Cinderella #362 The Story of Hanchi

Cinderella #362 The Story of Hanchi

Moo! Cows help Cinderella in
at least 26 of the
365 Cinderellas featured here. 

Once upon a time, in Kannada, there was a girl named Hanchi.  Her mother was an old woman. She had a brother, who was not very observant. For example, he had never noticed that Hanchi's hair was golden. "One day, when both of them were grown up and Hanchi was a lovely young woman", he noticed her hair and fell instantly in love. He demanded to marry his sister. His mother, however, was shocked and instead tricked him into going into town. She told him to shop for "all the rice and flour and lentils" for the wedding feast that he could find. Meanwhile, back at home, she called Hanchi to her and said, "Daughter, the time has come for you to leave me. You're as good as dead to me after this day. You are too beautiful to live here in safety." So the mother gave her "a mask of clay" and made her put it on. She told her to "Never remove the mask from your face, till you situation is better." And Hanchi put it on and left. Then the mother poisoned herself and died. When her son returned, "he found his sister gone and his mother dead; he went mad and became a wandering madman." But Hanchi wandered on, "eating at noon and by moonlight". One day she came to a town where she was befriended by an old woman. This lady soon discovered that Hanchi could make "dishes of sweet rice" like no one else. So Hanchi cooked, and the woman invited all of her friends over to sample the food. Everyone marveled at the masked cook. One night, when Hanchi thought she was alone, she removed the mask to take a bath. But, "the youngest son of the Saukar" was present, and happened to observe her when "he peeped into the bath house and saw her in all her beauty. He was still young", and so fled. Yet he "fell deeply in love with the glory that was her hair and decided at once to make her his wife." But when he told this news to his mother she would not hear of it, and promised instead to seek him a fine, more suitable wife. Just then Hanchi walked by and in a heat of passion, the young man snatched her mask away. Then "the mother was struck dumb by her extraordinary beauty" and agreed at once to the wedding. For a brief time, "the newlyweds were as happy as doves". The influence of a self-styled "holy man, called Guruswami" threw things out of balance. Guruswami was "the rich man's chief counselor and had a reputation for secret lore and black arts of many kinds." He lusted after Hanchi himself, and decided to charm her. He summoned the girl for a so-called spriritual ritual, then tried to hypnotize her and feed her drugged fruits. But she would not eat them, nor submit to his suggestions. In fact, she tossed the drugged plantains into the drainage dtich, where "a she-buffalo" who was "in heat" was drawn like a magnet to Guruswami with irresistible love. She chased him down and "he was badly mauled by the amorous buffalo." The second time he came to call on her and she actually opened the door. But "instead of caresses he received hard blows from inanimate vessels which were" attracted by his magical spells. When he sent her enchanted betel nuts the next day, she "threw the nuts at the broomstick in the corner." When he came calling that evening, he opened the door and got "a thorny broomstick into his greedy arms instead." So he conceived a plot against her. Going to her chambers when she was not in, he carefully placed "plantains, almonds,betel leaves, and nuts." Then he ran to tell her family that Hanchi was "a whore". He said that he had "surprised her with a lover," Then, "with righteous indignation, Guruswami showed them the hidden clothing and the telltale cheroot stubs and betel pieces". They proved her sinfulness, he claimed, and ordered her capture.Then he imprisoned her and beat her, but still, she would not confess to her supposed crimes. As for her family, apparently they would follow like sheep anyone who flashed some fancy words. Poor Hachi! Her very own family had her "dragged out, shut up in a box and handed over to Guruswami." He had a truly nefarious plan for getting his revenge on this girl. He  told his servants that there were "ferocious mad dogs in the box" and that they were to be drowned next day. He had the box delivered to the home of an old who happened to live on the riverbank. So the servants left the box there and told the old lady the most horrific things they could think of so that she would not dare to open the box. But as soon as they had left, the old woman "heard peculiar noises coming from the box". In fact she recognized her own name! So she "pried open the lid and to her great astonishment found Hanchi crouching inside the box." The poor thing was miserable, cramped, cold, hungry. She fed Hanchi all that she cared to eat, and dressed her in warm, clean clothing. As the girl told her story, "the old woman listened carefully and her mother-wit soon found a way out." Leaving Hanchi resting comfortably, the dame went to town and procured a mad dog, bound and muzzled. Once she had transported it home and put it into the box, she made sure to unbuckle the dog's muzzle. Soon Guruswami arrived to take possession of the box. "He came perfumed and singing", planning to have his way with captive Hanchi. Then he shoved the old woman out of her own home, locked the door from the inside to ensure privacy, and opened the crate. Didn't he get a surprise when "a hideous dog, foaming at the mouth...sprang upon him and mangled him horribly with its bites." He spat curses upon himself in his pitiful attempt to atone to a god who he believed had "transformed a woman into a dog" to teach him a lesson. The horrified neighbors came upon the bloody spectacle and killed the dog but Guruswami was already done for. He died after being "fatally infected with the dog's lunacy". Now it was up to the old woman to help Hanchi clear her name. So she secretly had the girl prepare sweet rice and other delicacies and invited the whole town to a feast. Everyone said that the food was delicious, and that the smell and taste was identical to the way that wicked Hanchi had used to prepare. But "instead of a reply, the old woman presented Hanchi in flesh and blood.' She told the true story of Guruswami, and all agreed that the wicked man and come to the end he deserved. They begged Hanchi's pardon for their own past ignorance and cruelty. She forgave them, of course. Her "good days had begun; her luck had turned and brought her every kind of happiness from that day."

From: Dundes, A. (1983) Cinderella: A Casebook. (p.263, contributed by A.K. Ramanujan) New York: Wildman Press

Notes: What a very satisfying ending Hanchi's abuser comes to! I especially enjoyed the prelude to his ultimate demise involving the rabid she-bufflao! This story had clear elements of Catskin, or Cap O' Rushes, as the incestous relationship threatened (here by brother, not father) is what causes the girl to flee. Notice the Baba-Yaga like character of the old woman, and that a cow, (water buffalo) aids the girl. And how does she aid the girl... This story is evocative of the Ramayana for its totally over the top imagery and moral teachings. 

Cinderella #246 Bride From the Sea

"To his delight,
he discovered a large fish
in the net." Illustration by
Hemkunt Press

Once upon a time, in India, "a fisherman named Singaram once lived in a small hut, close by the sea."At dawn every day, he would push his small boat out onto the waves and spend the day fishing. One day, though he had baited his line again and again, he could not catch a single fish. Just as the sun was setting, he "discovered a large fish in the net, of a kind he had never seen before." It was nearly as big as he, and colored a rich, rosy red. Most surprising of all was that it spoke, saying, "Kind Sir, if you do take me home, please do not cook me for your dinner. For I can be of use to you." Then the fish told the man that he could take care of the man's cow. The man was quite surprised that the fish even knew he had a cow, let alone that his young cowherd had not presented himself in several days. "Thus, Singaram was only too pleased to accept the fish's offer though he wondered how a fish would lead a cow out to graze." But as he rowed closer to shore, the fish began to shrink. As they stepped onto the sand, the fish was small enough to fit into Singaram's palm. He took it home and showed his family, who marveled at the little red fish. When Singaram put it onto the back of the cow, and "he was surprised to see that the fish began to give the cow instructions  and the cow listened." So the fish proved its worth. This life went on for quite some time, until, one day, "the cow went further into the forest than usual," found some especially tasty grass, and ignored the fish's orders to go home. Unfortunately for the cow, the man appeared just then, and began beating it with a stick. That's when the fish called  out, "Oh man, do not touch me, or else I will kill you in a matter or moments." At this, the man thought his cow had begun to speak, and trembled in fear. So the fish took advantage of the foolish man, and brought the cow to graze in his best garden every day. And since the cow now fattened itself on the sweetest herbs, its milk began to run rich and strong. Soon it "supplied Singaram with milk by the bucketful." He sold this, and made lots of money. In fact, he made so much money that he built himself a fine, large home. Here he raised his son, who "grew up to become a handsome young man." His father realized that it was time to find "a suitable match" for him, and so he "searched and searched". But none could be found. He lamented about this one night at home. That's when the fish said,"Why do you search for a bride so far away? There's a suitable bride living under your roof in only you care to look!" And that is when "the fish changed into a beautiful young girl." She said,"I am not really a fish.", then told him of the curse she was under. It had been partially broken now that she had been chosen as a bride. She confided in her father-in-law-to-be," I can be a woman by day, but at night I will have to return to my fish form." So the man married his son to the girl who had been a fish. They lived happily together, but the groom very much wished that his bride was a woman at night, and not a fish. So he observed her routine, and learned that "she would take a bath in the sea before turning into a fish. Every night she would carry her fish skin with her. She would leave it on the shore, have her bath, then return to slip into it and become a fish." Now the young man snatched the fish skin, and ran home. There he tossed it into the fire, where it "burnt itself to ashes in a manner of minutes." Just then, his wife came back from the sea, "looking more  beautiful than ever, dressed in a gorgeous silk sari." The spell was broken, and they lived happily as man and wife for the rest of their lives. 

From: Fairy Tales from India (Hemkunt,1996)

Cinderella #243 Little Melon

"Good morning, Brother Wolf!"
sang out Little Melon. 

Once upon a time, in India, "there was an old farmer and his wife. They lived in a village. They had no children. This often made them feel sad and lonely." One day, while the farmer's wife was out picking cotton, she "saw a beautiful yellow melon growing wild on a creeper". Never had she seen such a lovely melon, "so pretty and round". But when she had picked it, she saw that it was not unblemished. In fact, "there were some holes and marks on it, which made it look like the face of a man."Still, she was sure that the melon would be sweet and tasty, so she took it home. When she got home, she cooked breakfast, making "eight big pancakes (chappatis). [Then] she tied them up in a piece of cloth, filled an earthen pot with whey and put a big pat of butter in it." This was to be the farmer's breakfast. Now she lamented, thinking of the long walk to the field and back again, saying aloud that she wished she had a sturdy child to help her. That's when she heard a voice! It said,"Mother! I will carry the breakfast for my father. Give me the bundle." So the woman put the pancakes and butter on top of her melon-child's head, and sent him off to her husband. Now the little melon "skipped out of the doorway into the narrow street outside. He skipped on and on and was soon out of sight." When he got to the field, he called out,"Father!" in "a voice loud and long". The farmer was very perplexed and said to himself,"It may have been the crow sitting up there on the neem tree or perhaps a jackal howling among the bushes yonder. I never had a son. Who could address me as father?" So he resumed ploughing. But here came a little melon, "with the pot of whey and pancakes balanced on its head and dancing on the edge of the field". When the farmer saw him he he thanked him for the food, but said that he must "take the bullocks to the stream to drink water." Now the melon offered to do this, and the man said,"Can you do that, Melon? You are so small and helpless!" But the melon was sure that he could manage, and off he went. Alas, the little melon soon was kicked off the path by the bullocks and landed in the stream. "Poor Mr. Melon was being carried helplessly along by the current." As luck would have it, he was snagged on a tree branch. He "struggled out of the water onto the dry land and was once again in high spirits." But when he asked the passersby if any had seen his bullocks they said, "Why Little Melon, your bullocks strayed into the field, and began eating the green corn." They had been put into the King's cattle pound. Now brave Little Melon "made himself a little chariot from leaves and dried twigs. He harnessed field mice" to it, and set off for the king's palace. He sang, "I made a chariot out of twigs and leaves, asked the mice to serve as steeds, fast my chariot go along, over the hill and down the vale with a merry song!" Soon he passed a wild cat who asked him where he was going. But for reply Little Melon only sang out," "I made a chariot out of twigs and leaves, asked the mice to serve as steeds, fast my chariot go along, over the hill and down the vale with a merry song!" And the cat said, "Will you not take me with you, Mr. Melon?" And jumped up onto the chariot. Soon a wolf jumped out into the path, and asked, "What is all this hurry about?" The melon called out, "Good morning, Brother Wolf!" and then sang his song. The wolf begged to be taken along, saying that he might be of help, so the melon said, "Get into my ear, Brother Wolf!" So he did, and they went rolling along. Soon they passed a fire, and it too called out in greeting. "Good morning, Brother Fire!" answered the melon, and then he sang his song. And the fire begged to come along, saying perhaps it would be useful. The melon welcomed it, so "the fire gathered itself together and went down into the ear of Little Melon".  Before long, they were at the palace gate. The sentries were "astonished to see a melon in a strange chariot made of leaves and drawn by mice". Taking advantage of their surprise, Little Melon charged past. Coming upon the king he cried out,"KIng! King! Give me back my bullocks!" But the king only burst out laughing and ordered his soldiers to "Take the naughty fellow away, and shut him in the hens' coop." So this was done. And when the hens came at him, Little Melon yelled, "Fee faw, fig and fern, get out cat, it is thy turn!" So the cat jumped out and killed the hens. When the soldiers opened the coop in the morning, Little Melon jumped out and taunted the king. So the king ordered him thrown into the sheep's pen. " He will make a tasty meal for them." he said. But Little Melon only chanted, "Fee faw, fig and fern, get out wolf, it is thy turn!" and that was the end of the sheep. Once more, Little Melon ran out and taunted the king, who now ordered him shut up "in the vault under the palace". Once he was there, Little Melon chanted, "Fee faw, fig and fern, get out Fire! It is your turn!" And soon the whole palace floor was on fire. Now Little Melon rushed into the King's bedroom, and woke up his majesty, and his queen. They "ran out of their bedroom dressed in their night gowns", and Little Melon shouted, "Good evening, your majesty. Did I not warn you that I would come to get my bullcoks?" And the king begged the melon to call off the fire, saying that he was welcome to his bullocks back. But Little Melon said,  "Not so soon, your highness. I will accept nothing less than the hand of the princess." So the king had to agree to this. As soon as the Queen spoke her agreement, "the fire retreated. The melon burst open with a loud bang, and out came a handsome young man, richly dressed in beautiful clothes. 'I was a prince.' said the young man, bowing low, 'A witch had turned me into a melon." The only way to break the spell was for someone to agree to let their daughter marry the round fruit. So "the prince and princess were soon married and there were great rejoicings all over the country for many days. The prince did not forget to call on the old woman and the poor farmer. He loaded them with gold and silver, and had a new house built for them in their village." 

From Fairy Tales from India (1996) New Delhi: Helmkunt PressFairy Tales from India or try The Ocean of Story: Fairy Tales from India

Notes: I love that this is another carriage from large orange fruit, pulled by a team of mice! Though this has some very unique elements, it is most definitely a Cinderella story! You cannot deny the melon/pumpkin connection, the nothing-to-something special trajectory of the hero, (wow, going from a melon to marrying the King's son!) or the animal helpers. 

Cinderella #205 Chandralekha (Tinkle Collection Folktales of South India)

Chandralekha was as brave as
she was beautiful.

Note: contains violence. Once upon a time, in a forest somewhere in India, a beautiful "dancer lost her way in the woods. 'It's getting darker." She said to herself, and took shelter under a tree. Suddenly, she heard voices. "Good Lord, robbers!" said the poor girl to herself. Then she hid behind a tree just in time. A whole band of armed men came out of the woods, clapping each other on the back, and telling each other what a great day of robbing and stealing it had been. The leader said,"Let's hide our loot here. But before we do, O magic kannakol, go and hit any spy who may be around." So the robber's magic stick flew around and then it hit Chandralekha but she "bravely bore the pain without a sound." Then the robbers shouted to their leader, "Hurry up! It's past midnight." So the leader and his men quickly buried their loot under a certain tree. Then they all ran away into the forest. As soon as they were gone, Chandralekha scurried over and dug it up again. She couldn't believe how much treasure she had found! Because Chandralekha was as strong as she was beautiful, she had no trouble in balancing the heavy chest on her head and carrying it away. But when the robbers came back the next day and saw the empty hole they yelled,"Our treasure is gone!" Then they examined the area and found a bit of blood. They knew, then, that someone had been hit by the magic kannakol, and that the person must have been brave not to cry out. Meanwhile, back in the market place, Chandralekha was talking to a healer about buying an ointment to heal the cut on her arm. When the healer saw it, he realized that it had been made by a kannakol, and that the only person who had one of those was the robber chief. And that is when the robber chief walked over! He observed the girl who needed this ointment ,and then he followed her home. Later that night, when she was sleeping, he and his men snuck into her room. She woke up, but pretended that she was still fast asleep. When they picked up her bed and carried it outside, the robber chief said,"Look, she has hidden the boxes under her bed. Come on, let's teach her a lesson." And Chandralekha said to herself,"You think you are very clever, my friend ,but you are in for a surprise." When the bed passed under a lime tree, she clung to a branch, and dropped a huge bunch of limes onto her bed, instead. Then brave, clever Chandralekha ran home and hid the treasure. When the robbers opened the chests they had taken from her room, they fount that they were filled with stones. That made them really, really angry. They ran back to Chandrelekha's house planning to attack her. But she was ready, hiding behind the door with a curved scimitar in her hand. When she heard the robbers approaching, she said to herself, "Welcome friends! I am ready to receive you. Here comes the first one." And when the first robber ran through the door, she cut off his nose. He ran away screaming, and his companions rushed to see who the powerful person was who had stolen their treasure. When they saw Chandralekha, they jeered, saying, "The coward is running away from a girl!" Then another man volunteered to fight her, but a moment later, he came running out with his nose cut off too. The other men screamed, "A-ay-ee-oh! She is a devil! Run!" And they all ran away, and left Chandralekha, and her treasure, in peace. Chandralekha said to herself, "They're gone, thank God! And I don't think they'll dare to come here again." And she lived all by herself, happily ever after. 

From Tinkle Collection:256 Folk Tales of South India (1993) Mumbai: India Book House

Notes: I love graphic novels, or comic books, as we used to call them back in the day...Richie Rich and Caspar the Friendly Ghost were my faves. The front notes to this volume discuss the value of folk tales in learning about a culture, and the way reading them can "turn the clock back hundreds of years, thereby giving us an opportunity to sample the delectable flavour of the past." I couldn't agree more. 

Montessori Elementary Connection: India/Indian Culture/Fundamental Needs, Religions of India

1. Read this story and know that it has been told to children by their families for hundreds of years in India. Somebody finally wrote it down and drew the pictures for it. 

2. Learn more about the country of India:Going to School in India or How to Draw India's Sights and Symbols (A Kid's Guide to Drawing Countries of the World) 

3. Learn more about the cultures of India:The Drum: A Folktale from India (Story Cove: a World of Stories) or Jahanara: Princess of Princesses, India, 1627 (The Royal Diaries) or The Mughal Empire (The New Cambridge History of India)

4. Learn more about the religions of India: The Monkeys and the Mango Tree: Teaching Stories of the Saints and Sadhus of India or Sacred River: The Ganges of India or Illustrated Ramayana for Children

Cinderella #201 Bápkádi (1893)

Note: Contains violence. Once upon a time, in Mumbai, there lived "a gôsanvi (an aescetic who goes about begging,smeared with ashes) with a wife and six daughters." For many years he had been begging in his own neighborhood, receiving each day barely enough rice to keep them all alive. It happened one day that a cruel woman answered the beggar's plea by pouring "rice, boiling hot from the cauldron" into his hands, blistering his thumb. When he got home that night, he begged his wife to pierce  it with a needle. Yet each time she tried, a tiny voice cried out,"Father, if you break it, break it carefully." With the tenderest of care, his wife cut the blister open, and "a little girl comes out and walks about." But the gôsanvi felt more grief at the thought of another mouth to feed than joy for the new life. One night, he came home and asks his wife to make some polê. or special rice cakes. But his wife said it would be too much bother, since the six girls would surely gobble the cakes without either parent getting a bite. Yet he pestered her until she complied. Meanwhile, he shut the six daughters into the cellar, and locked the door. But when the girls smelled the rice cakes cooking, the littlest called out an excuse to step out for a moment. Her father let her out, and quick as a wink! She ran to the kitchen and ate one of the cakes. Now each girl in turn cries to be let out for a moment, and each one runs and grabs a cake. Their father is furious, and declares that he will take them away for good. Telling the children that he will take them to "visit their maternal uncle" and his wife that he will leave them in the forest, the family sets off. Deeper and deeper into the woods they go, until, in the blackest part of the woods, during the darkest part of the night, the father tells the children to lie down and go to sleep. They do so, and for some hours lie peacefully with their father nearby. But "the youngest child, who came out of the blister, is in the habit of sucking her father's thumb while she sleeps, and wakens when it is removed." So he cuts off his thumb and leaves it in her mouth so that he will not wake her. In the morning, the girls discover that they are alone. Furthermore, finding the bloody thumb in their sister's mouth, they accuse her of having eaten him, and call her Bápkádi, "literally eater of the father". They conspire to run away from her, but she follows behind. Soon they come to a deserted mansion, which has seven bedrooms. Each girl, including Bápkádi, chooses one. Each girl finds that it contains all she needs to live: food, fresh water, fine clothing, and a soft bed. Bápkádi's "is the best, containing clothes and furniture and having a stable attached." She does not allow her sisters to discover her fine room or clothes, and continues to wear her old rags. When Sunday come, the girls ask her  if she will go to church with them, and she refuses. But when they are gone, she puts on a rich dress and golden slippers, then mounts a horse and rides to church. The king's son is there, and gazes at her the whole time. As soon as the service is over, she rides quickly home and changes clothes. When her sisters come in, they mock her, telling her of the beautiful lady who came to church, and what a sight she missed by staying home. The following Sunday, the scenario is repeated, and again, Bápkádi runs away. But the king's son finds her shoe, and falls into a deathly grief at the memory of the girl who wore it. Eventually, the king is forced to summon all of the maidens in his kingdom to try the shoe on. Thus, Bápkádi is found, and the prince regains his health. They are married, and for awhile, joy reigns over all. But the six sisters, though they still hate Bápkádi, have been ordered to serve her as maids. When she finds that she is with child, the prince is elated. As he is leaving on a journey, he casts a spell, declaring that "should a son be born to him, a shower of gold will fall on his ship, and should a daughter be born, a shower of silver will fall." The months pass, and a boy is born to the princess. Overjoyed by the shower of gold that pours down, the prince rewards his crew with sugar and wine. But the sisters bind Bápkádi's eyes, and take her child away. They substitute a rock, and when she wakes, tell her that he child has died. When her husband returns he is desolate, grieving for his lost son. He departs after some days at home, and in nine months, another son is born to the princess. Again a shower of gold falls on his father's ship, and again, his six aunts steal the child and give Bápkádi a stone. Once again, the prince returns home to sad tidings, and once again departs. A year later the princess is delivered of a daughter. Silver showers onto her father's ship, but she is soon stolen away. Returning home to find that his third child has died, he casts Bápkádi into the dungeon. Then he takes all six of her sisters for his wives. For three years, Bápkádi languishes, living on kitchen rubbish "Meanwhile, the hand of the Almighty has saved her children, and they grow to be from ten to fifteen years old. They live by begging." One day, a trio of beggars passes by outside the palace.  They sing a strange song. "The king of the country is mad; he married seven wives; he is our father." When the king hears this, he demands that the beggars be brought in to explain themselves. They insist on singing the song over and over again. Now the king commands each of his six wives to give them rice. But the beggars refuse to take it. They demand instead that the king "Let your seventh wife, who is in the dungeon, come out. Place seven curtains between her and us, and watch what happens. Then you will come to know everything." So the king follows these unusual instructions and calls for Bápkádi to be brought. Now "three streams of milk fall from her breasts, and penetrating the seven curtains, run into the children's mouths." Now the prince knows that his wife had no part in the plot against the children, and orders that they all be bathed and dressed in finery. As for the sisters, the prince has "their hair and noses cut off and they are seated on donkeys and banished from the country." They are never heard from again, but Bápkádi and the prince and their children live happily ever after. 

From Cox, M.R. (1893/2011) Story #219 p. 260

Notes: This story has some very bizarre imagery. No comment on the symbolism of the severed thumb. It is eerie how certain elements (the vengeful sisters who steal the newborn babes, the redemption of the princess when the deception of her sisters is discovered, etc.) are nearly identical to European versions of the tale. 

Montessori Elementary Connection: World Cutlures/Legends and Mythology of India

1. Read this story and notice how it is alike, and different, from other Cinderella's you have read.

2. Read more traditional Indian myths and legends:Folktales from India (Pantheon Fairy Tale & Folklore Library) or The Drum: A Folktale from India (Story Cove: a World of Stories) or The Merchant and the Thief: A Folktale from India

3. Read some of the Ramayana: Ramayana for Children or The Ramayana for Children or Illustrated Ramayana for Children or Rama and the Demon King: An Ancient Tale from India

Cinderella #93 The Girl in the Forest (1985)

The King took her up on his horse. (Foreman, R.)

Once upon a time, in India, "There was a girl who lived alone in a forest. She did not know her parents, for they had died when she was little.  There was not much to eat in the forest except roots and leaves, so the girl depended upon the charity of passing strangers, who often gave her roasted grains of millet and barley from the their knapsacks."  This girl was poor but lovely.  One day, "a rich, handsome, King" happened to ride through her part of the forest.  It was a sunny day so he was not surprised to see sunbeams coming through the trees, but he was surprised that seemed to follow him. "If his horse moved a step, so did the glimmer.  If the horse stopped, so did the glimmer." Well, the King ordered the glimmer to stop and it did so.  He ordered it to come out and it did not.  When the glimmer ran away, the King jumped off of his horse and caught it, and "to his great surprise, the King found himself holding a young, beautiful maiden in  his arms.  Her long hair fell behind her like a sheet of silk," and her big eyes were frightened.  He assured her that he did not want to hurt her.  On the contrary, he said, he wanted to marry her.  He asked if she would consent to be his wife, and she agreed. Together they mounted his horse, and rode back to his palace.  A joyful ceremony was held, and the two were married.  They lived in happiness for one year, and then, a taste for roasted barley grains came over the new Queen.  She asked for a dish of them for breakfast.  Her maids wondered why the Queen would eat a dish which only the poorest of the poor partake of.  Well they knew how strange can be the ways of royalty, however, so they cooked a dish of plump grains and served them to their mistress.  Just as she was taking up a great spoonful of them, the King came in.  In disgust he asked what on earth she was eating.  Thinking quickly, the Queen said that it was a dish of pearls, and that she was used to eating them for breakfast at home! Well, the King told her, "In our home, my dearest Queen, we might serve saffron rice cooked with raisins or roasted deer or dates stuffed with walnuts, but never pearls.  Your father's home must be so much grander than ours.  I am sure you must miss it. I would very much like to take you back to visit your parents. We can leave tomorrow." Well, this was a fine kettle of fish! In panic, the young Queen ran to the household shrine to the goddess Parvati. She who is daughter to the Himalaya Mountains and wife of Shiva is Mother Earth.  In anger she appears fanged, with a black tongue.  She can ride the backs of tigers, or beam out rays of glory like the sun.  But she is compassionate and loving and hears the prayers of those who evoke her name.  The young Queen sobbed before her, "Oh Parvati! Save me! Save me! I do love my husband so very much.  I never told him I was a princess.  He just assumed I was....I lied out of panic."  She had not meant to brag about eating pearls, it was true, and she did indeed love the young King.  Parvati took pity on the young girl, and told her, "For three hours I will give you just the kind of home that your husband expects to see.  I will give you a father and a mother and all necessary relatives.  For three hours only." Thankfully, the Queen returned to her chamber.  In the morning, she and the King set off for her home.  Soon they saw it on the horizon, and when they arrived, the King was duly impressed.  "It was made entirely of gold.  The doors and windows were made from gleaming rock crystal edged with emeralds. There was  a large bathing pool, which was studded with sapphires right down in its coolest bottom.  In the garden there were arbors where juicy grapes hung in luscious bunches and mango trees laden with sweet fruit.  Musicians strolled about playing lutes, horns, conch shells, two sided drums." Now the King of the great palace appeared and invited the young King to bathe in the turquoise waters of the pool.  They changed into their "swimming loincloths" and splashed in the refreshing water.  Then they enjoyed the sumptuous picnic, and "the next hour was spent in eating roasted quail from golden plates and drinking orange blossom wine from hollowed out rubies."  But the young Queen seemed in a hurry to leave.  Her husband hushed her silliness, and they lingered on until dawn.  Fretfully, the Queen again pressed her young husband to take her home, saying that she did not want to burden her old parents with a long visit.  Her husband agreed that they would leave, but insisted that they come back soon, such a paradise was the palace. The following morning, the King realized that he had left his bathing cloth drying on a bush in the palace garden, and dispatched two of his horsemen to fetch it.  They retraced their steps of the day before, but became more and more confused.  This was surely the right path, but just as surely, there was no golden palace on the horizon.  Just as they were about to give up the saw the royal loincloth.  It was on a bush by the side of a dusty path.  Incredulous, they took it up and carried it back to their King. When they told him where they had found it, he called for his Queen. She appeared before him, trembling with fear.  He told her what had happened, saying that his servants found the cloth but "they saw no golden palace, no sapphire-lined pool, no musicians, no..."  Now the Queen poured out the whole truth and begged forgiveness for her lies.  She had been a poor, starving orphan when he had seen her for the first time, she said, and never claimed to be a princess at all.  And the King held her in his arms and said, "There is nothing to forgive.  You did what you did out of love. If goddess Parvati understood your predicament, who am I to complain?  Perhaps we should go to Parvati's temple together to offer her our thanks. "  And that is exactly what they did. 

From Jaffrey, M. (1985) Seasons of Splendour: Tales, Myths, & Legends of India. New York: Atheneum (Seasons of Splendour: Tales, Myths & Legends of India)

Notes: I love this story because of the fact that the King discover's the palace was an illusion only because he left his wet bathing suit behind! Also the dish of pearls, which is the most unusual fairy tale food I have ever encountered.  I strongly recommend reading this whole book, it is a delightful window into the author's marvelous childhood in India, with "a good five dozen" cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents.  Hint: Read it and find out how a watermelon can help a little girl learn to swim. 

Montessori Connection 6-12: Maria Montessori/History of Montessori Method/India

1. Read this story and learn about the goddess Parvati.

2. Think about the fact that Maria Montessori spent quite a bit of time in India, teaching and studying.

3. Learn more about India:Ancient India (People of the Ancient World) or Puffin History of India for Children 3000 Bc to Ad 1947 or Going to School in India

4. Learn more about Maria Montessori: Maria Montessori: A biography for children

Cinderella #48 Anklet for a Princess: A Cinderella Story from India (2002)

The Crown Prince danced with Cinduri all night. (Tang, Y.)

Once upon a time, in Eastern India, “ a girl named Cinduri walked slowly down the road.  Her feet dragged through the dust as she balanced a heavy pot on her head.  She was on her way to fetch drinking water for the family. “ When she got home with the water, her work would not be done.  She still had to “milk the cows, clean the house, prepare yogurt and cheese for tomorrow’s meal, and milk the cows again!” And then there was the garden to tend.  Her life had not always been this hard.  She sadly remembered last year when “an epidemic of cholera had swept through her village.  Within a few days her mother and father had died of the disease.”  Worse yet, this left Cinduri alone with his father’s other wife, and their daughter Lata. Neither had any love to show her.  As her tears began to flow, she heard a voice and “was startled by a showering burst of water right in front of her...a great white snake rose out of the lake.  Her eyes were blinded by the shine of a bright red jewel on his bobbing head.  He hissed a question, “ You are a beautiful young girl.  Why are you so dirty and dressed in rags?”  Cinduri spoke not a word against her stepmother, but told of the hard work she did.  In answer to her meals, she replied that she was given a small bowl of rice and some scraps each day.  “The snake was furious.  “Rice and a few handouts? That is not enough to eat!”  With a darting motion of his head, the serpent produced a golden plate.  On it there was  a beautiful display of East Indian foods.  The almond rice, lentils, flatbreads, curries, and sweet milk delights gave off tantalizing aromas.  Cinduri was hungry, but before taking the plate she pressed her hands together and bowed to show thanks to the snake. “  This was how Cinduri grew healthy and strong.  The snake became her godfather, and taught her to call for him with a chant: Godfather Snake, oh Godfather Snake, Godfather Snake of the Magic Lake, Come to my help, for your daughter’s sake!” Now, her stepmother grew suspicious.  Why wasn’t Cinduri starving and miserable any more, and where was she getting such cool, clear water?  It was time to investigate, so she sent Lata to spy on her.  Sure enough, Cinduri chanted, and the snake appeared.  If gave her food and filled her water jugs.  Lata told her mother that the snake was a terrible, monstrous creature.  On the way home, Cinduri overheard some exciting news: the Crown Prince was coming to their village to celebrate the 9 Days of the Navaratri Festival! Her stepmother sneered that in any case, Cinduri would not be attending the festival.  Then, to Cinduri’s horror, she took out a silver anklet that had belonged to her own mother, and placed it around Lata’s ankle.  Her stepmother ordered her back to work.  Late that night, when she had finally finished her chores, Cinduri ran to the lake and chanted for Godfather Snake.  Up he came, and when he hear her sorrows, he said, “ My beautiful little goddaughter, you deserve one magical evening....See this beautiful jewel in my forehead?  Take it!’ he commanded.  She obeyed him, even though the jewel felt hot to her touch.  ‘Don’t drop it,’ he warned.  Now turn round and round, like this.’ She watched the snake twist his body in a circle, and she copied his movements.  As she slowly twirled, she felt herself being wrapped in cloth of the purest gold threads.  Magnificent jewels appeared in her hair...she saw two of the most beautiful anklets she had ever seen, decorated with tiny bells and covered with diamonds that sparkled in the moonlight.  ‘Go to the festival, but at midnight, when they light the candle, you must return home.  The magic will be over ”  warned the snake.  At the festival, the music hushed when Cinduri walked in.  The Crown Prince had eyes only for her, and together, they danced all night.  Suddenly, a candle was lit, and the prince told her it was time for the aarti, a ceremony.  The girl “dashed away through the crowd. The prince tried to follow the sound of the bells on her feet...then he caught sight of something sparkling on the road...he realized it was one of her anklets!” The next day he informed his father of his decision to marry the girl who could wear it. “The King called forth messengers.  He told them to go to every village.  He proclaimed, ‘...The girl who can fit her foot through it will become the bride of the Crown Prince. “ When they arrived stepmother was in a tizzy.  She kept Cinduri busy with chores to keep her out of the way.  Or so she thought! Cinduri still had the jewel from Godfather snake, and when she touched it now, “she saw miraculous changes all around her.  The house was clean, the butter was churned, the weeds in the garden had disappeared, and fresh water and straw appeared in all the animals pens.”  Even her dress was clean! She ran towards the pavilion for a chance to try on the anklet. When she got there, Lata was making “terrible faces, trying to twist her foot into the anklet, but it was not use.”  Just as the Crown Prince was about to leave, Cinduri rushed up.  He saw her, and told his father, “One more!’  He slipped her foot into the jeweled circle.  There was a gasp from the crowd as Cinduri pulled from her pocket the matching anklet she had kept hidden away...Now, wearing both anklets, she made a slow, twirling motion as her snake Godfather had taught her. When she finished her turn, she was dressed in the...sari and jewelry she had worn onf Festival Night.  With a sparkle in his eyes that made Cinduri’s heart beat widldy, the prince proclaimed, ‘This beautiful princess must be my bride!”  After the wedding, the Prince “ordered that a large pond be built in the gardens of their new palace so that Godfather Snake could come to live near them and continue to bless their lives.”  Now that Cinduri was not around to work the fields and tend the animals, the stepmother and Lata had to to this work. But they did such a poor job that the animals ran away and the garden died.  The stepmother and her daughter became beggars.  Godfather Snake blessed the couple, and told them they “would live for many thousands of happy days.”

Notes: This is a retelling of an ancient tale from Eastern India. The book is gorgeous, the colors bright and enticing! The images of Godfather, the Cobra Snake will draw children into the text.  It is interesting to find that here, the girl is helped by a male snake, as she was in Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters.  If you think about it, the only difference between a ring and an anklet is size.  According to Jung and von Franz, the ring carries profound significance.  As it is a circle, it carries temenos, "a sacred space set apart either by circumnambulation or by drawing a circle...in Greece, a temenos was a place where people could not be killed...[it] is an asylum and within it, one is asulos (inviolable) ".  (The Interpretation of Fairy Tales, p.82).  A strong protection for an abandoned girl. 
Montessori Connection 6-12: Zoology/Reptiles/Snakes of India/Reptilia/Squamata Serpentes (Ophidia)
1. Read Anklet for a Princes.
2.  Look carefully at Godfather Snake.  
3. Use a piece of tracing paper and trace over Godfather Snake. 
4. Identify him using an encyclopedia of animals, such as Macmillan Animal Encyclopedia for Children, orReference 5+: Children's Animal Encyclopedia, or The Oxford Children's Encyclopedia of Plants and Animals. 

5. Find at least two more kinds.  One should be venomous, such as the cobra.
6. Learn the difference between  vipers and and elapids. 

Cinderella #30 Bopuluchi, an Indian Cinderella

Illustration by Corr. C.

Once upon a time in Punjab there lived "a brave girl, Bopaluchi, all  alone in  a hut " in Northern India. Every morning, she went with all the girls of the village down to the river to fill clay jugs with water. Often, they chatted as they filled their jugs, and one day, the talk turned to weddings.  "I will marry a rich raja's son.' said one. ' I will marry a skillful archer like Arjuna.' said  another. 'And I  will marry a valiant warrior as invincible as Lord Indrus. ' said yet another. But Bophaluchi was silent. She had no parents, and therefore no dowry. How could she get married?  When her turn came to dream aloud, she simply said, " I hope the gods will send someone for me." Now, as it happened, a robber was hiding in the brush, listening to the gossip. This bad man followed Bopaluchi home, waited for her to go in, then knocked on her door.  When she answered, he told her a lie: I have come from far, far, away to visit my niece, Bopaluchi. I am your mother's brother, your Mama-Ji!" Poor Bopaluchi believed him! And when he told her that he wanted her to marry his son, she immediately wanted to  run and share this joyful news.  But Mama-Ji was in a big rush to get going. He said, "Why don't you surprise your friends later? You can throw a  big party when you return with your handsome groom. " And with that, he threw her onto his horse, and galloped away. The morning air was sweet and Bopaluchi enjoyed the ride. But then she became aware of the song which the" white cheeked Himalayan bulbuls sang. " CAW-CAW-CAW- Beware! Beware!  Smell the danger in the air!" But when she asked her uncle if he had heard, he said only that the birds must be afraid of him, and he kept riding. Soon they were deep in the forest and Bopaluchi heard frogs croaking another warning: Ribbit! Ribbit! Ribbit! Beware! Beware! Smell the danger in the air!" But Mama-Ji only said that the frogs were surely afraid of him, and kept on riding. On and on they rode, and the sun set and the sky became black, and it was night. Now the owls were out, and they too called to Bopaluchi: Too whit-too-too, Too-whit-too-too! Beware! Beware! Smell the danger in the air. Again, the robber told the girl not to worry. Now they were in a clearing with a dimly lit hovel.  The door opened and an ugly old woman came out. Mama-ji jerked the girl off the horse and threw into the hovel. " Bopaluchi felt weak. Why was her uncle suddenly so rude?" That's when she found out he wasn't her uncle at all. "I am the Fearless Robber of Mumbai!" her proclaimed, "I have not sons,  and I am going to marry you!' 'You liar, you cheat! I will never marry you!"said brave Bopaluchi. But the witch cackled, and the robber rode away and left them alone. Now the birds outside began to sing again, saying " You are as witty as you are  pretty!" And this helped her to think of a plan. When the witch began to stroke  Bopaluchi's thick , black hair, saying how shiny it was, and how she would like it for herself , she lay still. When the witch got a  knife and threatened to cut it off, the girl spoke, telling her that she would prepare a magic pudding that would help the old lady's hair grow shiny and full. So the witch brought her rice and sugar, milk and almonds, cardamom and saffron, and the girl boiled a pudding. She added a secret ingredient though: a whole bottle of liquor! Of course the witch was greedy, and of course she ate the whole thing...and fell fast asleep. That's when Bopaluchi climbed out the window and ran, and ran, and ran, all the way back to her own little hut. And when the robber returned, "with a jug of rose sherbet and a box of sweet, golden jalabi" for the bride, didn't he get a surprise? Now, of course he came looking for beautiful Bopaluchi, whose skin was as brown as polished wood, and whose hair was as black as midnight. But she was ready for him.  She kept a big bag of white flour and a broom with a thorny handle by her bed. On the night that the robber snuck back into her hut, clever Bopaluchi dusted herself in flour until she was as white as a ghost. She whacked the robber with the broom so hard that he cried like a baby, and ran into the woods, never to be seen again. Now that she had peace and quiet, Bopaluchi lived happily alone for several years. And one day, a handsome young man moved to the village and fell in love with her! He cared not for a dowry, but only wanted this wise and wonderful woman to marry him. The entire village" celebrated her wedding with feasting, music and bhangra dancing. Bopaluchi wore a richly woven, red sari. Her arms were covered with bangles, and a golden ticca, or disc, crowned her forehead." She and her young man lived happily ever after." And if you are ever invited into her house, you may still find the bowl of flour and a long, thorny, broom right beside her bed. "  


 Notes: This book is a marvelous introduction to India. It is divided into sections about each province, and gives basic demographics.
Montessori Connection 6-12: Fundamental  Needs India.
1. Find India on the globe. 2. Find the small island off its coast. This is Sri Lanka, a neighbor of India.  It is called The Pearl of the Indian Ocean. 3. Choose either heads or feet to look at in the book. 4. Read the book, looking closely at the pictures. Now try to find: a man with a turban that is pink with white polka dots; a man with flat, white hat; a man with a feather on his hat. Find a woman with a white veil; a woman  with a pink veil that goes down to her feet; a woman with no hair at all; and a woman with a white crown. To learn about shoes in India, try the book, Feet and Footwear in Indian Culture, available from Amazon or the Berkeley Public Library. To learn about foods of India, try to make a rice pudding with cardamom and almonds. See if you can find a recipe in Cooking the Indian Way, by Vijay Mandavan.