The Ghost-Brahman: A Tale of Deception and Clever Justice
The Ghost-Brahman: A Tale of Deception and Clever Justice
Adapted from Tales of India: Folktales from Bengal, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu
The Brahman’s Departure
In a small village in India, there once lived a poor Brahman who faced a difficult predicament. Not being of the prestigious Kulin lineage, he found it extremely challenging to find a wife. After much effort, he managed to collect enough money for a marriage—not just for the wedding ceremony itself, but primarily for the substantial gift required for the bride’s parents.
He went from door to door, begging wealthy households for contributions. Through persistent effort and no small amount of flattery directed at the rich, he eventually gathered the necessary sum. The wedding took place as planned, and he brought his new wife home to live with his elderly mother.
Shortly after the wedding, the Brahman faced another dilemma. “Mother,” he said, “I have no means to support both you and my wife. I must journey to distant lands to earn money. I may be gone for years, as I won’t return until I’ve accumulated a good sum. In the meantime, I’ll leave you what little I have; please make the best of it and take care of my wife.”
With his mother’s blessing, the Brahman set out on his travels, hoping to secure a better future for his family.
The Ghostly Impostor
Strangely, on the very evening of the Brahman’s departure, a ghost appeared at the house. This was no ordinary apparition—it had assumed the exact appearance of the Brahman himself, down to the smallest detail.
The newly married woman, believing it was her husband, asked in surprise, “How is it that you’ve returned so soon? You said you might be away for years. Why have you changed your mind?”
The ghost replied smoothly, “Today is not an auspicious day for travel, so I decided to return home. Besides, I’ve already acquired some money.”
The elderly mother had no reason to doubt that this was her son. And so, the ghost settled into the household, living as if he were its rightful owner—the son of the old woman and the husband of the young bride. The ghost’s resemblance to the Brahman was so perfect, like two identical seeds in a pod, that even the neighbors believed the impostor was the real Brahman.
The True Brahman Returns
Several years passed before the real Brahman returned from his travels. Imagine his astonishment when he found someone identical to himself living in his house, claiming his identity and his family.
“Who are you?” demanded the ghost. “What business do you have in my house?”
“Who am I?” the bewildered Brahman replied. “I should ask who you are! This is my house, that is my mother, and this is my wife.”
The ghost responded with indignation, “How strange this is! Everyone knows that this is my house, that woman is my wife, and the elderly lady is my mother. I have lived here for years. You claim this is your house and that woman is your wife? Your mind must be unbalanced, Brahman.”
With these words, the ghost drove the true Brahman from his own home. The Brahman stood speechless with wonder, unable to comprehend what had happened. Finally, he decided to seek justice from the king and present his unusual case before the royal court.
The King’s Dilemma
The king saw both the ghost-Brahman and the real Brahman, and found himself in a quandary. The two were identical in every respect, like perfect reflections of each other. Unable to determine which was the genuine Brahman, the king didn’t know how to resolve the dispute.
Day after day, the Brahman returned to the palace, pleading with the king to restore his house, his wife, and his mother to him. Each time, the perplexed king postponed his decision, telling the Brahman to return the following day.
After each disappointing audience, the Brahman would leave the palace in tears, striking his forehead with his palm and lamenting, “What a corrupt world this is! I am driven from my own home, and an impostor has taken possession of my house and my wife! And what kind of king is this who cannot administer justice?”
The Cowherd King
It happened that the Brahman’s daily route from the court took him past a meadow where young cowherds tended their animals. While their cattle grazed, these boys gathered under a large tree to play a game of make-believe royalty. One boy was elected king, another prime minister, another the chief of police, and others served as constables.
For several days, they observed the Brahman passing by in tears. One day, the cowherd king asked his prime minister if he knew why the Brahman wept daily. When the minister couldn’t answer, the cowherd king ordered one of his “constables” to bring the Brahman before him.
The young constable approached the Brahman and said, “The king requires your immediate attendance.”
Confused, the Brahman replied, “What for? I’ve just come from the king, and he postponed my case until tomorrow. Why does he summon me again?”
“It is our king who wants you—our cowherd king,” explained the boy.
“Who is this cowherd king?” asked the Brahman.
“Come and see,” was the simple reply.
When brought before the young ruler, the Brahman was asked why he wept every day. After hearing the Brahman’s sorrowful tale, the cowherd king said confidently, “I understand your case and will help you reclaim your rights. Go back to the king and request his permission for me to decide your case.”
The Brahman, though skeptical, returned to the palace and asked the king to allow the cowherd boy to adjudicate his case. The king, thoroughly puzzled by the situation, readily granted permission, grateful for any potential resolution.
The Clever Test
The following morning was set for the trial. The cowherd king, who had seen through the deception, arrived with a small glass phial that had a narrow neck. Both the Brahman and the ghost-Brahman appeared before him.
After hearing testimony from witnesses and listening to arguments from both sides, the cowherd king announced, “I’ve heard enough and will render my verdict immediately. Here is a phial. Whichever of you can enter into it shall be declared by this court to be the rightful owner of the disputed house. Now, let’s see which of you can enter.”
The Brahman exclaimed, “You are just a cowherd, and your intellect reflects that! What man could possibly fit into such a tiny phial?”
“If you cannot enter,” replied the cowherd king, “then perhaps you are not the rightful owner.” Turning to the ghost-Brahman, he continued, “What about you, sir? If you can enter the phial, then the house, the wife, and the mother will be yours.”
“Of course I can enter,” declared the ghost confidently.
To everyone’s amazement, the ghost transformed itself into a tiny creature, like an insect, and slipped into the phial. The cowherd king immediately corked the opening, trapping the ghost inside.
Addressing the real Brahman, the cowherd king instructed, “Take this phial and throw it into the deepest part of the sea. Then return and reclaim your house, your wife, and your mother.”
The Brahman did as he was told. Freed from the ghostly impostor, he returned to his home and lived happily for many years, raising sons and daughters with his wife.
The Traditional Ending
Thus my story endeth,
The Natiya-thorn withereth;
“Why, O Natiya-thorn, dost wither?”
“Why does thy cow on me browse?”
“Why, O cow, dost thou browse?”
“Why does thy neat-herd not tend me?”
“Why, O neat-herd, dost not tend the cow?”
“Why does thy daughter-in-law not give me rice?”
“Why, O daughter-in-law, dost not give rice?”
“Why does my child cry?”
“Why, O child, dost thou cry?”
“Why does the ant bite me?”
“Why, O ant, dost thou bite?”
Koot! koot! koot!
This tale reminds us that wisdom can come from unexpected sources, and that cleverness often triumphs over deception. It also teaches that sometimes the simplest solutions to our problems can be found in the most unlikely places—even from the innocent games of children.
