royal court. Mahindra was elated. Who won't like to have Uttam as a son-in-law in his present status? Mahindra was sure that Dhir Das would feel honoured at the proposal he was going to broach before him.

Mahindra went to Dhir Das and told him about Uttam's luck. Dhir Das was very happy. "Please make it convenient to come to dinner with me tonight, along with dear Uttam," he said. "Thanks. That will be a suitable time for finalising an important matter. I mean, I will be happy to bring Sumati home as Uttam's wife," said Mahindra. Dhir Das laughed as if he took Mahindra's proposal lightly. "Why should you choose our Sumati for your gifted son? This girl hardly knows any household work. Luxurious bringing up has spoilt her!" was his comment. "Oh, no, I refuse to accept your view of Sumati. Don't I know her well enough? I shall be happy to take her home, provided you have no objection to my proposal," said Mahindra. Dhir Das looked grave. Lowering his voice, he then said, "My brother, you and I are friends. Can't we remain friends without becoming relatives? To be frank, Sumati will not suit your family, nor your family will suit her. She is accustomed to commanding servants. She will feel at home in a house where she can continue to do so. When she cannot do so, she will feel awkward.

When you will see that she is not capable of coping up with the household work, you will feel dissatisfied. Being your neighbour I have to continuously worry over the situation. Please give a second thought to your proposal." Mahindra felt awfully humiliated. "We cannot come for the dinner, sorry," he said and went out in a huff. Dhir Das had no chance to say a word more. Mahindra straight went to the next village. He fixed Uttam's marriage with the daughter of another friend of his and returned home. In so many ways Dhir Das tried to reestablish his cordial relationship with Mahindra. But he did not succeed. Mahindra refused to talk to him. After some time Dhir Das got disgusted and stopped trying to reconcile with Mahindra. Uttam's marriage was over. He left for the town. Mahindra spent more and more time with Uttam. The facilities and salary Uttam received enabled him to live comfortably and happily. But he observed that his father was never quite happy. One day he insisted on knowing the cause. Mahindra confessed that Dhir Das's behaviour still rankled in him. "Cheer up, father, one day we will take revenge on Dhir Das!" said Uttam laughing. Mahindra's face brightened up. He looked happy thereafter. Uttam prospered well. After a few years he resigned his job at the king's court and settled down in his village. He set up the business of exporting the produce of his area to the town and became very rich. He raised a palatial building in place of his ancestral house. He grew richer than Dhir Das.

Sumati, Dhir Das's daughter, had married in a wealthy family. Sumati had a daughter, Uttam had a son. One day, a friend told old Mahindra, "Dhir Das desires to marry his granddaughter to your grandson. I think they will send the proposal duly in a week's time." As soon as the friend left, Mahindra told Uttam what he had heard. "Don't forget to avenge our humiliation, my son!" he warned Uttam. "Indeed, the time for that seems to have come!" remarked Uttam. Soon Mahindra fell ill and died. After the funeral rites for Mahindra were over, Dhir Das sent the proposal through a suave mediator. Uttam received the proposal with courtesy and consented to it. The marriage of his son with Dhir Das's granddaughter was performed smoothly. The vampire paused for a moment and then asked in a challenging tone, "O King, did Uttam not betray his father's faith in him? How could he agree to the marriage proposal after asserting that he meant to take revenge on Dhir Das? Answer me if you can. Should you keep mum despite your knowledge of the answer, your head would roll off your neck!"

 King Vikram replied forthwith, "Mahindra and Uttam had totally different outlooks. Mahindra desired to have Sumati as his daughter-in-law. That is why he felt insulted when his proposal was turned down. Uttam had not nursed any desire to marry Sumati. Hence there was no reason for his feeling insulted. To reject Dhir Das's proposal would have been revenge according to Mahindra. According to Uttam, the very fact that Dhir Das sent the proposal for a relationship with them amounted to their taking revenge on Dhir Das. Mahindra was a common man. He had felt insulted comparing himself with Dhir Das. Uttam enjoyed social prestige right from his student days. He had no reason to compare himself with Dhir Das and feel inferior. Anyway, he felt that his father's humiliation was sufficiently avenged when Dhir Das recognised their status. He had not given much thought to his father's idea of revenge. Hence there is no question of his betraying his father's faith." No sooner had the king concluded his reply than the vampire, along with the corpse, gave him the slip.

 The Strange Judgement

The vampire went on: When the Kingdom of Karnika was ruled by King Divyendu, a bandit became a menace. Ugrashil was the bandit's name. He made the hills in the interior of the forest his citadel. He raised a gang and trained each member of it in riding, fencing, and stick play almost to perfection. The gang not only stripped those who passed by the forest but also raided the houses of the wealthy in distant villages. Most swiftly they escaped into the forest with their booty. Several times the king sent his sepoys to flush out the bandits, but in that difficult region, the sepoys were no match for the bandits. Once the bandits had entered their hideout in the hills, the sepoys were helpless. Ugrashil and his followers always put on loose masks on their faces when they were out for plunder. That is why nobody ever saw their faces. When they roamed about normally in towns or villages, nobody suspected their nature. Ugrashil's wife always grumbled against his way of life. "Let's go over to some village and live as poor people. We will be without any fear or anxiety. What satisfaction can be there in living as criminals, though with a lot of money?" she often told her husband. "It is not possible for me to change over to any different lifestyle, not in this life!" replied Ugrashil. A son was born to Ugrashil after a long time. This resulted in a great change in Ugrashil's conduct. He was reluctant to go out for plunders. When he saw a child in any household, he passed some time in caressing it and never touched any ornament the child or its mother wore. His two deputies told him, "Master! Is it right for a bandit to have such weaknesses? You are losing your alertness!" Ugrashil nodded and smiled.

He neither quarreled with them nor changed his conduct. One day Ugrashil's spies brought news that a party of wealthy merchants was to pass by a road that was not far from the forest. Ugrashil and his gang got ready to launch an attack on the party. They went to the border of the forest and waited. Their spies climbed the tallest trees and kept a watch on the road. Ugrashil sat leaning against a tree. He dozed off for a moment. He dreamt a fearful dream. The chief of the king's police force spotted him and hurled a spear at him. It pierced his back. His wife saw it, shrieked, and tried to reach him in a hurry. But the rock on which they stood slipped and they fell down into a gorge. Ugrashil gave out a cry and his thin sleep ended. "What happened, Master?" asked his deputies. "Nothing," replied Ugrashil. Just then his spies on the treetop sent the signal to tell him that it was time for the gang to attack the pilgrims. "Let's gallop forth," proposed the deputies. "No!" said Ugrashil. He felt that his dream indicated danger. He decided to call off the proposed attack.

"What do you mean, Master?" asked the surprised deputies. "We must return to our homes!" was Ugrashil's command. The gang had to obey their chief's order. But it was clear that they were unhappy. On their return journey, they received another shock from Ugrashil. He told them, "I am thinking of surrendering myself to the king. You are welcome to follow me if you so please!" "But won't that mean our being punished?" the deputies asked in surprise. "Yes, but that will free us from all anxiety. What is more, I am very much concerned about my son's future. I don't want him to grow up in a forest, in the shadow of fear. If an encounter takes place with the king's sepoys, my wife's and my son's lives too will be in danger. I want to avoid this," explained Ugrashil. His two deputies looked at each other but said nothing. Back in the hills, Ugrashil announced his decision to all the members of the gang. They stood speechless. That night Ugrashil could not sleep. He saw his two deputies talking under a rock. He went closer to them and heard what they were saying. "Once the chief surrenders to the king, the sepoys will find out our hideout. That will be our end," said one. "Right. We must see to it that neither the chief nor his wife has any chance to meet the king!" said the other. Ugrashil had no difficulty in understanding what was in their minds. They planned to kill him and his wife. In the process, they were not likely to spare the child either.

He woke up his wife. Hurriedly they slipped out of the forest along with their child. They walked the whole night. Ugrashil knew a shortcut out of the forest which nobody else knew. In the morning they reached a village. Ugrashil hired a carriage and proceeded to the town. It was evening when they reached the town which was the capital of Karnika. They took on rent a room in an inn. At night Ugrashil told his wife, "I must meet the king in privacy and surrender to him. Let him punish me, but you will be safe." His wife wept and said, "Is it necessary to surrender to the king? Is it not enough to change the mode of your living? Why should we not just live quietly?" "How can we? I have no money with which to buy any land or begin any trade. Besides, today or tomorrow the king will come to know who I am. If I declare myself and am sent to jail, according to the law of this land you and the child will be given shelter in the king's charity home," said Ugrashil. Without waiting to know his wife's reaction, he set out into the dark. With ease, he climbed the king's palace. The guards could not see him. He knew when the king retires to bed. He wanted to meet him just before that. He managed to reach the entrance into the royal bedroom. Before he had crossed into the room, he stumbled upon a lampstand. The sound alerted the king's bodyguards. At once they pounced on him. "My lord, all I wanted was to talk to you privately," he said looking at the king. "Disarm him," commanded the king.

The bodyguards thoroughly searched Ugrashil's person. But no arm was found. The king asked the bodyguards to leave the intruder alone with him. Ugrashil told the king all about his change of heart and prayed to him to give shelter to his wife and son. He was prepared for any punishment. The king brought out a bag from the next room. "Go and begin a new life." The grateful Ugrashil understood that the bag contained money. He touched the king's feet. The king called his bodyguards and asked them to escort Ugrashil to his inn. The vampire paused for a moment and then demanded of King Vikram in a challenging tone, "O King, how did the King Divyendu know for certain that Ugrashil had not been there to kill him? Knowing him to be the dreaded criminal how did he let him go free? Why did he provide him with money? What could be his plan for the members of Ugrashil's gang? Answer me, O King, if you can. Should you keep mum despite your knowledge of the answer, your head would roll off your neck." 

Answered King Vikram forthwith: "King Divyendu at first ascertained that the intruder carried no arm. Had Ugrashil wanted to murder the king, he could not have entered the palace without any arm! Then, why should he confess to be the dreaded Ugrashil when nobody had ever seen his face? This convinced the king that Ugrashil had really had a change of heart. A conscientious ruler should not only punish a criminal but also be keen to reform him. The king felt that Ugrashil ought to be given a chance to lead a normal life. So far as Ugrashil's gang is concerned, the king must have thought that its members might feel inspired to surrender when they learn that Ugrashil has been pardoned. If they don't surrender, the king can suppress them because their strength lay in their leader and the leader had deserted them. So, we see that King Divyendu acted wisely." No sooner had the king concluded his answer than the vampire, along with the corpse, gave him the slip.

Portrait For The Princess

The vampire went on: Princess Chandrawati, daughter of King Vasantasen of Shripur was a beauty nonpareil. But one day the king thought, "My child, like any human being shall gradually grow old and lose her charm. Cannot we capture her beauty in a portrait?" On being acquainted with his thought, his minister said, "I know of an artist who is believed to be a genius. We can entrust him with the task of drawing a portrait of our princess." The artist the minister spoke of was Kalasagar. He was summoned to the palace. After having a glimpse of the princess, he told the king, "My lord, I shall consider it a great opportunity to draw Princess Chandrawati's portrait. But it will be necessary for me to know the outlines of the three generations past of the princess, both on her mother's and her father's side. This knowledge will enable me to make the portrait quite lively." The king sat thoughtful. His queen was the daughter of a tribal lady, though her father was a king. This fact was known to very few. King Vasantasen did not wish Kalasagar to know this. "My lord, if you do not approve of my procedure, you may commission my brother Chitrasagar, who lives in Avanti, to draw the portrait. He does not need to be told the story of his subject's past generations," said Kalasagar. The king invited Chitrasagar to the palace. He came and said, "My lord, should you wish me to draw a lively portrait, you must allow me to spend an hour with the princess privately." "Why?" asked the king, not very happy about the condition. "If I am with the princess, I'll come to know all the important things about her three past generations. I need not ask her anything. That will help me in drawing her portrait."

The king kept quiet. At that Chitrasagar added, "There is no reason for you to hesitate about it, my lord. Last month I was commissioned to draw a portrait of the princess of Avanti. Although I never asked her about anything in particular during our private meeting, I could spontaneously learn that her grandmother was a gifted musician. That knowledge helped me to give a special touch to her portrait!" "Thank you. But I cannot agree to your condition," said the king though he paid Chitrasagar for the pains he had taken in visiting him. "The only great artist who can draw the portrait of the princess without such condition is my third brother, Rekhasagar. He lives in the court of Sovangarh." At the king's invitation Rekhasagar visited Shripur and drew the portrait. All marvelled at the picture when it was completed. The king congratulated the artist and rewarded him amply. "My lord, I am touched by your kindness. I have done my best. But I cannot call my work perfect. Perfect portraits can be drawn only by my two brothers, Kalasagar and Chitrasagar, said Rekhasagar while taking leave of the king. The minister informed the king that Kalasagar had just drawn the portrait of a chieftain named Subir Singh. The king summoned Kalasagar again and asked him, "I understand that you have drawn Subir Singh's portrait. You must have heard from him all about his past three generations. Was there anything remarkable in the character of his late grandfather?" "My lord, it is true that I had known about his three generations. But I don't remember a thing. The memory of such things remains in me only till the work is completed. That is the peculiarity of my mind," answered Kalasagar.

"Very well, you can draw my daughter's portrait," said the king and he directed the minister to tell the artist every important thing about three royal generations frankly. When Kalasagar completed the portrait everybody agreed that it was superb, that if the princess stood beside the portrait it would be difficult to distinguish one from the other. Kalasagar was given an ovation, apart from rewards. Just then Chitrasagar happened to be at Shripur. He met the king and said, "My lord, I do not need to have a private talk with the princess. Allow me to spend just a day alone with the portrait Kalasagar has drawn and I'll come to know the past three generations of the princess." The queen and the princess were willing to give him the chance. "No. Thanks," said the king. Chitrasagar went back disappointed. The king sent the portrait drawn by Rekhasager to the public art gallery, but kept the one drawn by Kalasagar in the bedroom of the princess. 

The vampire paused for a moment and then asked the king in a challenging tone: "O king, was it not purely whimsical of King Vasantasen to reject Chitrasagar's offer even after Chitrasagar changed his condition? Secondly, why did the king let the portrait drawn by Rekhasagar to be publicly exhibited and not the better one drawn by Kalasagar? Answer me if you can. Should you keep mum despite your knowledge of the fact, your head would roll off your neck!" Forthwith answered King Vikram, "There was nothing whimsical on the part of the king. He was acting prudently. Rekhasagar made no demand to know the history of the royal family and so he was commissioned to do the portrait. Kalasagar's memory was such that he did not remember a thing of his subject's history once the portrait was done. But Chitrasagar's case was different. During their first meeting the king must have taken note of his speaking about the grandmother of the Princess of Avanti. In the same way he was likely to disclose the secret about king Vasantasen's mother-in-law! That is why his offer was rejected. "The king did not let the portrait drawn by Kalasagar to be kept in public art gallery because Chitrasagar might manage to spend a long time with the portrait and know the history of the royal family!" No sooner had King Vikram concluded his answer than the vampire, along with the corpse, gave him the slip!