Based on मगध की लोक कथाएं : अनुशाीलन एवं संचयन by डॉ. राम प्रसाद सिंह
Tags: family, unity, magic, deception, courtroom drama
The story revolves around Mahato, a poor man with four sons who, after his death, engage in a conflict over his possessions. To teach them a lesson about unity, Mahato humorously suggests they sell his dead body in the market, leading to an unexpected situation where the king buys it for a large sum. The plot thickens when the dead body magically comes to life and interacts with the king's son, ultimately involving him in a series of events that lead to a royal pregnancy with mystical consequences.When the king's wife gives birth to a child with the remarkable ability to drop gems and pearls, a mix-up occurs involving an old woman and her child, leading to a courtroom drama to establish parentage. Through clever tactics and a test involving milk, the true mother is revealed, and eventually, the family is reunited. In the end, the story highlights themes of deception, familial bonds, and the absurdities of life, as the king, queen, and their child come back together in happiness after a series of chaotic events.
एगो महतो के चार लइकन हलन। ऊ बड़ा गरीब हलन। एक दफे चारों भाई अपना में बँटवारा करे ला लड़े लगलन। महतो जी कहलन कि ई घड़ी बँटवारा कउची के करबऽ? हम मर जायम तो हमर शरीर ले जाके राजा के बजार में रख दीहँ । राजा साँझ खनी सब समान खरीद ले हथन । राजा के दाम पूछला पर जाके कहिहँ कि मुरदा के दाम मुरदे कहत। महतो जी एक दिन मर गेलन । चारो भाई उनखा राजा के बजार में ले गेलन। सब सौदा बिक गेल तो लोग कहलन कि मुरदा तूं इहाँ काहे ला लवलऽ हे। ओहनी कहलन कि हम बेचे ला लवली हे । सोर भेल आउ ई खबर राजा भीर गेल। राजा आन के ओहनी से पूछलन तो ओहनी कहलन कि मुरदा के दाम मुरदे कहत। मुरदा बोलल कि हम्मर एक लाख दाम हे । हमरा ले जाके अप्पन दुरा पर सामने मचान बना के रख दीहँ । राजा ओहनी के एक लाख रुपया दे के मुरदा ले लेलन। चारो भाई रुपेआ बाँट के घरे चल अयलन ।
राजा के लड़का रात में उठलन आउ पेसाब करे गेलन तो मुरदा देख के हँसल तो ऊ पूछलन कि काहे ला हँसलें। मुरदा कहलक कि ई अइसन समय हे कि कोई अप्पन स्त्री से रति करे तो ओकरा लइका अइसन जनम लेत जे हँसे तो लाल झरे आउ रोवे तो मोती झरे । जेकरा गवना न होइल रहे से उहाँ कइसे जाय, राजा के बेटा पूछलन । तब मुरदा कहलक कि ओकरा हम पहुँचा देम। राजा के लइका चले ला तइयार हो गेलन । मुरदा पर बइठ गेलन ।
मुरदा उड़के उनकर ससुरार खिड़की के राह पर ले जाके पहुँचा देलक। रानी उनकर उहँही सूतल हलन। सब हाल अप्पन बतौलन जे-जे मुरदा कहलक हल। ओही समय में भोग-विलास कयलन । रानी उनका से चिन्हा माँगलन तो राजा कहलन कि हमरा जे लड़का होयत से हँसत तो लाल झरत आउ रोवत तो मोती झरत । तऽ ऊ मुरदा भीर आयल। मुरदा कहलक कि तूं सुद्ध होके आवे तऽ चढ़िहँ। उनका रानी नेहा देलन आउ मुरदा पर चढ़के अप्पन घरे चल अयलन । ओही मचान पर आके मुरदा ज्यों के त्यों पड़ गेल। राजा के लड़का उतर के ज्यों के त्यों सूत गेल। एकरा बाद मुरदा उठ के गंगा में परवह हो गेल ।
भोरे उठके राजा मुरदा के न देखलन तऽ राजा के लइका हाय मुरदा ! हाय मुरदा ! कर के रोवे लगलन आउ पागल जइसन हो गेलन । केतनो समझावे पर ऊ कुछो न बूझथ । लोग कहलन कि राजा साहेब अइसन मुरदा ले अयलन से उनकर लइका पागल हो गेल।
ऊहाँ जब रानी के सात महीना के दिन भेल तो उनकर माय उनकर बाप से कहलन कि बहुत सिकाइत के बात हो गेल। तब ऊ पंडी जी से पूछलन कि एकरा जान मारे में ठीक हे? पंडी जी कहलन कि ई में दू जीव हो गेल । जान मारे में ठीक न हे। पंडी जी राजा के कहलन कि इनका जंगल में रख आवऽ । राजा चार कहार ठीक करके उनका जंगल में रखवा देलन । कहार जंगल में रखके घरे चल आयल ।
लड़की राते में डेरायल आउ रोवे लगल । बाघ, सिंह बहुत आयल बाकि ओकर रोआई सुनके भीरू न आयल । बिहान होयल तो डोली से निकल के चलल । रास्ता में एगो कानुन पत्ता बटोरइत हल, से भेट गेल । कानुनियाँ से पूछलक कि तू हमरा रखबे? तब कानुनियाँ कहलक कि चल तूं हमरा ही रहिहँ । कोई चीज के कमी न हे । कनुनियाँ ओकरा अप्पन घरे लिवा गेल ।
पूरा दिन होयला पर उनका एगो लड़का जनम लेलक । पहिले कनुनियाँ चमइन ही गेल आउ कहलक कि हमरा एगो बहिन-बेटी आयल हे। ओकरे लइका जनम लेलक हे। चमइनियाँ घरे से निकलल तइसहीं राजा के भी लउँड़ी आयल आउ राजा के भी एगो लइका जलम लेलक हे, से बोलाहट हे । चमइनियाँ कहलक कि चल, तुरते हम आवइत ही। पहिले ऊ कनुनियाँ ही गेल। सब काम अस्थिर करके कहलक कि अब हम घरे जाइत ही। लइका जे रोयल से मोती झरल हल । ओही मोती दू अंजुरी उठा के चमनियाँ के देदेलक ।
चमइनियाँ काम ठीक करके मोती लेले राजा ही चल गेल। राजा ही परसौती के सब काम ठीक करके कहलक कि अब घरे जाइत ही । राजा दाई के कहलन कि चमइनियाँ के सेर भर खेसारी दे दे । एतना सुनके चमइनियाँ कहलक कि हमरा कनुनियाँ हीं दू अंजुरी मोती मिलल हे। राजा मोती देखके कहलन कि ई चीज तो हम कभी न देखली हे । काहाँ तोरा ई मिललउ । ऊ कहलक कि ऊ लड़कावा के रोवे में झरऽ हई । राजा कहलन कि ऊ लड़का के हम्मर लड़कावा से बदल दे, जे कहवे से देबउ ।
दुसरा दिन कनुनियाँ के लइकवा लेले गेल आउ सूतले में राजा जी के इहाँ रख देलक । कनुनियाँ ही लइकवा मर गेल। राजा ही जीते रह गेल। दस बरिस बीत गेल। लइका आगे-पाछे जानेवाला हल। से कनुनियाँ ही जा के कहलक कि तूं राजा के दरबार में जाके कहिहें कि ई हम्मर लइका हे। चमइन बदल देलक हे।
राजा के कचहरी लगल तऽ कनुनियाँ राजा के दरबार में गेल आउ कहलक कि एक उजूर हमरो हे । राजा पूछलन कि कह, का उजूर हउ? ऊ कहलक कि अपने के जे लइका हथ से हम्मर हथ । राजा सिपाही के हुकुम देलन कि कनुनियाँ पागल हो गेल हे । एकरा हवा खिला लावऽ । ऊ लइका ईस्कूल में पढ़े गेलन हल । एतने में ऊ लड़का आ गेलन आउ कहलन कि ए सिपाही, तोहनी ई कनुनियाँ बुढ़िया के काहे ला टहलावइत हे? ओहनी कहलन कि ई पागल हो गेल हे से टहलावे ला हुकुम भेल हे ।
घूमा के फिनो बुढ़िया के राजा भीर ले गेलन तऽ राजा पूछलन कि अब अप्पन उजूर बताव। फिर कनुनियाँ कहलक कि ई लड़का हमर हथ । राजा कहलन कि तोर न हउ, घरे जो। कनुनियाँ घरे चल गेल ।
राजा के लड़का फिन कनुनियाँ ही गेल आउ कहलक कि अबरी कहिहें कि लड़का के मुँह पर सात तह कपड़ा रख के रानी दबौतन आउ ओकर मुँह में दूध चल जायत तो राजा के लड़का होयत, न तो कनुनियाँ कर देत तो ओकर लड़का समझल जायत।
दोसर दिन कनुनियाँ फिन राजा के दरबार में गेल आउ एही बात कहलक तब राजा तइयार हो गेलन । राजा दूनों को बोलौलन आउ लड़का के सुता देलन आउ ओकर मुँह पर सात तह कपड़ा रख देलन । रानी आन के छाती दबौलन बाकि एक-दू तह में जाके दूध रह गेल । लड़का के मुँह में न पहुँचल । तब कनुनियाँ आयल आउ छाती दबौलक तो दूध सातो तह में पार करके लड़का के मुँह में चल गेल। कनुनियाँ सबके कहलक कि आन के देखऽ । आन के सब कोई लड़का के देखलन तो ठीके मुँह में दूध गेल हल।
राजा कहलन कि ई लड़का तो हमरे हल, बाकि जबान से हार गेली। कनुनियाँ लड़का के लेके घरे चल गेल। ऊ लइकन में खेले गेलन। गेंदा खेले लगलन तो हाथ से हाली हाली धर लेथ । सब कहलन कि बाप-मतारी के ठेकान न हे आउ ई हर घड़ी गेंदवे धर ले हे। एतना सुनके लइका घरे चल आयल आउ खूँटी से औजार लेके माँय पर मारे ला तैयार हो गेलन कि बतावऽ, हम्मर बाबूजी कहाँ हथ? माय कहलक कि चल हमरा साथ, उनका खोज के बता देउ । उहाँ से दूनों माँय-बेटा चललन ।
चलइत-चलइत अप्पन ससुरार पहुँच गेलन। गाँव के बहरी एगो डेरा गिरा के रहे लगलन । गाँव के अदमी देखलन तो कहलन कि एगो बढ़िया रंडी आयल हे। ओकरा साथ एगो लड़का हे। जब ऊ हँसऽ हे तो लाल झरऽ हे आउ रोबऽ हे तो मोती झरऽ हे। गाँव के लोग अयलन तो कहलन कि काहाँ घर हउ? ऊ कहलक कि घर से तोहनी के कउन काम हवे? हम गुनी ही। हम जेकरा देखऽ ही से अच्छा हो जाहे । एतना सुनके गाँव के लोग कहलन कि राजा के एगो लड़का हथिन से हाय मुरदा, हाय मुरदा कहइत चल हथिन । ऊ पागल होयल चल हथिन । ऊ कहकई कि उनका जा के ले आवऽ। लोग जाके लिवा अयलन । औरतिया कहलक कि तू काहे ला अइसे बकइत चलऽ हऽ । तू जे मुरदा-मुरदा बकइत चलऽ हऽ, से ऊ मुरदा जे कहकवऽ हल से सामने हवऽ । ऊ लड़का हँसतवऽ तऽ लाल झरतवऽ आउ रोतवऽ तो मोती झरतवऽ । एतना सुनके उनकर बउराही दूर हो गेल । तुरत के तुरत घरे हुकुम कयलन कि बाबूजी डोली कहार, बाजा गाजा के साथ भेज देउ । जउन चीज ला बउराहा होयल हली से मिल गेल। उहाँ से राजा सब समान भेज देलन । रानी डोली चढ़ के घरे अयलन । अब राजा आउ रानी लड़का के साथ खुसी से रहेऽ लगलन ।
A man named Mahato had four sons. They were very poor. One day, all four brothers started fighting among themselves for a share of their possessions. Mahato said, "What will we divide at this moment? When I die, you can take my body and place it in the market for the king to see. The king buys all the goods by evening. When we go and ask for the price, the dead body will say the price of the dead." One day, Mahato died. The four brothers took him to the king's market. When everything was sold, people asked why they had brought the dead body there. They said, "We brought it to sell." This caused a stir, and the news reached the king. When the king asked them, they replied that the dead would say the price of a dead body. The dead body then spoke, saying that it was worth one lakh rupees. "Take me and place me on a platform in front of your house." The king paid them one lakh rupees and took the dead body. The four brothers returned home and divided the money.
One night, the king's son woke up to urinate and saw the dead body, causing him to laugh. He asked why he was laughing. The dead body replied that this is the kind of time when if someone engages with his wife, their child will be born in such a way that if it laughs, it drops red gems, and if it cries, it drops pearls. The king's son asked how would the one who has not yet married go there. The dead body said, "I will take him there." The king's son got ready to leave. He sat on the dead body.
The dead body flew and took him to his in-laws' house, where the queen was sleeping. The dead body explained everything that happened as it had been said. During that time, they engaged in pleasure. When the queen requested to recognize him, the king said that the son he would have would laugh and drop red gems, and if he cried, he would drop pearls. At that moment, the dead body gained consciousness. The dead body said, "If you come back pure, then you will rise." The queen gave him affection and riding atop the dead body, went back to her house. The dead body lay exactly where it was before. The king's son got down and went back to sleep. After this, the dead body rose and went to the Ganges.
In the morning, when the king did not see the dead body, the king's son cried out, "Oh, dead body! Oh, dead body!" and began to weep and act like a madman. No matter how much they tried to explain to him, he didn't understand anything. People said that the king's son had gone mad because of bringing that dead body.
When the queen was seven months pregnant, she told her husband that there was a serious complaint. He then asked the priest if it was okay to kill her. The priest said that there were two souls in that body, so it was not right to kill him. The priest told the king to keep him in the forest. The king made arrangements with four bearers and had him taken to the forest. The bearers then returned home.
The girl became scared at night and started to cry. Many wild animals came, but they did not approach due to her weeping. By morning, she got down from her palanquin and walked away. On the way, she met a woman collecting leaves. She asked the woman if she would take her in. The woman replied that she would stay with her. There was nothing lacking. The woman took her to her house.
By the end of the day, the woman gave birth to a boy. The woman became happy and said that she had a daughter. The moment she exited her home, the king also had a son, so it was said. The woman said, "Wait, I will come immediately." First, she went to the woman. After settling everything, she said that she would be going home now. The baby cried and dropped pearls. She picked up two handfuls of pearls and gave them to the woman.
The woman completed her work and took the pearls to the king. The king completed all the necessary tasks and said that now they would go home. The king told the midwife to feed the woman a proper meal. Upon hearing this, the woman said that she had received two handfuls of pearls from the child. Upon seeing the pearls, the king said that he had never seen such things before. "Where did you get these?" she replied that they fell when the child was crying. The king said to exchange the boy with his child for whatever he asks for.
The next day, the boy was taken to the king's court and placed to sleep there. The boy died. The king lived on. Ten years passed. The child grew and went here and there. The woman went and said that he would go to the king's court and say that this was her son. The exchange had been made.
When she reached the king's court, she said, "Your Majesty, I have a grievance." The king asked, "What is your grievance?" She replied that the child he had was actually hers. The king ordered the soldiers to take her, saying she had gone mad. Let her breathe fresh air. That boy had gone to school. Just then, the boy came and said, "Hey soldier, why are you leading this old woman around?" They said that she had gone mad, so it was ordered to take her around.
Turning around, they led the old woman to the king, who asked her to explain her grievance. Then, she said, "This boy is mine." The king said, "No, he is not yours; go home." The old woman returned home.
The king's son went to her again and said, "This time you should say that putting seven layers of cloth on the child's face and pressing the queen's breast, if the milk flows, then he will be the king's son; otherwise, if the woman does not agree, he will be considered the son of the old woman."
The next day, the old woman went back to the king's court and said this, and the king agreed. The king called both sides, laid the child down, and placed seven layers of cloth on his face. The queen pressed her breast, but only a few drops of milk came out. The milk did not reach the child's mouth. Then, the old woman came and pressed her breast, and the milk flowed through all seven layers into the child's mouth. The old woman said, "Look at this!" When everyone looked, the milk had indeed reached the boy's mouth.
The king said, "This boy is indeed mine, but I lost him through words." The old woman took the boy home. He played with the children. When they played with a ball, he would catch it every time. Everyone said that he had no family ties and caught the ball every time. Upon hearing this, the child returned home, took a stick, and prepared to strike his mother, asking, "Where is my father?" The mother said, "Come with me, and I will help you find him." And so, both mother and son set off.
As they walked and walked, they reached the in-laws' house. A crowd gathered in the village, and they said that a beautiful woman had arrived with a boy. When he laughed, he dropped red gems, and when he cried, he dropped pearls. When the villagers came, they asked where the house was. She replied, "What business do you have with our house? I am a noblewoman. Whoever I see is better." Upon hearing this, the villagers said that the king had a son, and they were crying out, "Oh dead body! Oh dead body!" They were going mad. The child said, "Go bring him here." The people went to fetch him. The woman said, "Why are you talking like this? You say dead body, but that dead body you speak of is right in front of you. When he laughed, he dropped red gems, and when he cried, he dropped pearls." Upon hearing this, their madness went away. They immediately commanded that the father should send a palanquin for the lady along with musicians. The crazy fellow got what he had lost. The king sent all the belongings from there. The queen climbed into the palanquin and returned home. Now the king and queen were joyfully living with their child.