8/17/2019 The Story is a Loose Collection of Events and Narratives Centered Around a Naive but Good

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The story is a loose collection of events and narratives centered around a naive but good-

natured hero and his life and adventures. It begins in a typical forward caste family setting, with

the young Prathapa Mudhaliar indulging in hunting and enjoying himself. The plot also introduces

the heroine as a rather intelligent and morally upright girl who gets married to the hero through a

myriad of events.

Plot summary [edit

!oon they get separated and the wife is found wandering in the forest. In order to safeguard

herself, she dresses up as a man and roams through the jungle. Meanwhile, a nearby "ingdom

loses its heir to the throne and as per custom, re#uires that a new "ing be chosen at random by

the royal elephant. The elephant wanders into the forest and decides to put the flower garland on

the unsuspecting young lady. !oon, she is proclaimed the chief of the region and carried to the

royal palace.

The hero, meanwhile, is despondent after losing his wife and goes in search of her. $n route to a

city, the hero%s sandals get torn, and he decides to repair them using the services of a cobbler .

&e promises the cobbler that if he stitches the footwear properly and the hero is satisfied, he will

reward him with happiness. In a few minutes Prathapa%s sandals are mended to his satisfaction

and he in turn gives the cobbler one rupee 'a princely amount in the era in which the novel is

set(. The cobbler, however, says he is not satisfied with the rupee and demands his )happiness),

since that was the promise of Prathap. Perple*ed at this sudden turn of events, a crowd soon

gathers and no one is able to resolve the issue. !oon, the matter reaches the court of the new

)+ing,) who recognies her husband despite his dishevelled and bewildered face. Prathap,

however is unable to recognie the disguise of his wife and addresses her as the +ing.

!he decides to settle this dispute by as"ing the cobbler if he was happy to see the "ingdom%s

new "ing. &e responds positively, to which she replies that since this #uarrel with the young man

resulted in his visit to the new "ing, which ultimately made the cobbler happy, he should go bac"

to his duties, since )happiness) was provided. The cobbler, finding that he has no other way of

needlessly harassing the young hero, returns. The )+ing) soon reveals herself to her husband in

private #uarters and, after entrusting the "ingdom to a young apprentice in the court, leaves the

"ingdom. oth return to their house and live happily ever after .