The King and Queen of Arora in India were very happy as they were going to parents soon. Everyone in the kingdom was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Royal newborn. The Kingdom made a great many preparations. Unfortunately, the queen died during childbirth, giving birth to twin daughters. One of them was as beautiful as snow-white, while the other one was dark, ugly,
The King had married again so that his daughters can be taken care off. The King, in the interest of his daughters, decided not to have any more children. The stepmother somehow did not appreciate this, so for reasons, best known to her, she was very unfair and tortured the beautiful daughter; however, in contrast, was kind, and pampered the ugly one. As time passed, both the girls grew up, the beautiful one turned out to be even more attractive, and kind at heart. However, her sister, the ugly one, turned to be arrogant, nasty and wicked.
One day, the beautiful daughter met her father in the garden, and she begged him, with tears in her eyes, to let her go and seek her fortune in the world; the King consented to her proposal. As he knew of the ill-treatment, his beautiful daughter was receiving from her stepmother. However, King could do little or nothing about it, as the stepmother had turned to very dominating, and a nasty woman, and refused to listen to anyone. So that night, when the King told the stepmother of his discussions with this beautiful daughter. The queen stepmother on hearing the proposal was delighted to get rid of the beautiful daughter and immediately agreed. The King requested her to give this beautiful daughter whatever she wanted for her travels and let her go.
So the beautiful one went to her stepmother the queen, to bid her farewell. The queen stepmother gave her a cotton bag with some bread, cheese, and a bottle of water; this was but a pitiful travel kit for a king's daughter to receive when she was leaving the Kingdom. The beautiful princess took the cotton bag, with thanks, and proceeded on her journey, passing through groves, woods, and valleys, till at length she saw an old Saint sitting on a stone at the mouth of a cave, who said: "Greetings, fair maiden, where are going?"
"Oh Holy Father," she said, "I am going to seek my fortune."
"What have you got in your bag and bottle?" asked the Saint.
"In my bag, I have got bread and cheese, and in my bottle I have water. Would you like to have some?"
"Yes," said the Saint, "with all my heart."
With that, the beautiful princess pulled out her meagre provisions and served it to the Holy man with folded hands. The holy man ate some and gave her many thanks. Then the Saint said: "There is a big lion ahead on this path, and he shall not let you pass, and shall make a meal of you." "Take this stone, and when you see the Lion place this stone in front of him, and he shall do you no harm." The holy added, "Seeing this stone, the lion will guide you to the great hermit, who shall help you in your endeavour of seeking your fortune."
The beautiful princess thanked the Holy Man and moved on. The big lion appeared with a big growl, the beautiful princesses as directed by the Saint, set the stone in front of the lion. The stone glowed, and the lion calmed down and smiled. "Come with me," said the lion. The beautiful princess followed the lion. The lion saw that the princess was very tired, so offered, "if you wat you can sit on my back", the Beautiful princess was grateful for the help, and hopped on to the lion's back. The lion said, "The hermit, is old, but hold great knowledge and powers listen to him carefully and serve him well, if pleased, he shall bless you with his choicest blessings." The loins skin was smooth, warm and comforting, so the princess held onto his mane and lying on his back dozed off. It was a couple of hours later that the lion softly whispered: "We have arrived". The Beautiful princess got off the Lions back and thanked him for his help. She then proceeded to the small hutment of the Hermit in front of her.
As she entered the cottage, she saw the Hermit sitting on a tiger skin in deep meditation. The princess quietly stood at the door, looking at the Hermit. The Hermit looked very weak and fragile. She heard the Hermit say," Oh Beautiful princess, please help me take a bath, comb my hair, and get me some food, for I have not moved in years from this position."
"Yes oh Holy one," said the beautiful princess, and she carried the weak Hermit to the nearby river. She gave the Hermit a good bath and washed his tangled hair with the utmost care and affection. She then brought him back to the cottage, combed his hair and tied them into a bun over his head like lord Shiva. The beautiful princess then went out to get food for the Hermit; selecting the best fruits from the trees and served it to the Hermit. In a few days, the Hermit gained enough strength to move around and could manage his daily chores by himself. The Hermit was pleased with the service of the beautiful princess.
The Hermit said to her, "You young and beautiful princess shall get to marry the most strong and famous King in the land. He shall be very Handsome and also be very loving and kind to you." "You will find a satisfying luxurious life." "On the day following the third moon from today, you should head in the northeast direction, and your destiny shall take you to him." On the pre-decided day, the Beautiful princess thank the Hermit, sought his blessing and headed in the northeast direction, leaving the Hermit in his cottage.
She had not travelled long before she saw a king hunting in the jungle with his nobles. She would have avoided him, but the King, having caught sight of her, approached her, and immediately fell in love with her beauty and sweet voice, and soon he persuaded her to marry him.
As her husband, the great King learned that she was the King of Arora's daughter, he ordered his council members to make arrangements for him and his wife, the Beautiful princess to visit her father. They soon left in a chariot, along with wagons filled with riches, as gifts for the King of Arora. The beautiful princess father was at first astonished and then overjoyed that his daughter had been so fortunate. That evening over dinner, the son-in-law shared with everyone their story. Great was the joy that filled the Court of King of Arora, and everyone was ecstatic and happy. All except the queen Stepmother and her ugly daughter were bursting with envy and anger, however little could they do. The rejoicing, feasting and dancing, continued for many days. Then at length, the beautiful princess and her King husband returned to their Kingdom with many gifts given by the princess father, the King of Arora.
The ugly princess, perceiving that her sister had been so lucky in seeking her fortune, wanted to follow her footsteps. She expressed the same to her mother, the queen stepmother could not agree more, and she started to make preparations for her ugly daughter's travel. The Stepmother dressed the Ugly in rich dresses and a bag full of sugar, almonds, sweetmeats, and a large bottle of juice. With these possessions, the ugly princess set on her voyage, much like her beautiful sister. She too soon came upon the same Saint at the cave, and the old man said: "Young woman, where are you going in such a hurry?"
"What's that to you?" said the ugly one.
Then Saint said, "what have you in your bag and bottle?"
She answered: "Good things, which you shall not be troubled with."
"Won't you give me some?" said Saint.
"No, not a bit, nor a drop, unless it would choke you."
The Saint frowned, and said: "Evil fortune may fall on you."
The ugly princess ignored him and moved on, and soon she met the loin, the lion pounced on her but found her not his taste, so he let her go. After walking for two days through thorn bushes and dirty swamps, the ugly princess managed to reach the Hermit's cottage. Covered with Blood from the bruises inflicted upon her while walking through thorny bused and dirt from the swamps, she looked around for water to wash her self, and she saw the Hermit. Looking at her, the Hermit repeated, "Oh princess, please help me take a bath, comb my hair, and get me some food, for I have not moved in years from this position."
She looked at the Hermit and banged his head with her bottle saying "Take that for your washing, combing and feeding you" The Hermit was angry and said: "you shall be struck with leprosy immediately, and shall marry poor country cobbler."
The Ulgy Princess stomped out of the Hermit's cottage in ager and walked for days until she came to a town. It was a busy day at the town, being a market day it was very crowded. As the people looked at her, and, seeing such a mangy face, they all fled away, but for a poor Cobbler. The Cobbler not long before had mended the shoes of an old hermit, who, having no money, gave him a box of ointment for the cure of leprosy. So the poor Cobbler to help the Ugly princess went up to her and asked who she was.
"I am," said she, "the King of Arora's daughter.
"Well," said the Cobbler, "if I cure you, of your leprosy, and restore you to your original self, will you in reward take me for a husband?"
Surprisingly the Ugly Princess replied, "Yes, friend," "with all my heart!". As by now, she had realised her mistakes and misfortune.
So the Cobbler applied the remedial ointment on to her every day for weeks. The Ugly princess slowly came back to her original self. As promised, once cured, she married the poor Cobbler. Soon the ugly princess and her husband the Cobbler left for the Court of Arora. When the queen stepmother found out that her most cherished daughter has been married to nothing but a poor cobbler, she was so full of sorrow that she jumped the palace walls and died.
The King accepted the destiny, and gave the Cobbler many riches, to quit the Court of Arora with his lady to a remote part of this kingdom where the Cobler lived many years mending shoes, and his wife spinning the thread for him.
