Rukmani
One winter night we all were at the courtyard watching the sky suddenly our attention was drawn to the star beside the moon. Mom suddenly said it is called Rukmani. Rukmani we all exclaimed. Yes it is Rukmani. There is a story behind the star. Once upon a time there lived a rich man he had seven sons and only one daughter. The girl was very beautiful and had golden hair. She was very close to everyone and all liked her more than anybody.
One day the seven brothers went to catch fish but they could not catch any fish instead a golden hair was stuck to the hook of one of the boys and he wanted to marry the golden hair girl he insisted to his parents. So the parents went on searching for golden hair girl everywhere. But they could not find any body except his own sister; since he was not consoled they made a decision to marry him to his sister. But the girl did not know about it.
One day she went to the neighbor?s house there was an old lady she had a cat. The cat started to tease the girl. Shame shame brother marring sister, sister marring brother. She felt irritated by it, asked the old lady and the lady told her that her parents are marring her to her brother and whole story behind it. Being worried she asked the lady to help. The old lady gave her one seed and told her to saw the seed near the well and told it will become a plant the next day second day it will become big plant and on the third day it will grow like a big tree climb the tree and nobody can catch you. The girl did the same way and same way the plant grew a big tree then she climbed the tree and hid herself.
While the preparations were going on and they were looking for Rukmani they could find her no where. At last it so happened, there were few girls had come to help in job were drawing water seeing them Rukmani accidently laughed they heard her voice on top of the tree suddenly they went and told all, about her. All came one by one to ask her to come down but she did not come down. Finally they wanted to cut the tree. Rukmani got scared and raised her head up and prayed to the moon, to save her from difficulty. Also told That she would marry him. Immediately the moon dropped a string and pulled her to him thus she escaped from her parents and brothers.
After sometime she felt like to see her parents. She told the moon that she would like to see her parents. So he made her to disguise as beggar, by coloring her hair. Then he dropped her near her house. When she reached her house the brother who was to marry her was washing his face. While throwing the water from his mouth few drops fell on her hair. He saw the golden hair he recognized her. Once again they wanted to give her in marriage to him but see ran from them. And prayed to the moon and he pulled her back to him and never came back again. The story is still going on in most of the villages. As Mom finished her story we all went in.
Author: henry lewis- Kuwait
