🧚 The Story of Room Bacha and Baki. · page 2

“You must know,” said she, “that the place where you now find yourself is the abode of a terrible and blood-thirsty Ogre, and that I, who am human like yourself, was captured by him some time ago, and he proposes shortly to make me his wife.52 Meanwhile he has taught me certain magic spells, which enable me to transform myself into any animal I please, and to come and go at my pleasure; but without the assistance of some human being it is impossible for me to escape from his clutches.53 But we will talk further regarding these matters to-morrow.54 It is now near the time for the Ogre’s return, and if he finds you here he will certainly kill you without the least hesitation, so you must hide now before he returns.”55

So saying she went over to the central glass pillar and, unscrewing a portion of it, she showed him a cavity inside, within which he concealed himself.56

Scarcely was he securely hidden within the pillar when the door of the cave flew open, and a huge Ogre entered the central chamber.57 Calling the young lady to him, he commanded her to bring his dinner, and after making a sumptuous repast he sat down on some cushions and began playing the guitar.58 At the first sound of the music all the pillars in the room, with the exception of the one in which Baki was concealed, began a slow and stately dance, his pillar alone remaining firm and unshaken.59 When the Ogre saw that one of the pillars was not dancing as usual he grew very angry, and seizing a huge hammer in his hand, he advanced upon it, threatening to shatter it into a thousand fragments; but the young lady, seizing him by the arm, begged him to spare it.60

“Look,” said she “at the position of the pillar.61 It is the most central and the largest of them all.62 No doubt it feels some sense of dignity and wishes to be distinguished from the remainder.63 Spare it at any rate to-night, and it will probably dance as usual to-morrow.”64

The Ogre agreed to this, and shortly after retired to rest.65

Next morning at daybreak he set off about his business, and as soon as he was gone the girl opened the pillar and released Baki, and after giving him a good breakfast, she spoke to him as follows:66

“It is a very difficult thing,” said she, “for a human being to kill an Ogre, for whatever damage you may do to his body is of no avail unless you can also destroy the object with which his spirit is bound up.67 Now this particular Ogre’s existence depends upon the life of a green Parrot, which is carefully hidden from human view, but I have ascertained where it is kept, and will explain to you how you may find it.68 Behind the rock in which we are now living you will find another great rock standing by itself.69 You must go up to this, and, kicking it three times with your right foot, you must exclaim at each kick, ‘Great Raven, open the door.’70 As you pronounce these words for the third time the door will open, disclosing a large cave, in the centre of which, seated upon a red stone, you will see a green Parrot.71 If you can kill this Parrot you will also destroy the Ogre without any danger to yourself.”72

On hearing this Baki at once promised to follow the lady’s directions, and she released him from the cavern.73 Going round to the back of the rock, he found himself face to face with another great rock standing by itself.74 Kicking this rock three times with his right foot, he pronounced the magic words, and as he said them for the third time two rocky doors flew open, disclosing a cave inside.75 Entering the cave he saw a green Parrot seated on a red stone in the centre, and he at once seized the bird and wrung its neck.76 As soon as he had accomplished this he ran hastily back to the main cavern, and as he approached the entrance he saw the Ogre, who had just been returning to his home, lying across the threshold stone dead, with his neck all twisted.77 The young lady was greatly rejoiced at the successful issue of their adventure, and the two, leaving the Ogre’s body behind them, proceeded forthwith to the capital of the country, where the King’s palace was situated.78

On arriving at the capital Baki decided to hire a small house, where he could lodge the young lady and change his own dress before proceeding to pay his respects to the King; so having taken a house in the suburbs, he left the lady there while he went out himself into the streets to hear the news.79 He soon found out that during his absence the King had announced his intention of marrying Baki’s mother, and the poor lady, now that she had no son to protect her, had protested in vain, saying that she was already the wife of another.80 Baki was very indignant when he heard of this treacherous conduct on the part of the King, and determined to foil his plans.81 So returning to the young lady, he related to her all that he had heard.82

“Do not be anxious,” said she.83 “If you will follow my advice I will show you how you may yet get the better of the King.”84

And she forthwith instructed him in certain magic spells, which she had learned from the Ogre.85

Armed with these, Baki proceeded at once to the palace.86 When he arrived in the courtyard he sat himself down upon the King’s mounting-block, and muttering the necessary spell, he was at once transformed into a large cowrie-shell.87 After lying on the mounting-block for some time it chanced that one of the grooms of the palace passed by, and, seeing the shell, he paused to look at it, and remarked to himself:88

“What a beautiful cowrie-shell!”89

“Yes, I am a very handsome shell,” replied the cowrie, to the terror and astonishment of the groom.90

“Why,” said he, “what sort of a shell are you?91 What can you know about cowries, or anything else?”92

“I know a great deal,” said the shell.93 “For instance, I could tell the King something about Prince Baki, which perhaps he would not like to hear.”94

When the groom heard this he ran straight into the palace and informed the Prime Minister all that the shell had said.95 The Minister, having told the King of the matter, the King gave orders that the shell should at once be brought into his presence and placed upon a table before him.96 When this had been done the King addressed the shell, saying:97

“What are you, and what do you know about Prince Baki?”98

“I can tell you this,” replied the shell, “that if you attempt to marry Prince Baki’s mother you will find yourself in a very unpleasant position.”99

On hearing this the King was very much incensed, and he ordered one of his servants to bring in a big hammer to smash the shell to fragments, saying that he would not be browbeaten by a wretched little object like a shell.100 So one of the servants, bringing up a hammer, struck the shell a violent blow and broke it to pieces.101 In an instant each piece of the shell turned into an armed man, and Prince Baki himself appeared amongst them in his proper form.102

Great confusion now arose amongst the courtiers; some fled in one direction and some in another, whilst others, drawing their swords, prepared to fight with the strangers.103 Meanwhile the armed men, who were in reality demons, placed temporarily under the command of Prince Baki, looked fiercely around them, and waving their swords, shouted to the Prince, “Whom shall we kill?104 Whom shall we kill?”105

Baki now pointed to the King, and in a moment the band of armed men fell upon him, cut him to pieces, and disappeared with shouts of triumph through the roof of the palace.106 When the courtiers saw what had happened, they hastened to prostrate themselves before the feet of so powerful a magician, and installed Baki as their new king.107

As soon as he was seated upon his throne he sent for the young lady whom he had rescued from the Ogre’s cave, and, having married her, they lived happily for many years.108 And the Queen, his mother, soon after returned to King Bacha, and having agreed with him never more to argue on trivial matters, they had no more disputes or quarrels, and long reigned together over a contented and prosperous kingdom.109