DEATH OF DEMON

"Four miles to the north from here there is a lake which is surrounded by steps embedded with precious gems and diamonds. Take bath in that lake, circle yourself thrice and then look towards west. Then you can see garden of banana trees. Each tree would have hundred bananas each. Among the trees, in middle there is different looking banana tree. Remove all the bananas from that tree, then you can see an iron box. When you open it, you can see a house whose walls are made of pearls. In that house there is a stage made of diamonds. On that stage there is a cage hanged in which a parrot is present. My life is hidden in that parrot. If and only if that parrot dies, I will die. As long as it is safe, nothing will happen to me. I told you since you are my daughter. Do you believe in my safety now? Stop worrying."

"Alright."

In the morning when the demon went away Kalavati told everything of demon's life to Vasant. Vasant went to north and did what the demon told and saw the iron box in banana tree but it was locked. He regretted forgetting about key to the lock. When he was thinking he casually put his hands on his pockets where he touched the key. He felt really happy and opened the box with the key and entered the house.

..

"Master! How did the key come into his pockets??" Kota asked mani.

"After demon went away Kalavati wanted to look at the key and so opened the box which contained the key. But she didn't put the key back to its place because of laziness. She casually put the key in pockets of his husband. and he wore that particular clothes only." Mani answered.

"Okay! Continue the story."

..

Vasant went into the house and caught the parrot but demon came there in that moment shouting loudly which is even giving earth quakes. Before the demon attacked him, he broke the legs of the parrot and the demon fell on the floor. Then Vasant twisted the neck of parrot and killed it. Instantly the demon died. Even gods felt happy with the death of that demon.

Upon hearing the cries of demon Kalavati started panicking. 'Mother came early. My husband went away alone. Don't know if he is safe or not.' Vasant came to Kalavati making her relieved of her panic and told her the whole story.

Kalavati felt sad for the death of demon. "Kalavati! Even though she raised you just like a mother, she is the one who killed your own parents. You need not cry on her death." Vasant pacified her.

"Dear! I am an unfilial child. She raised with lots of love too. Show me her dead body once."

He took her to that place. She burned the demon's body with procedure and went to take bath in sea. Then her bracelet fell from her hand into the sea. She tried searching the sea waters to no avail. "Dear! When mother went to abode of gods, they were bathing and she stole these two bracelets. These are really beautiful bracelets. See the second one, you will know how beautiful it is. I love them a lot. But I lost it" she said feeling a little sad.

"Don't worry. I have an artist as a friend. When we show this to him, he can make similar bracelet." Saying this Vasant lead Kalavati into the fort. He remembered friends but he thought of going there after seeing all the things in the fort.

The bracelet which fell in the water was eaten by a fish. A fisherman caught the fish. Since there is a gem embedded bracelet in its stomach, it is giving off some light to outside and looked beautiful too. Fisherman didn't want to kill that fish and thought of gifting it to king Kandarpa which would earn him a lot of gifts.

Just as fisherman expected king gave many valuable gifts to the fisherman. Then he made the people cut the fish from which bracelet came out. He thought, 'The bracelet is really good. How beautiful that woman who was wearing this must be.' He gave out the announcement saying he would give half of his kingdom to whoever brings that woman to him. How ever he could give out only the picture of bracelet and not the woman. So, None came forward for the task.

An old woman heard of the whole story and went to the king. She learned of the details of bracelet, how and where it was obtained and said to king, "Your majesty! The woman you desired, I will bring it to her. Give me a ship with all necessaries."

King arranged all the things she needed and the ship went in the direction fisherman told her. When she traveled for fifteen days, she saw fog and then buildings. Old woman felt happy and pulled down the anchor and left to the sea shore in a small boat. In the beginning she couldn't see anyone. She climbed to the highest point and saw two people. Vasant and Kalavati came there for morning walk. When the old woman saw them, she started crying loudly.

Vasant and Kalavati came there and asked her who she is and what happened for her to cry like that. old woman saw them both and was surprised at their outstanding looks. Then she saw the second bracelet hanging on Kalavati's hand. She was determined to take her back to her kingdom and get half the kingdom for herself. She started saying, "What do I say! I gave birth to only one son in my late age. Right then his father died. I brought him up myself with love and care and married him with a girl. Ever since he got married, his respect and fear towards me came down gradually. Don't know what my daughter in law said to him for him to change that way. He threw me into the sea to kill me. But I didn't die. Waves brought me till here."

Vasant and Kalavati felt pity for her and said she can live there with them. Old woman started living there and acted like a caring person to them that they believed her totally. Old woman saw that Kalavati is naive girl and so coaxed her. "Kalavati! We are alone in this city. What if your husband dies? What will happen to us? I am really worried."

Kalavati got worried to and asked Vasant. Vasant told her that his life is inside his scabbard and so they need not worry. He also gave it to Kalavati saying if she is really worried she can keep it with her. Kalavati said the same to old woman who secretly snickered.

Old woman said, "We need to keep it in a safe place. We need to protect it properly."

Kalavati : Why need to work hard on hiding it? I will just put it here on this table. None comes here anyway. We can look at it daily.

After few days, when the couple is in deep sleep old woman started rubbing that scabbard in hopes of ruining it and killing Vasant. Vasant started struggling with his nearing death and pain. Kalavati saw that the scabbard is missing and went to old woman and snatched the scabbard blaming the old woman.

Old woman : Why are you scolding me? I was just checking if it is true that his life is in this. Let's go and see how he is.

Old woman dragged Kalavati into their room where they saw Vasant lying there unconscious. Old woman feigned regret, "Kalavati! I made a mistake. I know the way to make him normal again. For that you need to take a bath in the sea first." saying so old woman took Kalavati to the sea. Then she took her into the boat saying she need to take a proper bath. Old woman hit Kalavati on back of her head and took her into the big boat and then to her kingdom.

When Kalavati woke up, old woman said that her husband already died and she would bring much better husband to her referring to the king. When they reached the kingdom, king wanted to make her his asap. But, old woman pacified him saying things need to be done slowly.

King Kandarpa put Kalavati in a beautiful palace and asked her to become his woman. She said some story and asked him to wait for an year to which king obliged with great difficulty.

...

"Kota! It's late now. We will go on our journey to our next stop. I will tell the next story there." Said Mani.

Kota followed Mani with excitement on Vasant and Kalavati's position to which Mani replied with silence.