How Raja Rasalus Friends Forsook Him

Intro

A hard kindness: ordinary friendship and a hero’s road are not always built for each other. Age 9–12+ — not Ages 3–5.

Story

The first night

Rasalu rode out of Sialkot with the carpenter’s son and the goldsmith’s son. At dusk they halted in a lonely forest. Rasalu set three watches: carpenter first, goldsmith second, himself third.

The goldsmith spread a couch of clean grass for the prince and spoke a country blessing: cradled once on soft down, grass is your bed tonight — brave hearts heed fortune’s slight.

The carpenter’s serpent

On the first watch a serpent crept toward the sleepers. The carpenter stepped between, asked its name, fought, and killed it. Such a serpent may stand for more than a snake — a destroyed local power. He hid the body under his shield so the prince would not wake discouraged.

Rasalu’s horror

The goldsmith’s watch passed quietly. On the third watch a dreadful unspeakable horror — âfat — came from the thicket, claiming it had emptied thrice twelve miles around. Rasalu wounded it with his great bow, followed it into a cave, and fought until it died. He watched until morning.

Morning and leave-taking

At dawn the carpenter showed the serpent. Rasalu laughed gently — a small snake — and led them to the cave. The boys were exceedingly afraid. They begged release: You are a raja and a hero; we are ordinary folk. If we follow, we die. Let us go.

Rasalu looked at them sorrowfully, not angrily, and let them turn back. Youth and strength last only an hour; a king may still reign alone in a stranger’s land.

So the friends forsook him and went home. Rasalu journeyed on alone — horse, parrot, bow — toward Gandgarh and the giants.