Akanandun

Compiled & edited:

Sham S.Misri

There lived a king who had seven daughters. The king and the queen were highly devoted to each other. They desired to have a male baby. Many Holy men came to bless the King with a male child. The king was sad as he had everything except a male child. He wanted to renounce the throne and take to the life of a saint. The queen had faith in holy men and priests.

One day the queen saw a saint who was laughing merrily and was calling for alms. His bare body was smeared with ashes and he had a wooden sandal under his feet. His curly hair ran down to his back, and his eyes were sparkling. He carried an oval bowl in his hand and a bag hung from his shoulder.

The queen requested him to name anything that would please him. "Give me anything in the name of God," replied the saint. The queen gave him a handful of gold coins and precious stones, which he received in his bag. The queen explained to him how she desired for a son. She also told the saint that they had seven daughters and wished that they had a brother. The saint listened, apparently unmoved.

The saint nodded and smiled. Looking at the queen, the saint replied that he would give them a son provided they returned the child to him after twelve years.

The queen agreed.

 "Call the baby by the name of Akanandun,” said the saint.

The queen agreed to all this. She thought all this was not going to happen. The saint took a few strides and was lost to view.

In due course of time the queen was pregnant again. The queen now shared the secret with the king on the condition that he kept it to himself. "It is none else but Akanandun" said the queen to the king who rejoiced in his heart.

"Was it God or man who granted us? The gift?" said the king.

Nine months being over the queen delivered of a male child.

"The saint has indeed made his word good," said the king. The king wanted to give a gift to the saint. The baby was the dearest little child ever born. There were wet-nurses to feed him. They rocked his cradle. The baby was dazzling and beautiful.

His sisters fondled him in all affection. The baby grew into a strong, handsome and intelligent boy. The boy was named as Akanandun, as advised by the saint.

Twelve years passed. Meanwhile, the saint made his call at the palace. The ruler and the queen rushed out to welcome him within. The king and the queen wanted to give the saint the most precious gift he wanted. They requested the saint to ask for aything and they would keep that at his feet.
The saint promptly replied, "I have nothing to do with gifts. I simply want my Akanandun." The saint was harsh and stern; "I have to kill Akanandun and you will be sorry if you try to discourage me."
Everybody who heard it burst into tears except the saint. He divested the child of his garments and ornaments. The child had a bright and radiant body and the saint had him dressed in bright new clothing. In order to kill the child, he got a big knife. Everybody there cried but the saint was entirely remorseless. The saint passed on the knife to the king and asked him to behead the child. The king was in grief and stood motionless. The saint severed the child's body like a butcher.

Akanandun's mother, the queen was crying and weeping bitterly. The saint handed over the torn  parts of the childs body to the queen and warned her,  not to lose the least particle of flesh. When the pile of wood was burning bright, the saint asked her to put the pieces of flesh on it and lid it. The saint asked the queen to make haste, as he was getting hungry. O stonehearted saint, how have I ever offended thee? The saint replied, "O lady, I am indifferent to all the human weal or woe.

After a short while the saint asked her to pick out the flesh and to cool it, as it was his desire not to eat steaming dishes. He then asked for seven freshly baked earthenware bowls. The bowls were got and he distributed the flesh among them all. The queen asked him what for he was dressing up seven bowls with flesh. He replied promptly, "Four are meant for the female folk, two will suffice two males, and one I am keeping for Akanandun." This was a blow, which cut the queen deep in her heart. "How foolishly the fellow speaks," she thought. Meanwhile the saint passed on the bowls to the people for whom they were meant and turning to the queen, said, "O lady, go and call Akanandun upstairs. I shall feel really glad to see him and I can't taste a bit in his absence." This was a shock for her and she could not help saying, "O saint, I completely fail to reach your mind. I have suffered the loss of my son, but have not lost my wits yet." The saint replied, "I'm not what you take me for, O lady; I constantly change my deceptive appearances," and with that he gazed at the queen. Then, he again asked her to call Akanandun from below she could not help going downstairs. And when she called him by name she was surprised to hear Akanandun's voice saying, "Coming mother." Atonce he came to her as before. He was held in fond embrace and carried upstairs. When they went up, another strange thing happened. The saint was nowhere to be seen and the seven bowls of cooked flesh had disappeared.