Week 4 Storytelling: The King of the Fairies

Hello, pravAhaka's the name but most people just call me goblin. What type of goblin you ask? Ah, I typically inhabit the, uh, recently deceased. Not the most glamorous of lifestyles, but it passes the time. Speaking of passing the time, I've got a great story for you. It starts about two days ago.

See, I was just wandering around looking for a body to inhabit when I spotted the perfect specimen hanging in a tree near the cemetery. Young fellow, killed himself, truly tragic. Anyway, I claimed the body and made a nice home in it. I was just settling in when I got some news. Apparently some local monk had gone rogue and planned to use me to become the king of the fairies. The fairies were, well, lets just say they weren't thrilled at the prospect. But the downside to being me is if this monk does the rituals right I have no choice in the matter. So I had to think quick. I spread the rumor that I could only be touched by royalty if the ritual was going to work. Not entirely true, but hey, it's for the fairies. 

So word gets around to the monk that he needs royalty to fetch me. I thought this would at least deter the old fella for a bit, but NO he goes and asks the bloody king for a favor! How was I to know the king would agree? And I heard the pretentious punk was going to use the king for the necessary sacrifice. So now I had to come up with a plan to deal with the king. I'd heard this guy was pretty clever so it needed to be a real good plan. By the next day, I had it all figured out. I wasn't too pleased about having to ruin this poor bloke's life, but it would at least be entertaining. I love messing with people. I'm a goblin, it's what we do. 

Right, so the next night the king comes waltzing up to the tree and the guy looks like he's on a mission. He takes my nice cozy home of a body down from the tree and I freak him out a little. He thinks the body is still alive so he sits there trying to warm it up! I decide to just start talking to the guy in hopes he would figure out I was in there. Maybe when he knew it was a goblin and not just a body he would decide this task wasn't for him. Nope. He says alright, I'll just have to take you with the body. So there we are, him walking back towards the monk and me slung over his shoulder. Luckily, I had a fool proof backup plan.

The king carrying the goblin

By Perham W. Nahl

I told this king that I wanted to help him pass the time so I would tell him a story. He just kept walking so I told him a real good story about three guys who all wanted the same girl. It was great. Anyway, I finish the story and here is where my great plan comes in. I asked him a riddle. That's not all though, I told the guy that if he got it right I would jump back to the tree, but if he knew the right answer and didn't tell me I would explode his head. So the only way out was to genuinely not know the answer. That's my great scheme you see, either his head explodes and he never gets me to the monk, or we just go back to the tree over and over till he gives up. 

Well, this king was indeed pretty clever and he answered the riddle easily. And the next one. And the next one. He answered twenty-one riddles without batting an eye. Nothing was rattling this man. He never even complained. Suffice it to say I was impressed. Never in all my days have I met someone as determined to complete his task with a good attitude. I mean he's a king! He can do whatever he wants and instead he spends a night walking the same path over and over and answering dumb riddles. I was so impressed that I decided to do the guy, and the fairies, a favor. 

For the twenty-second story I told the hardest riddle I have in my arsenal. It is a doozy. The ultimate case of familial mix ups. Anyway, when I finished the story I could tell he was stumped. So I gave the man some relief. I didn't jump back to the tree and I told him all about the monk's little plan. I even told him in detail how he could stop the monk from using him as a sacrifice. All that was left to do was hope he took the advice.


So we get to the monk and I'm just sitting there wondering whats gonna happen. A real nail biter. Then all at once the deed is done. The king kills the monk as a sacrifice like I told him to and I tell him he can be the king of the fairies. But what does the man do? He says no, I don't need to be the king of the fairies. All he asked was that the twenty-two stories be known all over and be held with honor. I thought to myself that this ridiculous, clever, humble man deserved more than such a simple gift. So, I decided to add that whoever heard the story would be free from sin and would be immune to imps, goblins, and other nefarious creatures. We then parted ways.

I'm telling you this story because I heard some great news today. Apparently Shiva bestowed great honors upon this king and some day he will join Shiva himself. So I wanted to make sure my part in all of this was known. You heard it here, I, pravAhaka, masterful goblin that I am avoided crowning a horrid king of the fairies and created a god. How's that for a day's work?


Author's Note: This story is based off of Twenty-Two Goblins, an ancient Sanskrit tale. The story is a frametale in which a king is asked by a monk to bring him a certain body hanging in the cemetery on a certain night. The king agrees but when he arrives the person speaks and the king realizes he is inhabited by a goblin. He starts carrying the goblin who starts telling him a story. At the end of the story the goblin asks a riddle and tells the king if he answers correctly they have to go back to the tree but if he knows the correct answer and hides it he will explode the king's head. So the king gets the riddle right and they hop back to the tree. This happens for the next twenty tales and riddles as well. In the end, the king cannot answer the twenty-second story and so the goblin tells him the monk's secret plan to kill him and become fairy king. The king then kills the monk and though he did not ask for it is bestowed with many honors by the goblin and Shiva. For my story, I retold the original from the goblin's perspective. I got the name for the goblin by looking up the sanskrit word for goblin.


Bibliography: Twenty-Two Goblins, translated by Arthur W. Ryder (1917).

Week 4 Reading Diary, Continued: Twenty-Two Goblins

Here are my thoughts on the second half of the Twenty-Two Goblins reading from the translation by Arthur W. Ryder (1917).

The Snake's Poison: This story is rather depressing on all accounts. I do like, however, that the king did not blame anyone other than the man himself because no one truly was responsible for the death.

The Girl and the Thief: I like that this story had a trick answer and the thief had both wept and laughed. I also really liked the plot of this story. I liked how the girl stuck to what she wanted and did not waiver in the face of an opposing culture.

The General's Wife: I liked the explanation of the king supporting the king as the better man. There is definitely a difference between doing something out of a sense of duty and doing something out of the goodness of your heart when you do not have to.

The Four Brothers: I thought it was interesting that the king knew the goblin would just escape again once he answered but his resolve did not waiver. He is loyal to his task which is admirable. Many a man would just give up, but he keeps on without complaining.

Four brothers being chased by the lion

Perham W. Nahl

The Old Hermit: This story is interesting in that there are really two story-lines that intersect. It makes me want to know more about the backgrounds of all of the characters because you only get to see the little bit where the stories become one.

Father and Son, Daughter and Mother: Wow! It is interesting to find out that the goblin is actually doing everything partly out of kindness! I love that twist. I am very happy with where this story is going and look forward to the conclusion.

Conclusion: I love the continued humility of the King through to the end of the story. Not many a man would be able to resist the goblin's offer, but he did and his reward was even greater for it.

Week 4 Reading Diary: Twenty-Two Goblins

Here are my thoughts on the first part of the Twenty-Two Goblins translated by Arthur Ryder (1917).

Introduction: I enjoy how the translation uses the meanings of the names rather than the Sanskrit names. I have never really seen that done in translated works before, but it adds foreknowledge to the characteristics of each person. I also like that this is a frame-tale.

The Three Lovers: I really loved the shock moment of the little boy being thrown in the fire. It completely caught me off guard and I really felt the disgust of the lover and the relief when the boy was brought back to life.

Brave, Wise, Clever: This story creates a funny conundrum and gives some insight to the culture of the time that it was written. The story made me think of the brothers who ask Jesus whose wife a women would be if each married her and subsequently one after the other. There are interesting parallels.

The Girl, Her Husband, and Her Brother: Wow, talk about shock factor with this one. It seems like just a cute love story and nice family visit and then all of a sudden WHAM two people CUT THEIR OWN HEADS OFF!!! Craziness. I read parts of the story to my roommate that realized if the two ever have kids now it would technically be incest, so that is awkward and gross. But, I agree that the more important is the head overall.

The girl hanging her noose

Food, Women, Cotton: The specialist in cotton in this story reminded me of the story of the princess and the pea very much. However, I was not a big fan of the story as the brothers were annoying and conceited.

The Four Scientific Suitors: This story was interesting in the way that science was approached. It really shows what culture and translation can change because I would not really consider most of those sciences.

The Three Delicate Wives: This story just seemed rather ridiculous. I know that it is simply a fable, but the delicacy of the three queens is just absurd. Also, the riddle is so easy that it cannot redeem the story. If a difficult riddle had come out of the story, that would make up for its ridiculousness, but I quickly new the answer before I read it. Definitely not my favorite of those read today.


Overall, I like this series of stories and the frame tale they are within. However, I do like some stories much more than others.