Children
Folk tales of Sri Lanka:
Princess marries a python
Retold by R. S. Karunaratne
Once upon a time there lived a King who ruled the country
efficiently. He had three equally beautiful daughters. He had no
difficulty in giving two of his daughters in marriage to neighbouring
Kings. However, the youngest daughter did not want to marry anyone until
she met her real partner. She did not listen to her parents’ pleas and
remained adamant in her refusal to marry.
The princess had an elderly maid who looked after her during the day
time. One day when the maid cut open a pumpkin, she found only one seed.
She carried it home and planted it in front of her hut. She regularly
watered
and used manure available in plenty in the cow-shed. As a result, one
day she saw a huge pumpkin waiting to be plucked and cooked.
As the old maid did not cook her meals at home she decided to take
the huge pumpkin to the palace. The King was so pleased that he ordered
the maid to cook it for the royal meal. The maid took the huge pumpkin
to the royal kitchen and cut it into two. Lo and behold she saw a huge
python inside the pumpkin.
“Don’t kill me, please, I mean no harm to you or anybody in the
palace. Let me hide under this cupboard,” said the python disappearing
from the scene. The maid also did not tell anybody of the presence of
the python in the royal kitchen.
One day when the maid was preparing the royal meal, the python came
out of its hiding and said: “I want to marry the princess. Please go and
tell her.”
“Will she marry a python?” She asked.
“She will. Go and ask her to see me in the kitchen,” the python said.
Finding no alternative the old maid informed the princess that a
python wanted to speak to her. When she went to the royal kitchen, the
python expressed her willingness to marry the princess.
The old maid saw a definite change in the princess’s facial
expressions. At once she said,” yes, I am willing.”
The King was furious when he heard the news from the queen. However,
the princess insisted that she would not marry anyone else other than
the python.
So they were married in a secret wedding ceremony.
One day the princess had to attend a royal function held in a far
away place. When she informed the python about it, he said he would also
be there. The princess did not take it seriously because she knew that a
python would not attend a royal function.
When the royal function began, a handsome prince appeared from
nowhere and became the cynosure of all eyes. Many beautiful princesses
came forward to dance with him but he extended his hand to his wife -
the princess he married when he was a python.
“Who are you? Where did you come from?” the princess asked.
“I am the python you married,” the prince said.
“Then how did you become a python?”
“I was under a curse. After my marriage to you the lifespan of the
curse came to an end. And now I am a prince again,” he said.
Both of them lived happily thereafter.
Winnie the pooh
Winnie the pooh was a bear
Of very little brain
Or so he thought.
“I am very poetic
But not brave and adventurous”
Said he.
But he found Eeyore his lost tail,
Made a trap for a Heffalump,
discovered the North Pole,
Climbed a tree for the honey of bees,
Went after a Woozle Wasn’t
And of course
Rescued Piglet from a flood.
So, Christopher Robin said
“You are very poetic,
Brave and courageous.
Now sing us a song
For you are a very good bear”.
Winnie the Pooh sang
A very good song then,
For everybody,
About bees and honey
And floods and friends
And of many other things
For he was a Wonderful Bear!!!
Nillasi Liyanage
Gr. 8-D
Musaeus College
Colombo 7. |