Soudamini

The Humble Maiden and Her Struggles

Soudamini was a lovely maiden who lived with her affluent grandfather. They resided blissfully until a disastrous day when her grandfather unexpectedly lost all his wealth in a business deal. As a result, they left the bustling city they lived in and relocated to a remote village. Here, the grandfather built a small cottage for their accommodation. Despite having shelter, they still needed an income for sustenance. The old grandfather was too feeble to work, and therefore, Soudamini took up a job as a maidservant in Viswanath’s affluent household. Here, she was expected to sweep, dust, clean the cowshed, and graze the cows.

The Turn of Events

Viswanath’s daughter Chandra, even despite adorning herself intricately, always appeared plain, unlike Soudamini, who shone brightly even in her humble attire. A couple of years later, Soudamini’s grandfather passed away, making her an orphan. Soudamini was kept in Viswanath’s household chiefly because his lazy wife needed a maidservant constantly. Viswanath’s wife was a shrew, and her husband, terrified of her, seldom dared to correct her behavior. She was particularly jealous of Soudamini’s beauty and never missed a chance to express her anger towards the unfortunate girl.

Mysterious Journey to the Forest

One fateful day, Soudamini ventured into the forest, leading the cows for grazing. Upon her return, she realized one cow was missing, which, once reported to her mistress, drew her wrath. Soudamini was instructed to find the lost cow or never return. With two pieces of dry bread given by Viswanath’s wife, Soudamini embarked on a journey to find the missing cow.

The Encounter with the Gnomes

She went deep into the forest, where she found the missing cow tied to a tree in front of a small cottage. She approached the cow, greeting it softly. A voice from within the cottage invited her inside, where she found three gnomes sitting around a fire. Their facial appearances didn’t fear Soudamini; instead, she showed gratitude for finding the cow and offered the gnomes her bread. The gnomes were delighted with her kind gesture and blessed her, making her more beautiful and instilling in her a melodious singing ability.

Trials, Lessons, and Happy Ending

When Soudamini returned, everyone was astounded with her transformation. Jealous of her good fortune, Viswanath’s wife decided to send her own daughter, Chandra, to earn the gnomes’ blessings the very next day. Things did not go as planned, and Chandra was turned uglier due to her greed and lack of gratitude. Soudamini, in her pure heartedness, decided to take Chandra back to the gnomes to request them to rectify their actions. Seeing the selflessness in Soudamini, the gnomes agreed and bestowed upon Chandra beauty and pleasant singing abilities. Their transformation brought immense joy in the household and made Viswanath’s wife realize her mistake, leading her to treat Soudamini as her own daughter. Henceforth, both Soudamini and Chandra brought everlasting happiness to their home with their melodious songs.