IV
KANCHANMALA
THE GOLDEN WREATH
IN the days of yore, when India was governed by Hindu chiefs, there were in each kingdom four families occupying the highest rank—the king's, the prime minister's, the chief merchant's and the head police officer, or prefect's. The story we are about to tell concerns the son of the chief merchant in a particular kingdom. He was named Ruplal,[1] and he was generally beloved and admired. His old father, anticipating death, thought of settling his son in life, and therefore was on the look out for a wife for him. When the idea of marriage was haunting the young man's thoughts, he one night dreamed of a girl of the colour of gold and with hair as black as a dark cloud. The dream so occupied his mind on the following morning that he could think of nothing else. While out for a walk, and brooding over it in a pensive mood, the malini who supplied flowers to his mother and sisters met him, and struck by his apparently sad humour, asked him the reason; and on his describing his dream, she said that a woman like the one whom he had seen in it was to be found in her house, and that she could show her to him if he came there. Eagerly he followed her, and she brought before him her niece, closely veiled. She showed him the girl's hair, and her complexion, by exposing her hands and feet. As to her face the malini said that it must remain veiled as long as Ruplal would not pledge himself to marry her.
- ↑ The centre of all attraction.
