In a little mud hut far from the bustling town lived an old grasscutter named Wali Dad. Every day, without fail, he would gather bundles of tall, wild grass in the morning and sell them as fodder in the marketplace each afternoon.
For all his hard work, Wali Dad earned thirty paisa a day. Ten of those small coins went to buy his food, ten to take care of his clothes and other necessities, and the remaining ten he carefully tucked away in a clay pot under his bed. And so, Wali Dad lived happily, day by day, with just what he needed. One evening, as he pulled the pot from its hiding place, he was astonished to find it brimming with coins. “What am I to do with all this money?” he wondered aloud, scratching his head. “I have everything I need already.” After much thought, a bright idea finally popped into his head.
The very next day, Wali Dad packed his sack full of coins and set off to the marketplace. There, he traded all his money for a beautiful gold bracelet at the jeweler’s shop. With the bracelet in hand, he wandered to the home of a traveling merchant he knew. “Tell me,” Wali Dad asked, “who is the noblest lady in all the world?” The merchant thought for a moment and replied, “Without a doubt, it’s the young queen of Khaistan. I visit her palace quite often; it’s only a three-day journey to the east.”
Wali Dad smiled and said, “Then do me a kind favor. The next time you travel that way, would you take this bracelet to the queen with my compliments?” The merchant was rather surprised by the request but, seeing the earnest look in Wali Dad’s eyes, he agreed to deliver the gift.
Not long after, the merchant found himself at the grand palace of the queen of Khaistan. He presented the bracelet to her, explaining it was a gift from the humble grasscutter, Wali Dad. The queen, her eyes lighting up as she admired the bracelet, exclaimed, “How lovely! Your friend must surely receive something in return.” She called for her servants, who loaded a camel with the finest silks. When the merchant returned home, he brought the silks to Wali Dad’s little hut.
Wali Dad looked at the colorful fabrics with wide eyes and sighed, “Oh dear! This is far worse than before! What am I to do with such fine things?” The merchant chuckled and said, “Well, perhaps you could give them to someone else.” Wali Dad thought for a moment, then asked, “Tell me, in all the world, who is the noblest man?” “That’s easy,” said the merchant. “It’s the young king of Nekabad. His palace is three days’ journey to the west, and I visit there often.” Wali Dad smiled and said, “Then do me one more favor. On your next journey, take him these silks with my compliments.” The merchant couldn’t help but laugh at Wali Dad’s strange requests, but he agreed to the task.
On his next journey, the merchant traveled to the grand palace of the king of Nekabad, where he presented the silks to the king. The king, impressed by the gift, declared, “A splendid offering! In return, your friend must have twelve of my finest horses!” The merchant was delighted, and soon he was back at Wali Dad’s hut, bringing with him the twelve majestic horses.
Wali Dad blinked in surprise. “This grows worse and worse!” he exclaimed. “What on earth could I do with twelve horses?” After a moment of thinking, he had an idea. “I know who should have such a gift. Keep two horses for yourself, dear merchant, and take the rest to the queen of Khaistan!”
The merchant, finding the situation quite amusing, agreed to Wali Dad’s request. On his next visit to the queen, he presented her with the horses. The queen, however, was baffled. She whispered to her prime minister, “Why does this Wali Dad keep sending me gifts? I’ve never even heard of him!” The minister, ever so clever, suggested, “Why not discourage him? Send him a gift so rich he can never hope to match it!” And so, in return for the ten horses from Wali Dad, the queen arranged for twenty mules to be loaded with silver and sent back to Wali Dad.
When the merchant returned with the mules, their backs heavy with silver, Wali Dad could hardly believe his eyes. He groaned in despair, shaking his head. “What have I done to deserve this?” he muttered, his heart full of confusion. “Friend, spare an old man! Keep two mules and their silver for yourself, and take the rest to the king of Nekabad!” The merchant, though increasingly uneasy, couldn’t refuse such a generous offer, so off he went again, this time carrying the silver-laden mules to the king.
The king, equally perplexed by this strange exchange, called upon his prime minister for advice. “Perhaps this Wali Dad is trying to outdo me,” said the minister with a knowing smile. “Why not send him a gift he can never hope to surpass?” And so, in a grand gesture, the king sent twenty camels with golden anklets, twenty horses with golden bridles and stirrups, twenty elephants with golden seats mounted on their backs, and twenty liveried servants to care for them all. When the merchant arrived at Wali Dad’s humble hut with all these magnificent gifts, the poor grasscutter could hardly believe his eyes!
Wali Dad, beside himself with worry, cried out, “Will bad fortune never end? Please, do not stop for a moment! Keep two of each animal for yourself, and take the rest to the queen of Khaistan!” The merchant, now quite distressed, wrung his hands in despair.
“How can I go to her again?” he asked. But Wali Dad begged and pleaded so much that the merchant, though reluctant, agreed to make one last trip. When the queen received Wali Dad’s magnificent gifts, she was utterly stunned.
She immediately turned to her prime minister for advice. “Clearly, this man wishes to marry you,” said the minister. “His gifts are so grand, perhaps you should meet him!” So, the queen ordered a grand caravan to be prepared, filled with countless horses, camels, and elephants. With the merchant trembling at the head, she and her court set off to visit Wali Dad.
On the third day, they made camp, and the queen sent the merchant ahead to tell Wali Dad of her coming. When Wali Dad heard the news, his heart sank, and his hands covered his face. “Oh no! Now I will be paid for all my foolishness. I have brought shame on myself, on you, and on the queen. What are we to do?” he moaned. “I fear we can do nothing,” replied the merchant, his voice heavy with worry. And with that, the merchant turned to head back to the caravan.
The next morning, Wali Dad woke up before the sun had even risen. With a heavy heart, he whispered, "Goodbye, old hut. I will never see you again."
He began walking down the road, but hadn’t gone far when he heard a soft, gentle voice calling to him. "Where are you going, Wali Dad?" He turned around and saw two radiant ladies standing before him. He instantly recognized them as peris, the beautiful angels from Paradise. Wali Dad, feeling small and ashamed, knelt down and said, "I am a foolish old man. Let me go on my way. I cannot face the shame I have brought upon myself!"
But the second peri smiled kindly and replied, "No shame can come to one such as you. Though your clothes may be poor, in your heart, you are a king." The first peri touched his shoulder gently. To Wali Dad's amazement, his ragged clothes transformed into fine garments. A jeweled turban appeared on his head, and the rusty sickle at his side became a gleaming, elegant scimitar. "Return, Wali Dad," the first peri said softly. "All is as it should be."
Wali Dad turned around in amazement. Where his humble hut had stood, a grand and glittering palace now sparkled in the golden light of the rising sun. Stunned, he looked back to the peris for an explanation, but they had vanished without a trace. Still in shock, Wali Dad hurried back along the road toward the palace. As he entered, the guards gave him a respectful salute, and servants rushed around, bowing to him and preparing for the grand visitors who would soon arrive. Wali Dad wandered through room after room, amazed by the wealth and beauty surrounding him.
Suddenly, three servants rushed up, speaking in frantic voices.
"There's a caravan from the east!"
"No, a caravan from the west!"
"Wait, both caravans are here, from east and west!"
Bewildered, Wali Dad dashed outside to see two grand caravans arriving at the palace. From the east, a queen traveled in a jeweled litter, and from the west, a king rode a majestic horse.
Wali Dad hurried toward the queen."My dear Wali Dad," the queen said warmly. "At last, we meet. But who is that magnificent king?""I believe that is the king of Nekabad, Your Majesty," Wali Dad replied. "Please excuse me for a moment."
He rushed over to greet the king."My dear Wali Dad," the king said, smiling. "I had to meet the giver of such fine gifts." Then, noticing the queen, he asked, "But who is that splendid queen?""Ah, that is the queen of Khaistan, Your Majesty," Wali Dad said with a smile. "Please, come and meet her."
And so, the king of Nekabad and the queen of Khaistan met, and it was love at first sight. Just a few days later, they were married in the grand palace of Wali Dad, and the celebrations continued for many joyous days.
At last, after bidding farewell to all his guests, Wali Dad woke early the next morning, quietly slipping out of the grand palace. He began his journey down the road, determined to leave behind his life of riches.
But he hadn't gone far when he heard a soft voice."Where are you going, Wali Dad?"
Turning around, Wali Dad saw the two radiant peris once more. He knelt before them."Did I not tell you I am a foolish old man?" he said. "I should be grateful for all I have, but—"
"No more," said the first peri kindly. "You shall have your heart’s desire."
With that, she touched him once more.
And so, Wali Dad returned to his humble life as a grasscutter, living happily in his little hut for the rest of his days. Though he often remembered his friends, the king and queen, with fondness, he was careful never to send them another gift again.
Source: Andrew Lang's Blue Book of Fairies
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