Folk Tales of Kumaon
Saat Pari is a wonder tale that belongs to the folklore genre and is intended for children. It features wondrous characters like fairies and ordinary humans. Typically this tale shows that people continuously face adversities but if they have faith in themselves they can overcome any situation. Such stories set in a fantastical setting can help youngsters confront real-life fears and anxieties
By Anjali Nauriyal
There once lived a Brahmin and Brahmini in a village in Kumaon Himalaya. One day the Brahmin said to Brahmini, “I haven’t visited my in-laws for long. I wish to visit your parents soon.”
“Very well, but what food will you carry for the journey?” The Brahmini asked.
“It will be nice if you make Seven Kulat Dal Stuffed Rotis for me. They would be sufficient for me for the journey,” the Brahmin stated.
The Brahmini did just that and packed Seven Kulat Dal Stuffed Rotis for her husband.
While the Brahmin was jaunting through the forests he kept murmuring and muttering to himself, “Should I eat four today and three tomorrow, or three today and four tomorrow?”
It so happened that 7 Fairies of the Mountains lived in the very same vicinity amidst flowers and trees and rivers and vales. That day they were floating about on the very same route that the Brahmin was traversing. When they heard what he was muttering they became fearful that he was actually mulling over eating all 7 of them.
The 7 Fairies at once confronted him, asked him who he was and where he was traveling. But so happy was the Brahmin after having consuming his meal that he just did not register what the 7 Fairies were asking and kept asking himself whether he should eat three today and four tomorrow and contrariwise.
Now the 7 Fairies were convinced that the Brahmin intended to kill and devour them. They pleaded with him and said, “Don’t eat us. In return we will give you a unique gift that will grant you whatever you ask.”
So saying they offered him a Ladle. The Brahmin asked for water and lo and behold there was water in front of him. This power of the Ladle elated the Brahmin no end. Thereupon the 7 Fairies disappeared from his sight immediately. Having saved themselves from the clutches of the Brahmin they flew high and rejoiced.
The Brahmin consumed his Rotis for the day along with water, and thus satisfied began his journey homewards.
Enroute, the Brahmin met an Old Woman. He asked her, “Will you give me shelter for the night and a place to sleep?”
“I give shelter only to those who carry a Ladle,” she replied. She had seen him carry the Magical Ladle.
Looking at his Ladle, the Brahmin replied, “Yes I have a Ladle.”
The Old Woman then provided him space in her house and even offered him a bed-sheet and quilt. As his stomach was already full, the Brahmin immediately fell asleep.
The moment he fell asleep, the Old Woman replaced his Magical Ladle with an ordinary one.
Next morning the Brahmin embarked on his journey homewards, without realizing that he was carrying an ordinary Ladle.
When he reached the entrance of his house, he shouted out for his wife and when she appeared he happily informed her that her people had gifted him a Magical Ladle that will grant his every wish.
“This is strange. My people had nothing better to give you?” She looked embarrassed.
“See if this Ladle does not work, I will go back to them. They had asked me to return with the Ladle,” he quipped. And actually the Ladle did not work.
Next day, yet again the Brahmin embarked on his journey. This time he again carried his 7 Rotis and also the Ladle.
As on the previous occasion he again began asking himself aloud whether he should eat three today and four tomorrow or vice versa.
The 7 Fairies were shocked to see that the Brahmin had returned and was contemplating gobbling them up.
“We had given you a wonderful gift in the form of the Magical Ladle, but you seem discontented. Today we will give you a Magical Mattress and a Magical Quilt, but do not eat us.”
The moment they handed him the Magical Mattress and a Magical Quilt, the Brahmin’s happiness knew no bounds.
As there was no other house in the vicinity, he once again approached the Old Woman, who readily offered him her place for the night.
The Brahmin informed her that today he had his own bedding and just needed a corner in her house.
The Old Woman then said to him that since his bedding was brand new, he should keep it neatly folded and not defile it, and instead use what she offered him.
This time again she conned him into keeping his Magic bedding aside. The Brahmin now fell asleep and the Old Woman lost no time in replacing his new bedding with her old bedding.
Next morning the Brahmin got up early and embarked on his journey home.
The moment he reached home he handed over his bedding to his wife. “What crap have you got this time? This bedding is all dirty and torn and full of lice,” she protested.
“All this your Maikawalas, your own people have given me.”
“Now don’t go there every again. I am fed up of making Kulat Dal Ki Rotis for your journeys,” she carped.
“OK just make the Rotis this last time. I will never bother you ever again,” he assured.
Reluctantly the Brahmini made the Rotis and packed them in a cloth bundle.
Yet again the Brahmin embarked on his journey. And once again he could be heard saying, “Should I eat four today and three tomorrow or three today and four tomorrow?”
The 7 Fairies were flummoxed. “Why do you keep coming regularly to eat us up? We have given you all that could be useful to you. Promise us if we give you something worthwhile this time you will not come back?”
The Brahmin promised he would not return.
“You had said this last time as well. But you got greedy,” the 7 Fairies reminded him.
“Yes you did give me very valuable stuff. But each time the items lost their magic and turned ineffectual,” he pronounced.
“Do you stop at someone’s house on your way,” the 7 Fairies asked?
“Yes I stay at an Old Woman’s house. It’s quite possible that she swapped the items.
“Today we will give you an Udan Khatola (Flying Machine) and Maar Danda (Killer Baton). You can fly to whatever destination on it and kill anyone with it.
Carrying the two items gifted by the 7 Fairies, the Brahmin sat enroute and ate his Rotis. He then sat on his Flying Machine and reached the Old Woman’s house. She the Brahmin the Old Woman was delighted. She could see that he carried prized possessions.
The Brahmin then got off his Udan Khatola and placing the Maar Danda on the ground said, “I order you to thrash and clobber the person who has stolen my Magical Ladle and Bedding.”
The Maar Danda began thumping the Old Woman just as he was instructed to do.
The Old Woman fell to the ground and wailed in agony. “Yes, I was the one who exchanged your belongings. I will return them to you.”
The Brahmin gathered his valuable and proceeded homewards sitting on his magical machine.
The Brahmini thought her husband was back with his useless stuff once again. The moment she saw the Magical Ladle and Bedding, she was beside herself with joy and happiness.
Euphoric the duo lived a life of abundance and contentment thereafter!
(Dr Anjali Nauriyal, veteran journalist, author, actor and social worker is currently Senior Fellow with Ministry of Culture, GOI)
