The story revolves around a priest in a village who seeks a suitable groom for his daughter. His wife suggests the son of a Chamar, which infuriates the priest due to social prejudices. Determined to oppose the idea, the priest's son embarks on a journey to deliver a letter from his father. Along the way, he encounters a mango tree, three ascetics, and a fish, all of whom share wisdom but suffer due to their past actions of hoarding wealth or knowledge.

After meeting the deities Ram and Laxman and learning why these beings faced their respective misfortunes, the boy helps each of them understand the importance of sharing and selflessness. He returns to the village enriched by his experiences and newfound wisdom, eventually becoming wealthy and attracting the priest's interest for his daughter’s marriage.

During the wedding preparations, the priest realizes that the groom is indeed the son of the Chamar, as his wife had foretold. This leads to the priest acknowledging his mistake and reconciling with his wife, illustrating the story's themes of humility, the importance of sharing, and the futility of social prejudices.

कोई गाँव में एगो पंडी जी रहऽ हलन। ऊ पंडी जी के एगो बेटी हल । पंडी जी ओकरा सादी करे ला लड़का खोजे लगलन। लड़का न मिलल तो पंडी जी जी भावी से पूछे गेलन कि ए भावी, तूं बोलऽ तो, हम्मर बेटी के केकरा से सादी होत । तऽ भावी बोलल कि गाँवे में एगो चमार के बेटा हवऽ । ओकरे से तोहर बेटी के सादी होतवऽ । ओतिए घड़ी ऊ पंडी जी भावी के दू लाती मारलन आउ कहलन कि हम्मर बेटी के सादी का तो चमार से होत ? हम देखइत ही ? भावी कहलन कि मारऽ चाहे कुच्छो करऽ बाकि ओकर बिअहवा ओकरे से होतवऽ । पंडी जी ओकरा इहाँ से चललन आउ गाँव में पहुँच गेलन । चमरा के लइकवा के मारे के फेराक में लग गेलन। तब पंडी जी चमरा के लइकवा के कहलन कि ले तूं ई चिट्ठी के राम-लछुमन के दे आव। पंडी जी सोचलन कि रास्ता में एकरा बाघ सिंघ खाइए जायत ।

चमरा के लइकवा चिट्ठी लेके चलल । जाइते - जाइते जंगल में रात भे गेल । उहाँ एगो आम के पेड़ हल। पेड़वा कहलक कि ए बाबू तँ नीचे काहे ला रहबऽ आवऽ तू हमरे पर चढ़के बइठ रहऽ । जब दिन भेल तो ऊ अमवा के पेड़वा कहलक कि तँ कहाँ जाइत हऽ । चमरा के लइकवा कहलक कि हम राम - लछुमन से भेंट करे जाइत ही। पेड़वा कहलक कि हमरो एगो अरज लगयले अइहँऽ। हम फर फूला ही बाकि हम्मर फर कोई काहे न खाय ? लइकवा अच्छे कहके चल देलक। जाइते-जाइते एगो जंगल में फिनो रात हो गेल। उहाँ तीन गो साधु हलन। तीनो साधु कहलन कि ए बाबू तू कहाँ जाइत हऽ ? इहईं सूत रहऽ आउ दिन होतवऽ तो चल जइहँऽ । लइकवा कहलकं कि हम राम - लछुमन से भेंट करे जाइत ही । सधुअवन कहलन कि हम छव बरस से तपस्या करइत ही आउ हमरा राम -लछुमन से भेंटे न होयल हे, आउ तोरा से भेंट हो जथुन ? चमरा कहलक कि हाँ बाबा, हम उहाँ चल जायम । सधुआ कहलक कि अन्हारे चल जइहें। रात भर ऊ उहईं सूतल ।

जब दिन होयल तो जाय ला तैयार भेल। तब उन खनी तीनो सधुअन कहलन कि हमरो एगो अरज राम - लछुमन से लगइहँ कि हमनी छह बरास से तपस्या करइत ही आउ बैकुंठ काहे न जाइत ही ? एकरा बाद ऊ लइका चिट्ठी लेके आगे चलल ।

जाइत जाइत एगो नदी भीर जाके बइठ गेल आउ रोवे लगल । ऊ नदी में एगो मछड़ी कभी ऊपरे आवे कभी नीचे जाय। ऊपरे आवे तो गरमी लगे तो नीचे जाय आउ ठंढा लगे तो ऊपरे आवे। मछड़ी उहाँ उकिल - बिकिल में रहऽ हल। मछड़िया ऊ लइकवा के रोवइत देखलक तऽ पूछलक कि तू काहे ला रोवइत हऽ बाबू । तऽ ऊ कहलक कि हमरा राम - लछुमन से भेंट करे ला हे । अब हम ई नदी कइसे पार होऊँ ? एही ला हम रोइत ही । मछड़िया कहलक कि ए बाबू, तूं राम - लछुमन भीर जाइत हऽ तऽ हमरो एगो बात पुछले अइहँऽ कि हम तरे जा ही तो ढंढा लगऽ हे आउ ऊपरे आवऽ ही तो गरम लगऽ हेऽ, काहे ? अच्छे कहके उहाँ से मछड़ी के पीठ पर नदी पार होके ऊ चलल ।

चलते - चलते सांझा के राम - लछुमन से भेंट हो गेल । ऊ चिट्ठी राम - लछुमन के दे देलक । चिठिया के जबाव लिख के राम - लछुमन ओकरा दे देलन । त ऊ लइका पूछलक कि एगो नदी के मछड़ी रहऽ हे, ऊ नीचे जाहे तऽ ठंढा आउ ऊपरे आवऽ हे तो गरमी काहे लगऽ हे । तब राम - लछुमन कहलन कि मछड़ी पहिलका जनम में बड़ी विद्वान हल बाकि ऊ विद्या के दान न कयलक हल। एहे से ओकरा चैन न मिलइत हे।

कुछ सोच के सधुअवन के बारे में पूछलक तो राम-लछुमन कहलन कि उन खनी के बैकुंठ बन गेल बाकि गुरुमुख न होयलन हे । एही से बैकुंठ न जाइत हथ ।

जाय लगल तो इयाद पड़ल कि अमवा के पेड़वा के बारे में न पुछली ? तब पूछलक कि अमवा के पेड़वा के फरवा काहे न कोई खाय ? राम - लछुमन बोललन कि पहिल जनम में ऊ बड़ी धनवान हल । ऊ धन केकरो दान न कर हल से ओकर जड़ी में अभी तक धन हेअ । ओकरे गरमी से सब फर गिर जाहे । कोई खाय नऽ । ऊ केकरो दान कर देते तब ओकर फर सब कोई खाय लगत। ई सब सुन के लइकवा चिठी लेके उहाँ से चलल ।

जब नदी भीर पहुँचल तो मछड़ी जबाव पूछलक । लइकवा कहलक कि तूं पहिलका जनम में बड़ी विद्वान हलऽ बाकि विद्या दान न कर हल से ई से तोरा गरमी आउ जाड़ा लगऽ हवऽ । तूं केकरो दान कर देवऽ तो ठीक से रहेऽ लगवे से रेहु आनंद मछड़ी लइकवे के सब विद्या दे देके आउ ओकरा नदी पार कर देके।

उहाँ से चलल तो जंगल में तीनों सधुइअन भीर पहुँचल आउ सधुइअन से कहलक कि तोर बैकुंठ बन गेल हे । तूं गुरुमुख हो जयब तो बैकुंठ चल जयब । ओहनी कहलन कि तूं बिद्वान तो हइए हऽ । हमनी के गुरुमुख कर दऽ । ओहनी के लइकवे गुरुमुख कर देलक आउ साधु लोग बैकुंठ चल गेलन ।

लइकवा फिनो पेड़वा भीर गेल तो ओहू अप्पन जबाब पूछलक । लइकवा कहलक कि तूं पहिला जनम में बड़ा धनवान हलऽ आउ केकरो दान न कर हलऽ । ओकरे गरमी तोर जड़ी में हवऽ । ओकरा दान कर देबऽ तो तोर फर सब कोई खाय लगतवऽ । पेड़वा कहलक कि ए बाबू, ई जंगल में हमरा कउन अदमी मिलत से तूंही खोद के सब धन निकाल लऽ । ऊ लइकवा सब धन निकाल लेलक । ऊ दिन से ओकर फर सब कोई खाय लगल ।

ऊ लइकवा ऊ धन से ओही जंगल में एगो खूब बढ़िया घर बना के रहे लगल । बड़ी हल्ला भे गेल कि एगो ब्राह्मण बड़ी धनवान आउ विद्वान पंडित आन के घर बना के रहऽ हथ ।

ई खबर ओहू बाबा जी के मालूम भेल । से ऊ सादी करे ला ओकरा ही गेलन । पंडी जी पूछलन कि ए बाबू तोर बिआह होलवऽ हे । तऽ कहलक कि न पंडी जी । ऊ पूछलन कि हम्मर लड़की से बिआह करबऽ ? ऊ कहलक कि काहे न करम। दिन धरा गेल। पंडी जी अप्पन घरे चल अयलन । पूरा खुसी में हो गेलन कि हमरा अच्छा वर मिल गेल। तब सगरो नेवता पेठावल गेल जेकरा में भावी के भी नेवता देल गेल। भावी सादी में आयल ।

जब सादी हो गेल तब पंडी जी भावी से पूछलन कि देख तो तू कहऽ हल कि तोर बेटी के चमार के लइका से सादी होतवऽ । से तू सब झूठ बोलल हे। एकरे पर दू लात भावी के मारलन । भावी कहलक कि मारलऽ से वेस कयल बाकि लइकवा हवऽ ओहे । न विश्वास हवऽ तो तू जे चिठिया देल हल ओकर जबाव भी ई लइकवा भिजुन हवऽ। माँग लऽ। पंडी जी चिठी के जबाव माँगलन आउ पढ़ के समझ गेलन कि ओही चमरा के लड़कवा हे । तब भावी के गोड़ हाथ परलन कि हम जे मारली हेए से छमा करीं । ई बात हमनी, भीर रहे, कोई जाने न । भावी के होनहार कोई रोक न सकऽ हे ।

See translation

Once upon a time, there lived a priest in a village. The priest had a daughter. He began searching for a suitable groom for her. When he couldn't find a suitable boy, he asked his wife, "Oh dear, who do you think my daughter should marry?" The wife replied, "There is the son of a Chamar in the village. Your daughter will marry him." Upon hearing this, the priest angrily slapped his wife and said, "How can my daughter marry a Chamar? I'll see about it!" The wife told him that whether he liked it or not, his daughter's marriage would indeed be with that boy. The priest left his wife’s side and headed to the village, intent on dealing with the Chamar's son.

The priest's son set off with a letter and, as he made his way, it turned nightfall, and he found an mango tree. The tree said, "Oh, dear, why are you sitting down there? Come, climb up and sit on me." When morning came, the tree asked him where he was headed. The boy replied, "I am going to meet Ram and Laxman." The tree said, "I have a request to make; I am full of fruit, yet no one eats from me. Why is that?" The boy left after saying he would think about it.

As he continued his journey, he reached another forest and it grew dark once more. There, he encountered three ascetics. They asked, "Oh dear, where are you going?" They advised him to stay there and leave in the morning. The boy replied he was going to meet Ram and Laxman. The ascetics responded, "We have been doing penance for six years and have not met Ram and Laxman; how will you meet them?" The boy said, "Yes, baba, I will go there." The ascetics warned him that it would be dark and he should be careful, so he stayed there overnight.

When morning broke, he prepared to leave. The three ascetics then said, "We too have a request to make to Ram and Laxman since we have been doing penance for six years and have not yet reached Vaikunth. If you could help us, we would be very grateful." After that, the boy continued on his way with the letter.

As he walked, he reached a river and sat down, crying. In the river, a fish kept surfacing and diving. When it surfaced, it felt hot, and when it went down, it felt cold. The fish, seeing the boy crying, asked, "Why are you crying, dear?" The boy replied, "I need to meet Ram and Laxman, but how will I cross this river?" The fish replied, "Oh dear, if you are going to meet Ram and Laxman, please consider this: when I go down, it feels cold, and when I come up, it feels hot. Why is that?" The boy responded, and then the fish carried him across the river on its back.

Continuing his journey, he encountered Ram and Laxman and handed them the letter. After reading the reply, the boy asked why the fish felt hot when it surfaced. Ram and Laxman explained that the fish was wise in its previous life but never shared its knowledge with anyone, which is why it experiences discomfort.

After thinking about the ascetics, the boy inquired about them, and Ram and Laxman answered that they had reached Vaikunth, but they hadn't truly surrendered to their guru, which is why they couldn't enter Vaikunth.

Then he remembered he had not asked about the mango tree. He asked why no one ate from it. Ram and Laxman replied that in its previous life, it was very wealthy but never shared its wealth. That is why its fruits fall in the heat and no one consumes them. If it had shared its wealth, then everyone would enjoy its fruits. After hearing this, the boy took the letter and continued on his way.

When he arrived at the river, the fish asked for its answer. The boy explained that in a previous life it was very wise but never shared its wisdom, which is why it feels hot and cold. "If you share what you have, things will get better for you." The fish gratefully agreed to share its wisdom with the boy and helped him across the river.

After that, the boy reached the forest and met the three ascetics. He told them that they could enter Vaikunth if they surrendered to their guru. They replied, "You are indeed wise. Please make us your disciples." The boy agreed and initiated them as his disciples, and then the ascetics went to Vaikunth.

He then returned to the mango tree and gave it the same advice. The tree lamented that it could not find anyone to help it extract its wealth. The boy told him to dig up its wealth, and he dug it out. Since that day, everyone began to eat the tree’s fruit.

With that wealth, the boy built a beautiful house in the same forest. News spread that a Brahmin was very wealthy and well-learned, and he was living there.

This news reached the priest, enamored by the wealth, and he decided to propose a marriage to him. The priest asked, "Oh dear, have you been married?" The boy replied no, so the priest asked if he would marry his daughter. The boy agreed, and they set the date for the marriage. The priest returned home feeling happy, thinking a good groom had been found. Invitations were sent out, including one for the wife.

When the marriage took place, the priest asked his wife, "You said my daughter would marry a Chamar's son. You were lying!" He angrily slapped her, but she responded, "You can hit me all you want, but that boy is indeed the same one! If you don’t believe me, ask for the reply to the letter you sent; it was sent back by that boy." The priest requested the reply, read it, and realized it was indeed the son of that Chamar. Then he apologized to his wife for hitting her, admitting he was wrong. "What happened between us, no one knows." When a wife is destined to be, no one can stop that.