Short Story Social – Mirror rorriM
Mirror rorriM
Photo credit: digitallatina from morguefile.comor
In ancient times, in current South India, there used to be a beautiful place called Sangulisuttam. There used to be the kingdom of a wonderful King, Raja Sangul. Starting from raja’s palace, court to the place itself was so beautiful in all respect, that the story of their beauty spread in whole world in no time. Whether the relation, friendship, whole system, or peace, everything of this place was set as an example during time of scarcity of each in other places.
That time Raja used to have the wittest man in whole world, Swapnil as his Mantri.
One day one very beautiful, fair, pretty princess, appeared in Raja’s Dorbar. She told her name to be Swarnamala. Raja absolutely stunned and mum by her beauty. He fell in love with her at very first sight. His love was so deep that he even forgot to query about the reason and place of her arrival. Still she herself thought that it was her responsibility to let everyone know about her background.
She claimed to be the daughter of Raja Douti of a place now in North India. She told that her father went mad with so much wealth and want to cherish with them alone throughout his life. Her mother died while giving birth to her. Now since she is grown up, Raja knew that she only would be his successor. As a result of which, she would be the owner of this vast property in his absence. However Raja wanted Swarnamala to enjoy the wealth only after his death, which again wont be possible till he is living. It is because of this that she was droven away.
Raja Sangul felt pity on her. He decided to give her a room in his own palace. Swarnamala was overjoyed and started staying there.
As days passed by, everyone started noticing that Raja’s health started deteriorating. Noone was in a situation to understand the reason. They all were happy with the thought that now they would have a queen along with the Raja. On asking him, Raja always used to ignore them jokingly.
Swapnil somewhat understood, that something was wrong. He quickly thought of a plan.
He one day told Raja that he wants to stay for few days in his palace and want to write a book on Raja’s lifestyle, beauty of all, his palace and so on. Then that book would be published all over the world which in turn would make them also aware of the beauty who currently are unaware. Raja was impressed by this and permitted him to fulfil his wish.
Swapnil started staying in his palace. Raja’s health was already deteriorating, but now gradually Swapnil noticed that Raja also started looking very old. Wrinkles came in his cheeks and hairs were becoming white. He decided to know what is happening.
One night when he was awakened, he just heard a knock at a door. He slowly opened his door a bit and found Raja knocking at Swarnamala’s door. He quickly understood that there lies some story. Though Swarnamala stays in a separate room, Raja’s love towards her has formed a relationship between them. And Swarnamala is taking the advantage of the same. Swapnil decided to know what actually Swarnamala is doing. He saw slowly the door was opened and Raja went inside the room. As the door was closed, Swapnil hurried towards the door silently, kept his right ear against the door and started hearing.
He heard Swarnamala telling to raja, “Your highness, just few more days. As I told you I know such a magic that we could both move to a place more beautiful than this through this mirror. But for that I need to chant those few lines for another five days with you standing at my left in front of the mirror.”
Raja to this replied, “Sure my Love. Let’s go near the mirror.”
Swarnamala was again heard whispering, “Sorry your highness, you at my left, else it would not work out.”
Then Swarnamala chanted ,”Mirror mirror, as I am your Malkin, I order you to do what I taught you.”
Swapnil then peeped through the key hole and was stunned to see what happened next. He saw a ray of light came and fell on Raja. Raja closed his eyes and immediately Swarnamala turned into a witch. When the ray went, Raja had fainted and Swarnamala has again taken the get up of that beautiful queen.
Swapnil understood what was happening. He knew very well, that Raja was so mesmerized in princess’ love that he would not listen to Swapnil, even if he pleads him to stay away from her.
Swapnil then thought, that he only has to do whatever needs to be done. He knew Swarnamala actually was a witch and she hypnotizes a person in her love web and extracts his age out from him. Then she uses that age to live that much number of years more starting from her current age. That is, simply she increases her longevity. That is how she always look younger, otherwise in actual, she is almost 200 + years of age.
Swapnil then with finesse started exchanging looks whenever saw Swarnamala. He knew that in same place Swarnamala wont let this opportunity go when two persons are falling in her love conspiracy. As time passed, gradually within another month, Swarnamala and Swapnil were in love with each other. Swapnil just pretended, but Raja on the other hand though weak, was very upset to know that his love is getting snatched by Swapnil. But his weakness never permitted to take any action. He slowly started staying back in palace and Swapnil took over his position.
Then that day came when Swapnil was called to go to Swarnamala’s room that night. Swapnil knew the trick. He went inside the room and heard Swarnamala telling the same old story of moving to a very different beautiful place than this, through a mirror. Then when he was told to stand in front of the mirror, he just went slowly and started pretending to check the mirror.
He told, “Princess, I feel this mirror would have looked better, if we turn it by 180 degrees.”
Swarnamala agreed to that thinking that let Swapnil be happy to allow her to do her job, but she would manage by changing the position while chanting the lines. She never realised that turning a mirror by any degree, never turns the image inside it by any degree. Its the degree of the one standing in its front which sets the image in it to that degree. The mirror after all was like a normal mirror, except that it was having a mantra in it.
Swarnamala stood with Swapnil at her right near the mirror and chanted “Mirror mirror, as I am your Malkin, I order you to do what I taught you.”
Immediately a ray of light fell on Swarnamala. Swarnamala was shocked and tried to hide her face with her hands, but with no effect. Her hands were burnt into ashes. It was Swarnamala who used to indicate the ray by her eyes to stop for the day, being on other side of the victim. But this time her eyes were closed and there was noone to indicate that. The ray continued and continued to extract all her age until she collapsed.
Since Malkin’s existence was no more there, the mirror also broke into pieces and the hidden mantras inside it, seemed to have got rid of a cage and flew away. All those peoples whose age Swarnamala had extracted till that day and were alive, was returned back to them.
Raja now knew the whole story and thanked Swapnil for saving him with his wit. He was so happy that he gifted Swapnil with his kingdom and he sat back as his Mantri.
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