Punchkin
by Unknown · from Indian Fairy Tales
Adapted Version
A kind Raja lived far away. He had seven girls. They loved their father so much. Their mother was gone. The girls were sad. But they helped their father. They cooked for him each day. They cleaned for him each day. The girls were good and kind.
Balna was the youngest girl. She was very clever. She was also very brave. She loved her father so much. She loved her six sisters too. The sisters all loved each other. They took care of their father. They made him nice food. They made him warm drinks. The Raja loved his girls.
A woman lived near the palace. Her name was the Mean Ranee. She was not kind. She was not nice. She was very, very bad. She came to the palace each day. She asked for fire. She asked for food. She came again and again.
Balna saw the Mean Ranee. Balna said, "Send her away!" Balna knew Ranee was bad. But her sisters were kind. Her sisters were too nice. One sister said, "Let her stay." Another said, "Give her fire." So they gave fire. They let her come in.
The Mean Ranee had a trick. It was a very bad trick. She put mud in the food. She put dirt in the rice. She did this each day. She wanted to be queen. She wanted the Raja to be mad. She was very, very sneaky.
The Raja saw the dirt. He saw mud in his food. He was not happy. He watched his girls cook. He saw the Mean Ranee come in. She put mud in his food! The Raja was mad. He was very, very mad.
He called the Mean Ranee. She came to the Raja. She said, "I am so sorry." Her words were nice. She smiled a big smile. She was very, very tricky. The Raja heard her words. He felt bad for her. He chose to trust her. He married the Mean Ranee. She became the new queen.
But the Mean Ranee was bad. She was mean to the girls. She gave them very little food. She gave them old bread. She gave them cold rice. The girls were so sad. They were so hungry. They cried each night. They missed their mother.
The girls went to a hill. Their mother rested there. A big fruit tree grew there. It was a sweet fruit tree. The fruit was round and big. The fruit was so sweet. The girls ate the fruit. It was so good! They were not hungry now. The tree helped them each day. They came back each day. They ate the sweet fruit.
But the Mean Ranee had a girl. She was the Ranee's girl. She watched the girls eat. She hid and she watched. She saw the sweet fruit. She saw the big tree. She ran to her mother.
"Mother, they found fruit!" she said. "They eat it each day!" she said. The Mean Ranee was mad. She was very, very mad. She called her helpers. "Cut down that tree!" she said. The helpers cut the tree. The big tree fell down. The sweet fruit was gone. The girls were so sad.
But then, a new thing came. A magic cake was in the water. It was a sweet cake. It was very, very yummy. The girls found the cake. They ate the cake. It was so good! They were not hungry now. The cake came back each day. What a nice magic cake!
But the Ranee's girl saw them. She watched them eat the cake. She ran to her mother. "Mother, they found cake!" she said. The Mean Ranee was so mad. She was red in the face. She used bad magic. She made the cake go away. The cake was gone. The girls were sad again.
The Mean Ranee was so mad. She did not like the girls. She used more bad magic. Very bad, dark magic. She turned six sisters into small pets. One became a cat. One became a dog. One became a mouse. One became a small bird. One became a fish. One became a bug.
And Balna? She became a bird. A pretty, pretty bird. She had soft wings. She had bright eyes. This was a sad time. The girls were not girls now. The Mean Ranee laughed. She was so mean.
Balna the bird made a nest. She laid one small egg. The egg was white and round. One day, the egg cracked! A baby boy came out! He was so small. He was so cute. Balna was so happy. Then, magic! Balna became a girl again. She was a mother now.
But then, a bad man came. His name was Punchkin. He was a bad, bad man. He used dark magic. He took Balna away. He put her in a tall tower. The tower was very dark. Balna was so sad. She cried and cried. She missed her baby son.
Balna's son grew up. He was big and strong now. He was a brave Prince. He was the Brave Prince. He asked about his mother. "Where is my mother?" he said. He learned she was in a tower. Punchkin put her there.
He asked about his father. "Where is my father?" he said. He learned his father was a rock. Punchkin turned him to stone. His uncles were trees now. Punchkin trapped them all. The Brave Prince was very mad. He said, "I will save them!"
The Brave Prince walked far, far. He walked for many days. He found the tall tower. He climbed up, up, up. He found his mother! She was in the dark tower. She was so thin. She was so sad. But she smiled at her son.
"My brave boy!" she said. "I missed you so much!" she said. She hugged him tight. Then she told him a secret. A very big secret. "Punchkin has a weak spot," she said. "His magic is in a bird," she said. "A small green parrot," she said. "It is far, far away," she said. "It is in a magic jungle," she said. "Find the bird," she said. "Then Punchkin will be weak."
The Brave Prince set off. He walked and he walked. He met two kind eagles. Big, strong eagles. The eagles liked the Prince. "We will help you!" they said. "Climb on our backs!" they said. The Prince climbed on. They flew up, up, up! They flew so fast. They flew so high.
They flew to the magic jungle. It was far, far away. The jungle was dark. The jungle was thick. There were many guards. But the guards were sleeping! They snored so loud. The Prince was very quiet. He crept past them. Step by step. Slow and soft.
He found a gold cage. In the cage was a bird. It was the Magic Parrot! It was small and green. It had bright eyes. The Prince took the cage. He was so quiet. He held it tight. He crept back out. The guards still slept.
He climbed on the eagles. They flew back, fast, fast! The Prince held the parrot. He held it so tight. He flew back to Punchkin.
The Brave Prince came back. He held up the parrot. Punchkin saw the bird. His face went white. He felt so weak. His legs went soft. His hands shook and shook. His magic was not strong now.
The Prince said, "Free my family!" He said, "Free them now!" Punchkin had no choice. He had to do it. He waved his hands. The rocks became men again! The trees became men again! The small pets became girls again! All the trapped people were free! They were so, so happy!
The Prince held the parrot tight. Very, very tight. Punchkin felt so weak now. He could not stand up. His bad magic left him. It went far, far away. Punchkin fell to the ground. He could not be bad now. He went away. Far, far away. He was gone for good. He was gone for all time.
Balna was free at last! She ran from the tower. She hugged her brave son. She cried happy tears. Her sisters were girls again. They hugged each other. They danced and sang.
They all went home. They walked and they sang. The Raja saw them come. His eyes grew wide. His heart was so full. "My dear girls!" he cried. "My dear, dear girls!" He hugged them all. He hugged them so tight.
The Mean Ranee ran away. She was gone for good. No one missed her. No one was sad.
The Raja was so happy. Balna was so happy. The Brave Prince was so happy. All the sisters were happy. They lived in their kind land. They ate good food each day. They sang songs each day. They were safe and loved.
And so, the good family lived well. Kind hearts and brave deeds always win. They win over mean tricks. They win over bad magic. All were safe. All were loved. The end.
Original Story
Punchkin
nce upon a time there was a Raja who had seven beautiful daughters. They were all good girls; but the youngest, named Balna, was more clever than the rest. The Raja's wife died when they were quite little children, so these seven poor Princesses were left with no mother to take care of them.
The Raja's daughters took it by turns to cook their father's dinner every day, whilst he was absent deliberating with his Ministers on the affairs of the nation.
About this time the Prudhan died, leaving a widow and one daughter; and every day, every day, when the seven Princesses were preparing their father's dinner, the Prudhan's widow and daughter would come and beg for a little fire from the hearth. Then Balna used to say to her sisters, "Send that woman away; send her away. Let her get the fire at her own house. What does she want with ours? If we allow her to come here, we shall suffer for it some day."
But the other sisters would answer, "Be quiet, Balna; why must you always be quarrelling with this poor woman? Let her take some fire if she likes." Then the Prudhan's widow used to go to the hearth and take a few sticks from it; and whilst no one was looking, she would quickly throw some mud into the midst of the dishes which were being prepared for the Raja's dinner.
Now the Raja was very fond of his daughters. Ever since their mother's death they had cooked his dinner with their own hands, in order to avoid the danger of his being poisoned by his enemies. So, when he found the mud mixed up with his dinner, he thought it must arise from their carelessness, as it did not seem likely that any one should have put mud there on purpose; but being very kind he did not like to reprove them for it, although this spoiling of the curry was repeated many successive days.
At last, one day, he determined to hide, and watch his daughters cooking, and see how it all happened; so he went into the next room, and watched them through a hole in the wall.
There he saw his seven daughters carefully washing the rice and preparing the curry, and as each dish was completed, they put it by the fire ready to be cooked. Next he noticed the Prudhan's widow come to the door, and beg for a few sticks from the fire to cook her dinner with. Balna turned to her, angrily, and said, "Why don't you keep fuel in your own house, and not come here every day and take ours? Sisters, don't give this woman any more wood; let her buy it for herself."
Then the eldest sister answered, "Balna, let the poor woman take the wood and the fire; she does us no harm." But Balna replied, "If you let her come here so often, maybe she will do us some harm, and make us sorry for it, some day."
The Raja then saw the Prudhan's widow go to the place where all his dinner was nicely prepared, and, as she took the wood, she threw a little mud into each of the dishes.
At this he was very angry, and sent to have the woman seized and brought before him. But when the widow came, she told him that she had played this trick because she wanted to gain an audience with him; and she spoke so cleverly, and pleased him so well with her cunning words, that instead of punishing her, the Raja married her, and made her his Ranee, and she and her daughter came to live in the palace.
Now the new Ranee hated the seven poor Princesses, and wanted to get them, if possible, out of the way, in order that her daughter might have all their riches, and live in the palace as Princess in their place; and instead of being grateful to them for their kindness to her, she did all she could to make them miserable. She gave them nothing but bread to eat, and very little of that, and very little water to drink; so these seven poor little Princesses, who had been accustomed to have everything comfortable about them, and good food and good clothes all their lives long, were very miserable and unhappy; and they used to go out every day and sit by their dead mother's tomb and cry—and say:
"Oh mother, mother, cannot you see your poor children, how unhappy we are, and how we are starved by our cruel step-mother?"
One day, whilst they were thus sobbing and crying, lo and behold! a beautiful pomelo tree grew up out of the grave, covered with fresh ripe pomeloes, and the children satisfied their hunger by eating some of the fruit, and every day after this, instead of trying to eat the bad dinner their step-mother provided for them, they used to go out to their mother's grave and eat the pomeloes which grew there on the beautiful tree.
Then the Ranee said to her daughter, "I cannot tell how it is, every day those seven girls say they don't want any dinner, and won't eat any; and yet they never grow thin nor look ill; they look better than you do. I cannot tell how it is." And she bade her watch the seven Princesses, and see if any one gave them anything to eat.
So next day, when the Princesses went to their mother's grave, and were eating the beautiful pomeloes, the Prudhan's daughter followed them, and saw them gathering the fruit.
Then Balna said to her sisters, "Do you not see that girl watching us? Let us drive her away, or hide the pomeloes, else she will go and tell her mother all about it, and that will be very bad for us."
But the other sisters said, "Oh no, do not be unkind, Balna. The girl would never be so cruel as to tell her mother. Let us rather invite her to come and have some of the fruit." And calling her to them, they gave her one of the pomeloes.
No sooner had she eaten it, however, than the Prudhan's daughter went home and said to her mother, "I do not wonder the seven Princesses will not eat the dinner you prepare for them, for by their mother's grave there grows a beautiful pomelo tree, and they go there every day and eat the pomeloes. I ate one, and it was the nicest I have ever tasted."
The cruel Ranee was much vexed at hearing this, and all next day she stayed in her room, and told the Raja that she had a very bad headache. The Raja was deeply grieved, and said to his wife, "What can I do for you?" She answered, "There is only one thing that will make my headache well. By your dead wife's tomb there grows a fine pomelo tree; you must bring that here, and boil it, root and branch, and put a little of the water in which it has been boiled, on my forehead, and that will cure my headache." So the Raja sent his servants, and had the beautiful pomelo tree pulled up by the roots, and did as the Ranee desired; and when some of the water, in which it had been boiled, was put on her forehead, she said her headache was gone and she felt quite well.
Next day, when the seven Princesses went as usual to the grave of their mother, the pomelo tree had disappeared. Then they all began to cry very bitterly.
Now there was by the Ranee's tomb a small tank, and as they were crying they saw that the tank was filled with a rich cream-like substance, which quickly hardened into a thick white cake. At seeing this all the Princesses were very glad, and they ate some of the cake, and liked it; and next day the same thing happened, and so it went on for many days. Every morning the Princesses went to their mother's grave, and found the little tank filled with the nourishing cream-like cake. Then the cruel step-mother said to her daughter: "I cannot tell how it is, I have had the pomelo tree which used to grow by the Ranee's grave destroyed, and yet the Princesses grow no thinner, nor look more sad, though they never eat the dinner I give them. I cannot tell how it is!"
And her daughter said, "I will watch."
Next day, while the Princesses were eating the cream cake, who should come by but their step-mother's daughter. Balna saw her first, and said, "See, sisters, there comes that girl again. Let us sit round the edge of the tank and not allow her to see it, for if we give her some of our cake, she will go and tell her mother; and that will be very unfortunate for us."
The other sisters, however, thought Balna unnecessarily suspicious, and instead of following her advice, they gave the Prudhan's daughter some of the cake, and she went home and told her mother all about it.
The Ranee, on hearing how well the Princesses fared, was exceedingly angry, and sent her servants to pull down the dead Ranee's tomb, and fill the little tank with the ruins. And not content with this, she next day pretended to be very, very ill—in fact, at the point of death—and when the Raja was much grieved, and asked her whether it was in his power to procure her any remedy, she said to him: "Only one thing can save my life, but I know you will not do it." He replied, "Yes, whatever it is, I will do it." She then said, "To save my life, you must kill the seven daughters of your first wife, and put some of their blood on my forehead and on the palms of my hands, and their death will be my life." At these words the Raja was very sorrowful; but because he feared to break his word, he went out with a heavy heart to find his daughters.
He found them crying by the ruins of their mother's grave.
Then, feeling he could not kill them, the Raja spoke kindly to them, and told them to come out into the jungle with him; and there he made a fire and cooked some rice, and gave it to them. But in the afternoon, it being very hot, the seven Princesses all fell asleep, and when he saw they were fast asleep, the Raja, their father, stole away and left them (for he feared his wife), saying to himself: "It is better my poor daughters should die here, than be killed by their step-mother."
He then shot a deer, and returning home, put some of its blood on the forehead and hands of the Ranee, and she thought then that he had really killed the Princesses, and said she felt quite well.
Meantime the seven Princesses awoke, and when they found themselves all alone in the thick jungle they were much frightened, and began to call out as loud as they could, in hopes of making their father hear; but he was by that time far away, and would not have been able to hear them even had their voices been as loud as thunder.
It so happened that this very day the seven young sons of a neighbouring Raja chanced to be hunting in that same jungle, and as they were returning home, after the day's sport was over, the youngest Prince said to his brothers: "Stop, I think I hear some one crying and calling out. Do you not hear voices? Let us go in the direction of the sound, and find out what it is."
So the seven Princes rode through the wood until they came to the place where the seven Princesses sat crying and wringing their hands. At the sight of them the young Princes were very much astonished, and still more so on learning their story; and they settled that each should take one of these poor forlorn ladies home with him, and marry her.
So the first and eldest Prince took the eldest Princess home with him, and married her.
And the second took the second;
And the third took the third;
And the fourth took the fourth;
And the fifth took the fifth;
And the sixth took the sixth;
And the seventh, and the handsomest of all, took the beautiful Balna.
And when they got to their own land, there was great rejoicing throughout the kingdom, at the marriage of the seven young Princes to seven such beautiful Princesses.
About a year after this Balna had a little son, and his uncles and aunts were so fond of the boy that it was as if he had seven fathers and seven mothers. None of the other Princes and Princesses had any children, so the son of the seventh Prince and Balna was acknowledged their heir by all the rest.
They had thus lived very happily for some time, when one fine day the seventh Prince (Balna's husband) said he would go out hunting, and away he went; and they waited long for him, but he never came back.
Then his six brothers said they would go and see what had become of him; and they went away, but they also did not return.
And the seven Princesses grieved very much, for they feared that their kind husbands must have been killed.
One day, not long after this had happened, as Balna was rocking her baby's cradle, and whilst her sisters were working in the room below, there came to the palace door a man in a long black dress, who said that he was a Fakir, and came to beg. The servants said to him, "You cannot go into the palace—the Raja's sons have all gone away; we think they must be dead, and their widows cannot be interrupted by your begging." But he said, "I am a holy man, you must let me in." Then the stupid servants let him walk through the palace, but they did not know that this was no Fakir, but a wicked Magician named Punchkin.
Punchkin Fakir wandered through the palace, and saw many beautiful things there, till at last he reached the room where Balna sat singing beside her little boy's cradle. The Magician thought her more beautiful than all the other beautiful things he had seen, insomuch that he asked her to go home with him and to marry him. But she said, "My husband, I fear, is dead, but my little boy is still quite young; I will stay here and teach him to grow up a clever man, and when he is grown up he shall go out into the world, and try and learn tidings of his father. Heaven forbid that I should ever leave him, or marry you." At these words the Magician was very angry, and turned her into a little black dog, and led her away; saying, "Since you will not come with me of your own free will, I will make you." So the poor Princess was dragged away, without any power of effecting an escape, or of letting her sisters know what had become of her. As Punchkin passed through the palace gate the servants said to him, "Where did you get that pretty little dog?" And he answered, "One of the Princesses gave it to me as a present." At hearing which they let him go without further questioning.
Soon after this, the six elder Princesses heard the little baby, their nephew, begin to cry, and when they went upstairs they were much surprised to find him all alone, and Balna nowhere to be seen. Then they questioned the servants, and when they heard of the Fakir and the little black dog, they guessed what had happened, and sent in every direction seeking them, but neither the Fakir nor the dog were to be found. What could six poor women do? They gave up all hopes of ever seeing their kind husbands, and their sister, and her husband, again, and devoted themselves thenceforward to teaching and taking care of their little nephew.
Thus time went on, till Balna's son was fourteen years old. Then, one day, his aunts told him the history of the family; and no sooner did he hear it, than he was seized with a great desire to go in search of his father and mother and uncles, and if he could find them alive to bring them home again. His aunts, on learning his determination, were much alarmed and tried to dissuade him, saying, "We have lost our husbands, and our sister and her husband, and you are now our sole hope; if you go away, what shall we do?" But he replied, "I pray you not to be discouraged; I will return soon, and if it is possible bring my father and mother and uncles with me." So he set out on his travels; but for some months he could learn nothing to help him in his search.
At last, after he had journeyed many hundreds of weary miles, and become almost hopeless of ever hearing anything further of his parents, he one day came to a country that seemed full of stones, and rocks, and trees, and there he saw a large palace with a high tower; hard by which was a Malee's little house.
As he was looking about, the Malee's wife saw him, and ran out of the house and said, "My dear boy, who are you that dare venture to this dangerous place?" He answered, "I am a Raja's son, and I come in search of my father, and my uncles, and my mother whom a wicked enchanter bewitched."
Then the Malee's wife said, "This country and this palace belong to a great enchanter; he is all powerful, and if any one displeases him, he can turn them into stones and trees. All the rocks and trees you see here were living people once, and the Magician turned them to what they now are. Some time ago a Raja's son came here, and shortly afterwards came his six brothers, and they were all turned into stones and trees; and these are not the only unfortunate ones, for up in that tower lives a beautiful Princess, whom the Magician has kept prisoner there for twelve years, because she hates him and will not marry him."
Then the little Prince thought, "These must be my parents and my uncles. I have found what I seek at last." So he told his story to the Malee's wife, and begged her to help him to remain in that place awhile and inquire further concerning the unhappy people she mentioned; and she promised to befriend him, and advised his disguising himself lest the Magician should see him, and turn him likewise into stone. To this the Prince agreed. So the Malee's wife dressed him up in a saree, and pretended that he was her daughter.
One day, not long after this, as the Magician was walking in his garden he saw the little girl (as he thought) playing about, and asked her who she was. She told him she was the Malee's daughter, and the Magician said, "You are a pretty little girl, and to-morrow you shall take a present of flowers from me to the beautiful lady who lives in the tower."
The young Prince was much delighted at hearing this, and went immediately to inform the Malee's wife; after consultation with whom he determined that it would be more safe for him to retain his disguise, and trust to the chance of a favourable opportunity for establishing some communication with his mother, if it were indeed she.
Now it happened that at Balna's marriage her husband had given her a small gold ring on which her name was engraved, and she had put it on her little son's finger when he was a baby, and afterwards when he was older his aunts had had it enlarged for him, so that he was still able to wear it. The Malee's wife advised him to fasten the well-known treasure to one of the bouquets he presented to his mother, and trust to her recognising it. This was not to be done without difficulty, as such a strict watch was kept over the poor Princess (for fear of her ever establishing communication with her friends), that though the supposed Malee's daughter was permitted to take her flowers every day, the Magician or one of his slaves was always in the room at the time. At last one day, however, opportunity favoured him, and when no one was looking, the boy tied the ring to a nosegay, and threw it at Balna's feet. It fell with a clang on the floor, and Balna, looking to see what made the strange sound, found the little ring tied to the flowers. On recognising it, she at once believed the story her son told her of his long search, and begged him to advise her as to what she had better do; at the same time entreating him on no account to endanger his life by trying to rescue her. She told him that for twelve long years the Magician had kept her shut up in the tower because she refused to marry him, and she was so closely guarded that she saw no hope of release.
Now Balna's son was a bright, clever boy, so he said, "Do not fear, dear mother; the first thing to do is to discover how far the Magician's power extends, in order that we may be able to liberate my father and uncles, whom he has imprisoned in the form of rocks and trees. You have spoken to him angrily for twelve long years; now rather speak kindly. Tell him you have given up all hopes of again seeing the husband you have so long mourned, and say you are willing to marry him. Then endeavour to find out what his power consists in, and whether he is immortal, or can be put to death."
Balna determined to take her son's advice; and the next day sent for Punchkin, and spoke to him as had been suggested.
The Magician, greatly delighted, begged her to allow the wedding to take place as soon as possible.
But she told him that before she married him he must allow her a little more time, in which she might make his acquaintance, and that, after being enemies so long, their friendship could but strengthen by degrees. "And do tell me," she said, "are you quite immortal? Can death never touch you? And are you too great an enchanter ever to feel human suffering?"
"Why do you ask?" said he.
"Because," she replied, "if I am to be your wife, I would fain know all about you, in order, if any calamity threatens you, to overcome, or if possible to avert it."
"It is true," he added, "that I am not as others. Far, far away, hundreds of thousands of miles from this, there lies a desolate country covered with thick jungle. In the midst of the jungle grows a circle of palm trees, and in the centre of the circle stand six chattees full of water, piled one above another: below the sixth chattee is a small cage which contains a little green parrot; on the life of the parrot depends my life; and if the parrot is killed I must die. It is, however," he added, "impossible that the parrot should sustain any injury, both on account of the inaccessibility of the country, and because, by my appointment, many thousand genii surround the palm trees, and kill all who approach the place."
Balna told her son what Punchkin had said; but at the same time implored him to give up all idea of getting the parrot.
The Prince, however, replied, "Mother, unless I can get hold of that parrot, you, and my father, and uncles, cannot be liberated: be not afraid, I will shortly return. Do you, meantime, keep the Magician in good humour—still putting off your marriage with him on various pretexts; and before he finds out the cause of delay, I will be here." So saying, he went away.
Many, many weary miles did he travel, till at last he came to a thick jungle; and, being very tired, sat down under a tree and fell asleep. He was awakened by a soft rustling sound, and looking about him, saw a large serpent which was making its way to an eagle's nest built in the tree under which he lay, and in the nest were two young eagles. The Prince seeing the danger of the young birds, drew his sword, and killed the serpent; at the same moment a rushing sound was heard in the air, and the two old eagles, who had been out hunting for food for their young ones, returned. They quickly saw the dead serpent and the young Prince standing over it; and the old mother eagle said to him, "Dear boy, for many years all our young ones have been devoured by that cruel serpent; you have now saved the lives of our children; whenever you are in need, therefore, send to us and we will help you; and as for these little eagles, take them, and let them be your servants."
At this the Prince was very glad, and the two eaglets crossed their wings, on which he mounted; and they carried him far, far away over the thick jungles, until he came to the place where grew the circle of palm trees, in the midst of which stood the six chattees full of water. It was the middle of the day, and the heat was very great. All round the trees were the genii fast asleep; nevertheless, there were such countless thousands of them, that it would have been quite impossible for any one to walk through their ranks to the place; down swooped the strong-winged eaglets—down jumped the Prince; in an instant he had overthrown the six chattees full of water, and seized the little green parrot, which he rolled up in his cloak; while, as he mounted again into the air, all the genii below awoke, and finding their treasure gone, set up a wild and melancholy howl.
Punchkin's Prisoners are set free.
Away, away flew the little eagles, till they came to their home in the great tree; then the Prince said to the old eagles, "Take back your little ones; they have done me good service; if ever again I stand in need of help, I will not fail to come to you." He then continued his journey on foot till he arrived once more at the Magician's palace, where he sat down at the door and began playing with the parrot. Punchkin saw him, and came to him quickly, and said, "My boy, where did you get that parrot? Give it to me, I pray you."
But the Prince answered, "Oh no, I cannot give away my parrot, it is a great pet of mine; I have had it many years."
Then the Magician said, "If it is an old favourite, I can understand your not caring to give it away; but come what will you sell it for?"
"Sir," replied the Prince, "I will not sell my parrot."
Then Punchkin got frightened, and said, "Anything, anything; name what price you will, and it shall be yours." The Prince answered, "Let the seven Raja's sons whom you turned into rocks and trees be instantly liberated."
"It is done as you desire," said the Magician, "only give me my parrot." And with that, by a stroke of his wand, Balna's husband and his brothers resumed their natural shapes. "Now, give me my parrot," repeated Punchkin.
"Not so fast, my master," rejoined the Prince; "I must first beg that you will restore to life all whom you have thus imprisoned."
The Magician immediately waved his wand again; and, whilst he cried, in an imploring voice, "Give me my parrot!" the whole garden became suddenly alive: where rocks, and stones, and trees had been before, stood Rajas, and Punts, and Sirdars, and mighty men on prancing horses, and jewelled pages, and troops of armed attendants.
"Give me my parrot!" cried Punchkin. Then the boy took hold of the parrot, and tore off one of its wings; and as he did so the Magician's right arm fell off.
Punchkin then stretched out his left arm, crying, "Give me my parrot!" The Prince pulled off the parrot's second wing, and the Magician's left arm tumbled off.
"Give me my parrot!" cried he, and fell on his knees. The Prince pulled off the parrot's right leg, the Magician's right leg fell off: the Prince pulled off the parrot's left leg, down fell the Magician's left.
Nothing remained of him save the limbless body and the head; but still he rolled his eyes, and cried, "Give me my parrot!" "Take your parrot, then," cried the boy, and with that he wrung the bird's neck, and threw it at the Magician; and, as he did so, Punchkin's head twisted round, and, with a fearful groan, he died!
Then they let Balna out of the tower; and she, her son, and the seven Princes went to their own country, and lived very happily ever afterwards. And as to the rest of the world, every one went to his own house.
Story DNA
Moral
Cruelty and deceit will ultimately be overcome by cleverness and perseverance, especially when supported by family.
Plot Summary
Seven Princesses are tormented by their wicked stepmother, who destroys their magical food sources and transforms them into animals. The youngest, Balna, is imprisoned by the powerful Magician Punchkin. Balna's son, born during her transformation, grows up and embarks on a quest to rescue his mother and family. With the help of grateful eagles, he discovers Punchkin's life is tied to a hidden parrot. He captures the parrot and uses it to force Punchkin to restore all his victims before ultimately killing the Magician, freeing his family and bringing justice.
Themes
Emotional Arc
suffering to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This story reflects common motifs found in Indian folklore, such as the wicked stepmother, magical transformations, and the concept of a hidden life-source (soul-object).
Plot Beats (14)
- The Raja's seven daughters, including the clever Balna, cook for their father after their mother's death.
- A Prudhan's widow repeatedly throws mud into the Princesses' cooking, despite Balna's warnings, to gain the Raja's attention.
- The Raja discovers the widow's trick, but she charms him into marrying her, becoming the Ranee.
- The cruel Ranee starves the Princesses, who find a magical pomelo tree growing from their mother's grave for sustenance.
- The Ranee's daughter spies on the Princesses, leading the Ranee to have the pomelo tree destroyed.
- A magical cream cake appears in a tank by the grave, which the Princesses eat, but the Ranee's daughter again spies on them, leading to its destruction.
- The Ranee, enraged, turns the Princesses into various animals (a dog, cat, mongoose, etc.) and then Balna into a bird.
- Balna, as a bird, lays an egg, which hatches into a son, and she eventually regains her human form but is imprisoned by the Magician Punchkin.
- Balna's son, now grown, learns of his mother's plight and sets out to rescue her and his father and uncles, who were turned into rocks and trees by Punchkin.
- Balna's son finds his mother in the tower and learns from her that Punchkin's life is tied to a parrot in a distant, guarded jungle.
- With the help of grateful eagles, the Prince travels to the jungle, overcomes the genii, and captures the parrot.
- The Prince returns and uses the parrot to bargain with Punchkin, forcing him to restore his father and uncles, and all other prisoners.
- The Prince then systematically dismembers the parrot, causing Punchkin to suffer the same fate and ultimately die.
- Balna is freed, and she, her son, and the restored Princes return to their kingdom and live happily ever after.
Characters
Balna
Slender and graceful, with features typical of a South Asian princess. Her skin is warm brown, and she has delicate hands. She is of average height for a woman of her region.
Attire: Initially, simple but well-made cotton or silk salwar kameez in soft colors. Later, as a prisoner, her clothes would be plain and worn. After her liberation, she would wear more elaborate silk sarees or lehengas in rich jewel tones, possibly with intricate embroidery, befitting a queen.
Wants: To protect her family and ensure their well-being; later, to survive and be reunited with her husband and son.
Flaw: Her caution is often overridden by her sisters' kindness, leading to initial misfortunes.
From a cautious princess whose warnings are ignored, she becomes a queen who endures hardship and eventually sees her wisdom vindicated, leading to her family's liberation.
Clever, perceptive, cautious, protective, and resilient. She is the most discerning of her sisters.
The Raja
A man of regal bearing, of average height and a slightly portly build, indicating a life of comfort. His skin is a warm brown, and he has a dignified presence.
Attire: Richly embroidered silk sherwani in deep blues or maroons, with gold thread work. He wears a simple gold chain and perhaps a jeweled turban (pagri) for formal occasions, or a simpler cap for daily wear.
Wants: To ensure the well-being and safety of his daughters; to govern his kingdom justly.
Flaw: His kindness and trusting nature make him susceptible to manipulation, especially by the cunning Prudhan's widow.
Initially a loving but somewhat oblivious father, he is tricked into marrying a cruel woman. He remains largely unaware of his daughters' suffering until his son reveals the truth, leading to the restoration of his family.
Kind, trusting, somewhat naive, loving father, easily swayed by flattery.
The Cruel Ranee (Prudhan's Widow)
A woman of average height, with a sharp, angular build. Her features are often described as severe, reflecting her cruel nature. Her skin is a medium brown.
Attire: Initially, simple, plain cotton sarees. After becoming Ranee, she wears more elaborate silk sarees in dark or harsh colors like deep purple or forest green, with minimal, sharp-edged jewelry. Her clothing is always neat but lacks warmth.
Wants: To secure wealth and status for herself and her daughter, at the expense of the Raja's daughters.
Flaw: Her overwhelming greed and malice, which ultimately lead to her downfall.
From a cunning widow who tricks her way into the palace, she becomes a cruel stepmother who torments the princesses. Her reign of terror ends with her defeat and the liberation of her victims.
Cunning, manipulative, cruel, envious, and ambitious. She harbors deep resentment and seeks power.
The Prudhan's Daughter
A slender young woman, with features similar to her mother but perhaps initially less hardened. Her skin is a medium brown.
Attire: Initially, simple cotton salwar kameez. After her mother becomes Ranee, she wears slightly better quality but still modest silk garments, often in brighter colors than her mother, but without the elaborate embroidery of true princesses.
Wants: To gain status and comfort, to please her mother.
Flaw: Her impressionability and lack of independent moral compass, making her a tool for her mother's cruelty.
She begins as a curious observer, becomes a tool for her mother's cruelty by revealing the pomelo tree, and ultimately benefits from her mother's rise, though her own fate after the Ranee's downfall is not explicitly stated.
Curious, easily swayed, somewhat naive but also capable of malice, easily influenced by her mother.
Punchkin
A powerful magician, his appearance is likely imposing and somewhat sinister. He is described as a 'Magician,' implying a human-like form but with an aura of unnatural power. He might be tall and gaunt, with an unsettling stillness.
Attire: Dark, flowing robes made of heavy, unadorned fabric, perhaps deep indigo or black, suggesting his magical nature and power. He might wear minimal, dark metal jewelry or rings.
Wants: To maintain his power and immortality, to torment and imprison others for his own amusement or to prevent challenges to his authority.
Flaw: His life is tied to an external object (the parrot), and his arrogance makes him reveal this secret.
Introduced as an all-powerful villain, he is slowly stripped of his power and ultimately destroyed by the Prince, revealing his vulnerability.
Cruel, powerful, arrogant, cunning, and overconfident. He delights in tormenting others and showcasing his power.
The Prince (Balna's Son)
A young man of heroic build, strong and agile, with features inherited from his parents. His skin is a warm brown.
Attire: Practical but noble attire for travel: a fitted tunic (kurta) in sturdy cotton or linen, possibly a vest, and comfortable trousers (pajamas) in earthy tones. Later, he might wear more regal attire, but his initial focus is on utility.
Wants: To rescue his mother, father, and uncles from Punchkin's imprisonment.
Flaw: His youth might make him slightly overconfident, but his resourcefulness usually compensates.
He begins as a determined young man and embarks on a hero's journey, overcoming great obstacles to defeat Punchkin and liberate his family, becoming a true hero and future ruler.
Brave, determined, resourceful, loyal, and clever. He is driven by a strong sense of justice.
The Green Parrot
A small, vibrant green parrot, with bright, intelligent black eyes and a small, curved beak. Its feathers are perfectly formed and unblemished.
Attire: None, as it is a bird.
Wants: To simply exist, as its life is tied to Punchkin's.
Flaw: Its physical vulnerability; its life is easily extinguished.
It is captured by the Prince and systematically dismembered, leading to Punchkin's demise.
Passive, but its existence is central to the plot. It represents Punchkin's life force.
Locations
Raja's Palace Kitchen
A bustling kitchen within a grand Indian palace, likely featuring a central hearth for cooking. The space would be functional, with areas for washing rice and preparing curries in various dishes. The architecture would reflect traditional Indian palace design, possibly with carved stone or wooden elements, and natural light filtering in from windows or open doorways. A small hole in the wall of an adjacent room allows for discreet observation.
Mood: Initially industrious and domestic, later tense and suspicious due to the sabotage.
The Princesses prepare their father's dinner, and the Raja discovers the Prudhan's widow sabotaging their food, leading to her becoming the new Ranee.
Mother's Tomb with Pomelo Tree
A quiet, solemn burial site, likely a simple stone or earthen tomb, situated within the palace grounds or a nearby garden. A magnificent pomelo tree, laden with ripe, green-yellow fruit, miraculously grows directly from the grave. The area is a secluded spot where the Princesses find solace and sustenance.
Mood: Initially sorrowful and desperate, transforming into a place of comfort, magic, and secret provision.
The Princesses mourn their mother, and a magical pomelo tree grows from her grave, providing them with food and revealing their secret to the stepmother.
Desolate Jungle with Palm Circle
A vast, remote, and desolate jungle, stretching for 'hundreds of thousands of miles'. Within this dense, untamed wilderness, a distinct circle of tall palm trees stands out. At the very center of this circle, six earthenware chattees (pots) are stacked one above another, with a small cage containing a little green parrot hidden beneath the sixth pot. The area is guarded by 'many thousand genii' who are usually asleep during the day due to the intense heat.
Mood: Mysterious, dangerous, remote, and magical, with an underlying sense of hidden power.
The Prince travels to this inaccessible location to find and capture the magical parrot, which holds Punchkin's life force, thus freeing his family.
Magician Punchkin's Palace Garden
A once-grand garden surrounding Punchkin's palace, now transformed into a desolate landscape of rocks, stones, and trees. These inanimate objects are, in fact, the enchanted forms of Punchkin's many prisoners. Upon the Magician's defeat, the garden instantly reverts to its vibrant, living state, filled with Rajas, Punts, Sirdars, men on horses, and attendants, all restored to their true forms.
Mood: Initially desolate and eerie, then dramatically transforming into a bustling, joyous, and triumphant scene.
The Prince confronts Punchkin, using the parrot to strip him of his powers and ultimately kill him, thereby releasing all of Punchkin's enchanted prisoners and restoring the garden to life.