The king of one country once convened an assembly, which was attended by all the ministers and scientists. And this assembly had to resolve an issue of paramount national importance. And that king ordered the Brahmin scientists to study the location of the stars and planets so that they could predict his fate.
The Brahmin scholars diligently carried out the king’s order and reported to him the following:
- Honorable King! The stars and planets indicate that in the near future a certain hero named Ngethaun Laun will appear in our country.
The king frowned thoughtfully.
– Where does this hero come from and how old is he? – he asked gloomily.
The puzzled Brahmin scholars replied:
- O lord! Listen to us without getting angry! This hero has not yet been born. He is still in his mother's womb.
The king was extremely excited by the news of the upcoming birth of the hero.
“If what you say is true,” he said, “then, obviously, a person will soon appear who will threaten my well-being and the well-being of my country!” Therefore, I order the extermination of all pregnant women!
The ministers immediately rushed to carry out the highest command, but the one who carried the future hero miraculously survived - she took refuge in the forest and, when the time came, gave birth to a son and named him Nget-haun Laun.
Many, many years passed, but the thought of the hero Ngethaun Laun haunted the king. And the king convened the assembly again.
“Brahman scholars,” he turned to the astrologers, “are you sure that the woman who was to give birth to the hero died with the baby in her womb?” Answer me according to your conscience!
- O most holy king! Have mercy on us! Let me tell you everything, as best I can. Ngathaun Lawn is alive and has reached adulthood.
The king became more worried than ever.
“I order the destruction of all young men of Ngathaun Laun’s age,” he commanded.
But fate was merciful to Ngathaun Laun, and he survived again. By that time, he was already a real hero with a sweeping gait and a truly heroic appetite: in one sitting he ate a full basket of rice and a whole pig carcass.
Day by day Ngathaung Lawn became stronger and stronger. The relatives looked at the hero with apprehension - just look, the king would find out about him and then order his entire family to be killed. The relatives gathered a family council and began to think about what to do. They thought and thought and decided to hand over Ngethaun Laun to the king, and at the same time protect themselves from certain death. Only Ngăthaun Launa’s mother did not agree with her relatives and begged in tears to spare her child. But the relatives did not even want to listen to the poor woman; they only thought about how to quickly get rid of Ngethaun Laun.
One day Ngathaun Laun's father took him to the forest to buy firewood. They began to cut down the tree, and when it was about to collapse, the father said to his son:
- Quickly lie down on the ground so that the tree falls on you, otherwise it may split.
The son did not dare to contradict his father. And he, seeing how a huge tree fell noisily on the head of Ngethaun Laun, calmly went home.
“We finally got rid of him,” the evil father rejoiced. “Now our family is saved from the royal wrath.”
Just when he thought so, he suddenly hears his son’s voice:
- Where should I put it?
The father turned around, and behold, his son was carrying a huge tree. The father was upset and muttered in response:
- Leave it in the backyard.
He took the Ngathaun Laun tree to the backyard and said:
“When I laid my head under the tree, I thought that if I stayed alive, I would certainly become a king.”
Meanwhile, the relatives continued to invent a way to destroy Ngathaun Laun.
The next time the father called his son into the forest, where there were lions and other fierce animals. They chopped and chopped wood, then the father said that he was going to the stream to drink, and he went home, leaving his son alone in the forest.
Ngethaun Laun continued chopping wood as if nothing had happened, but then he became worried and began calling his father loudly. The father, of course, did not respond, and then, deciding that he was lost, Ngathaun Laun went to look for him. He searched and searched, but never found it. Meanwhile, the sun was setting. Searching every bush, every hollow, Ngethaun Laun went out to the lake and then saw a huge tiger. Seeing the man, the tiger growled loudly, bristled and moved straight towards him. However, it was not for nothing that Ngethaun Laun was known as a hero. Deftly grabbing the tiger by the ears, he easily mounted it!
-What kind of animal are you? asked Ngathaun Lawn.
- I am a tiger! Don't kill me! – he begged. Ngathaun Lawn let him go and went home.
And at this time, the father boasted to his relatives that in the forest of Ngethaun Laun was probably torn to pieces by some fierce beast. But suddenly the door opened wide, and with a loud exclamation: “Oh my father!” - An excited Ngathaun Laun ran into the house. Having calmed down a little, he told his relatives about his meeting with the tiger, which surprised them a lot.
However, even after this incident, the relatives did not stop thinking about how to get rid of Ngethaun Laun. And they came up with an idea: they decided to bury him alive in the ground. They began to dig a deep well. And when its depth reached thirteen cubits, they supposedly invited Ngethaun Laun to help. Before Ngethaun Laun had time to go down into the well, the relatives, as planned, began to hastily cover it with earth.
Ngathaun Laun finally realized that both his father and relatives longed for his death, and thought: “If it was destined for me to become a king, will I really not be able to get out of this not so deep hole.”
When the relatives filled the well to the top and went home, Ngethaun Laun easily got out into freedom. But this time he did not return to his father’s house, but went wherever his eyes led him. He wandered for a long time through the dense forest and finally decided to rest. As soon as he sat down, he saw a pig descending from the sky. And there is an object clamped in the pig's mouth. The pig looked around and wanted to try the ficus fruit. Then she spat out what she had in her mouth. And it was just a mercury ball. Ngethaun Laun took possession of it and, unexpectedly for himself, immediately flew up a tree.
Having had enough of its fill, the pig was about to head back, and lo and behold, the ball had disappeared! She dug up all the ground around the tree, searched the thickets, but never found the ball. The pig could not bear such grief and died. And Ngathaun Laun, descending from the tree, fried the pork carcass and immediately ate it whole. Then he picked up the magic ball and continued on his way. The ball led him to the hut of a lonely ascetic.
Bowing to the ascetic, Ngathaung Laun asked:
“Tell me, venerable sir, you live alone in the wilderness, you have been observing religious rituals for many years, but what benefit does all this have to you?”
- Layman, over many years of loneliness I acquired three things with supernatural powers: a magic bag, a magic rope and a magic cane. With the help of a magic bag, I can capture an enemy army of any size. The magic rope can bind all my enemies. And finally, the magic cane, at my first command, will beat them half to death.
“And I,” said Ngathaun Laun to the wise ascetic, “have a magic ball that has the ability to lift into the sky.” Take it for yourself, and in return give me your miracle things!
The ascetic readily agreed.
“Keep the ball in a clean glass,” said Ngethaun Laun and, bidding farewell to the ascetic, he set off.
Night has fallen. The ascetic fell asleep, placing a glass with a magic ball at his head. Ngathaun Laun sent a magic bag for the ball and became the owner of four magical objects. And he decided to return to his native village. On the way to the house, he sat down to rest, and asked a person passing by to call his parents and relatives. They immediately appeared and, like a curiosity, began to look at the alive and unharmed Ngethaun Laun.
After chatting with his relatives about all sorts of trifles, Ngethaun Laun turned to his father:
- Father, I am no longer a simple person, I have four magical things. Go to the palace and woo the king's daughter for me.
Realizing that things were not going well, the father began to deny:
- After all, we are simple peasants. We shouldn’t even think about being related to the king!
– You don’t know me well! - answered the annoyed Ngathaun Laun. - Well, I will prove to you my strength and make you think about me differently. Come on, magic rope, tie them tightly, and you, magic cane, treat them properly!
It was hard for the relatives, they asked for mercy and promised to go to the king to woo the royal daughter. Soon Ngethaun Laun, accompanied by his relatives, arrived to the king. The king had already heard about the strength and power of Ngethaun Laun and very willingly gave the princess for him. And after the wedding, the king gave up the throne to Ngathaun Laun and gave him all the wealth. And the young hero immediately invited the wise ascetic to the palace, asked for his forgiveness, showered him with generous gifts and gave him due honors.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru