Ragu

Sri Darmapuja, King of Jodyanegara, had a beautiful daughter named Rajaputri. One day she was looking out the watch-tower when she saw an incredibly beautiful youth standing among the crowd. She was so enchanted by his beauty that she sent her maid Warsiki to find out who he was. It appeared that he was the headman’s son, and his name was Ragu. The princess fell madly in love with him and would neither eat nor drink. At last she could bear it no longer, and sent Warsiki to tell him he must come to her that every night. Ragu obeyed, and they passed a rapturous night together. Every night he came to her, till one day he was seen by another maid-servant, who told the king what was going on.

The king was furious. He called the headman and priest together, and debated with them how Ragu should be punished. Most of them were opinion that he should be thrown into the sea, according to ancient custom. But one priest said that would be too quick and easy death, and advised sending him away in search of “the horned elephant fish with pig’s feet”.

So Ragu was banished on this hopeless quest, and wandered about for months in vain. Worn out at last, he sat down one day in the forest and wept. A bird named Phaksi Raja, flying about in search of food, heard a human voice, and flew down and settled beside the beautiful Ragu. Ragu begged to him eat up quickly, but Phaksi Raja took pity on him and asked why he was weeping. When Ragu had told his story the bird said it knew where such a monster could be found; beyond the seven seas, in the possession of Detya Banda.

It gave him a bird-dress and a spell and said “beyond the seven seas you will find a stone house in which lives the nymph Nilotama, who is kept prisoner by Detya Banda. She will able to help you.” Ragu flew over the seven seas: the watery sea, the salt sea, the sea of honey, the sea of mud, the sea of sand, the sea of blood, and the sea of fire. When he came to the stone house and turn on his spell, Nilotama could not stand the heat and came out the house. She asked who he was and what he wanted, and he told her his story. He was overjoyed at his coming and promised him the “horned elephant-fish” if he would take her with him as his wife.

He promised; she went inside, brought out all the weapons, amulets, and magic crystal, which belonged to Detya Banda. Then she coiled herself up in a crystal and bade Ragu hide it in his belt. He took with him all the other treasures as well, and they flew away. Detya Banda, feeling something was amiss, came hurrying home and found he had been robbed of all his treasures. He immediately set off in pursuit. When Ragu saw him coming he shot off the sea-charm which produced a great sea. But Detya swam over the sea. Then Ragu shot off the stone-charm, and Detya turned into stone and died. When he reached home in the middle of the night Ragu knocked at the door, and called his father and mother by name. They heard, but could not believe it was really he.

At last, however, they opened the door and was their son whom they had long believed to be dead. He brought out his crystal, and his wife Nilotama opened it and came forth. A meal as made ready, and there was universal rejoicing. Next morning Nilotama changed one of the charms into the improbable monster, and Ragu went off with it to the king. The creature was placed on the ground, and grew before their very eyes to supernatural stature. The priest, after reference to his book, confirmed its authenticity.

Ragu returned home and disported himself with his wife. But the king was not satisfied, and sent his patih to spy upon Ragu and discover how he had contrived to beget the “elephant-fish.” The patih climbed a tree and looked over the wall and saw woman, surpassing all the king’s wives in beauty. There upon the king sent his pedanda to Ragu and asked him to give up his wife. Ragu dutifully agreed, but Nilotama protested that that was of ill omen for a king to take a woman who had already slept with a sudra.

The king was very angry and tried to get rid of Ragu by giving him a new commission. He was to find the charmed name Surya. This was easily done with Nilotama’s help, but when the king took hold of it he burned his fingers so badly that he resolved to get rid of Ragu for good and all. He ordered the drums to be beaten, and when a whole army had been drummed together, he sent it to surround Ragu’s house, to take it by storm and kill him.

When Ragu heard the drum, he wept for fear. But Nilotama comforted him and said she would dispose the army. She charmed a deep sea round the house, and two savage snakes to right and left of the doorway, one red, one white. The army came storming forward and fell upon the red snake, and were all killed or drowned. Last came the king. The white snake leapt upon him and flung him high up into a coconut palm, where he hung head downwards from a bough.

As the king hung there, helpless he begged Nilotama have a pity on him and to spare his life, promising in return to give up his throne and his kingdom to Ragu. “You shall be queen,” he said “and I will serve you as your humble slave.” So she commanded the snake to set him free. And Ragu became king over the whole land of Jodyanegara, and the king became his patih (minister) and gave him his daughter as concubine.