Once upon a time there lived a king. He had two sons. The eldest was called Sant and the youngest was Basant. The king and queen doted on them. And in the queen’s bedchamber a pair of little birds built a nest for themselves. And it was clear that the birds lived in love and harmony. Soon the female sat on the eggs and hatched two chicks in front of the queen. The birds - mother and father - began to carry worms and bugs, and the kids just gaped. Involuntarily, a comparison came to the queen’s mind: just as she herself was happy with her family, so the bird chirped joyfully in her worries about the children.
One day the queen lies in bed and sees that her mother is not in the nest. The chicks squeak, the mother calls, and the father sits, bored. The night passed, but there was no bird. The queen did not sleep a wink - she kept thinking about what had happened, where the bird had gone. And it came to her mind:
“If I’m gone, what will happen to my children then?”
In a day or two. the father of the chicks brought a new girlfriend with him, and the bird's house came to life again. The father was rejoicing, and at first the chicks were also happy. They reached out to their stepmother with a squeak - they were not far from her affection. And in response, she began to viciously peck at them. The chicks jumped back in fear. Life became bitter for them. No one will feed them on time, no one will give them something to drink. Their own father didn’t even care about them.
This is the end for them. Once the queen sees, both chicks lie dead on the ground, and the eyes of the bird, their stepmother, glow with triumph. It was as if a knife had been stabbed into the queen’s heart. She immediately thought about her own children: “If it happens that I die and the king marries another, how much grief will they get.” Then the king entered and saw the queen in sadness. He became alarmed and asked:
- What's wrong with you? Are you unwell?
“No, nothing,” the queen answers.
The king was about to send for a doctor, but the queen held him back. Asks him:
-Will you do what I ask you to do?
– When has it ever happened that I refused your request? - answered the king. - Tell me directly what’s the matter.
The queen says:
“If I were to die, don’t marry someone else.” Do you see the male bird? His girlfriend has disappeared. He brought another one into the nest, and she tortured his chicks to death. While their mother was alive, he himself took care of them, and when he took another girlfriend, he began to fawn over her. Otherwise, why would the chicks die? So I beg you: don’t marry someone else.
The king laughed and answered:
- Well, you’re good, dear! I looked at these birds and got something into my head. Why should you die? God willing, you will live to old age.
A word is spoken and forgotten, but a heavy thought sinks into the soul. The queen was overcome by melancholy. She began to dry out by leaps and bounds, until she became completely ill. No matter what the king did, no matter how hard he tried to help her, he was unable to save her. The children were left orphans. The queen died, and matchmakers and matchmakers flocked to the king from everywhere, but he remembered what happened with the birds, and drove everyone away. It’s an everyday matter, they began to persuade him from all sides, and he agreed to get married. The new queen came, and the palace seemed to come to life. The princes, Sant and Basant, rejoiced that they had found a new mother. Well, the king couldn’t remember himself with happiness.
One day Sant and Basant were playing ball in the garden. And the queen took a bath in the courtyard. Suddenly the ball flew high and fell straight into the courtyard. The queen shouted: “Ay-ay!” The boys came running, saw the queen in tears and were scared. And she went straight to the “house of wrath” and lay down. The Tsar came straight to her, but she didn’t even want to turn her head towards him. The king asks her:
-What happened here? The queen answers him:
“These favorites of yours, Sant and Basant, threw the ball right at my chest. The pain took my breath away. If you don't care about me, why did you marry me? Either be nice to them, or be nice to me. You can't put two swords in one sheath. These two are like a thorn in my side. I can't look at them!
“Be patient, queen,” says the king. - If you have no peace from them, I will settle them in another palace.
The queen became even more angry:
“Do you think you’ll move them to another palace, so they’ll stop tormenting me?” How can I warm the snakes on my chest! If you love me, order them to tear out their hearts and present them to me. Then my soul will calm down.
Tears filled the king's eyes, he was shaking all over with anger and grief.
- Queen! - he said. - Think about what you are saying. Do you really want to break my heart?
“There’s nothing to think about here,” the queen objected. - Until my desire is fulfilled, I will not touch either food or drink.
The king admonished the queen for a long time, but was unable to soften her. Then he called the executioners and gave them both princes into their hands. He ordered their hearts to be torn out and immediately presented to the queen.
The executioners took Santa and Basant into the forest. Yes, they did not raise their hands against the handsome princes. They released the brothers, and instead they killed a jackal and a dog and showed their hearts to the queen. It became easy in her soul, and she and her husband began to live in fun and joy.
And Sant and Basant went wandering through the forest. And it so happened that Basant fell into the well. What was poor Site to do? He cried and moved on. That time, the potter's wife came to the well for water. As soon as she lowered the bucket into the well, Basant grabbed the rope. The woman looked into the well and recoiled in fear.
- Don't be afraid of me, I'm a prince! – Basant shouted. “Get me out of here.”
The woman pulled him out of the well. She did not have any children of her own, and she was very happy about Basant. He stayed to live in the potter's house. Once upon a time a king was hunting in those parts. He drove into the village and Basant caught his eye. The king was amazed how the potter got such a handsome son. He began to demand that the potter give him the boy. No potter. Finally the potter's wife says:
“It’s written for us to earn our bread through hard work.” Such is our lot. And if the prince liked the king and he demands him, how can we not give him back? It will be a decoration in the king’s house too.
The potter and his wife decided on this and handed Basant to the king. The king put him on a horse and brought him to the palace. And he also invited the potter and his wife to his city. He gave them a good home and provided for them for the rest of their lives.
The king taught Basant to read and write and the art of archery, and when the boy grew up, he married him to his beautiful daughter. And the king gave him half of his possessions. – Once Basant was walking through the palace chambers. Suddenly he hears a beggar singing, almost crying:
King Chitaranjan's little children, dear brothers Sant and Basant...
As soon as Basant heard this, he broke free from his wife’s embrace, rushed through the door and pressed the beggar to his heart. Lena was dumbfounded and couldn’t believe her eyes. And the beggar was his elder brother Santa. Beaten and ragged, he came to this city to beg for alms. It was hard for Basant to see how poor his brother was. He brought Santa to his palace, anointed him with sandalwood ointment and dressed him in his best dress.
Soon Sant and Basant decided that it was time for them to return to their native land. Basant's father-in-law generously showered his daughter and son-in-law with wealth and all sorts of goodness.
Sant and Basant returned to their father's house. What do they see? Their father is blind, and their stepmother is having fun. Basant was overcome with uncontrollable anger. He ordered to dig a deep hole and bury his stepmother alive in it. And everyone lived in peace and happiness.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru