Vikram Vethal, 11. Malathi's Choice

Malathi's Choice

Once again, King Vikram began walking towards the cremation ground with the corpse that was possessed by the Vetal. He had hardly taken a few steps when the Vetal said, “O king, it is now midnight and this place is dark and frightening. Your life could be in great danger. Are you trying to solve a difficult problem or escape from an embarrassing situation that you are willing to undertake such a hard and impossible task? The choices you make in life will seal your fate. Let me tell you the story of Malathi who threw away the good fortune that came her way in a most casual manner.”

In the jungles of Vindhyachal, a woodcutter lived in a hut with his daughter Malathi. The motherless girl was beautiful and her anxious father wished to find a suitable husband for her.

One day, the woodcutter heard that his sister, who lived in a nearby village, was ill. He set off early the next day to visit her. Malathi finished her chores and was singing to herself in solitude when she heard a voice that said, “Even the nightingale has been silenced by your lovely song!”

Malathi was startled as a young man stepped forward and said,

“My name is Madhu Kumar. I am a lover of music and I was enchanted by your sweet voice.” Before Malathi could react, there was a sudden cloud burst and it began to pour. Malathi asked the young man to step into the house. Just as the two of them began talking again, somebody called out from outside and requested shelter from the rain. Malathi opened the door to find a handsome young man on the verandah. She welcomed him inside too.

The young man introduced himself as Sundardas. He was taken in by Malathi’s beauty. Within a moment, yet another man came into the room, apologising for barging in. Named Ravishankar, he was a businessman who had also been caught in the rain.

The three men left one after the other once the rain let up. Madhu Kumar was the first to leave. He confessed to Malathi that her sweet voice had enchanted him and that he had fallen in love with her. He said that he would place the proposal before her father through his brother.

Similarly, Sundardas praised Malathi’s beauty and told her that they would make a perfect match. He informed her that his parents would approach her father the next day to propose marriage between the two of them.

Ravishankar found Malathi’s dwelling place to be attractive, a haven away from the strain of his business. He told Malathi that he would ask his mother to call on her father the next day with a marriage proposal.

When Malathi’s father returned, she enquired after her aunt’s health. To her dismay, her father told her that her aunt was nearing her end. Her only desire now was to see her son Ramapati married to Malathi. However, Ramapati had insisted that he would agree only if Malathi gave her consent.

Malathi smiled and recounted the day’s happenings to her father. He was overjoyed and he advised her to pick one of the three rich men and lead a comfortable life. To his surprise, Malathi unhesitatingly said that she would marry only Ramapati!”

The Vetal stopped his narration and said: “O king, it is clear that Malathi made a foolish decision. Her three suitors were rich and accomplished young men. She should have chosen one of them as her husband. Instead, she chose Ramapati — an illiterate farmer, as her groom. Malathi treated her marraige so casually and made up her mind without giving a thought to the consequences. Why did she act in such a way? If you know the answer and yet keep quiet, your head will explode into thousand pieces.”

King Vikram said: “Decision-making depends on the personality and emotional attitudes of the person facing the problem. Each of Malathi’s suitors, with the exception of Ramapati, took it for granted that she would only be too happy to marry him. Ramapati was the only one who asked for her opinion. Those who did not feel it necessary to ask for her opinion before marriage were unlikely to change their attitude later. So your statement that Malathi made a foolish decision and ruined her future is not valid,” concluded King Vikram.

The next moment, he shook his head wryly as the Vetal shrieked with laughter and flew off to the ancient tree with the corpse.