The great escape…

Read the previous part here…

A person wearing dirty clothes sits anywhere, he doesn’t think much about soiling his clothes since they are already dirty, much like a person who has lost most of his wealth, and doesn’t try to save what is left.

One day, after eating a couple of frogs, PriyaDarshana also ate YamunaDatta, the son of GangaDatta.

When GangaDatta came to know of this, he burst into tears, and wailed loudly. “I am the one to blame, oh what have I done?” he cried. When finally the tears stopped, and he calmed down a little, his wife rebuked him and said “What is the use of crying now? You are the sole cause of the destruction of our clan. That snake killed all our relatives, and you are the one responsible for their deaths. The only way out of this is to escape, or to kill that evil snake.”


A few more days passed, and now there were no more frogs in the well. Only GangaDatta remained.

PriyaDarshana called him and said “My dear GangaDatta, all the frogs are gone, and I am hungry now. Give me something to eat. You brought me here, and so this is your responsibility.”

GangaDatta replied “My dear friend, why do you have to worry when I am here? If you allow me to step out, I will go to the neighboring wells and convince the frogs there to come here and stay. You can then have your fill.”

PriyaDarshana was pleased. “GangaDatta, you are like a brother to me, and so I cannot eat you. If you do what you say, you will be respected by me as a father. Do go ahead, I will wait for you!”

As soon as he had said this, GangaDatta thanked him quickly, and climbed up the rope, past the bucket, up the pulley and out of the well. Throughout the climb, he prayed to all the Gods he knew, and those who he didn’t know as well. Once outside, he scampered away, to freedom.


PriyaDarshana waited patiently. An hour passed, a day, and then a week. Finally, the snake approached a lizard who lived in another hole in the stone wall of the well and said “My dear lady, can you do me a favor? You know GangaDatta well…can you go search for him in the neighboring wells and once you find him, give him this message? Tell him that it’s ok if he cannot find other frogs – let him come back alone. I find it difficult to live without him. If he is skeptical about me harming him in any way, then let him be assured that I have taken an oath with Dharma as my witness – I will not harm him.”

The lizard went in search of GangaDatta, and soon found him in a well nearby. “Hey GangaDatta!”, he cried out. Your best friend PriyaDarshana is waiting for you, and has asked me to tell you that it is ok if you didn’t find any other frogs, you can come alone. Also, don’t worry about him harming you – he has taken an oath to not hurt you. So go and meet him.”

GangaDatta heard these words, and said…

बुभुक्षितः किं न करोति पापं क्षीणा जना निष्करुणा भवन्ति ।आख्याहि भद्रे प्रिय-दर्शनस्य न गङ्गदत्तः पुनर् एति कूपम् ॥ – What sin will a hungry man not commit, in order to satisfy his hunger? Those who are hungry, have no pity. O Good lady, tell Priyadarshana the snake, that GangaDutta will not enter the well again.

Saying this, he sent the lizard back, and lived in his new well, sadder, but wiser.


“And that is why, o wicked crocodile”, concluded RaktaMukha. “Just like GangaDatta, I will never enter your house!”

KarālaMukha heard this and said…

to be continued…