Storyteling Week 12: The Boy with Seven Mothers

Oh hey! Hi! So, today I’m going to tell you a little story…
Actually, it’s a pretty big story. In fact, it’s my story.

Myself and my wife 

My name is Raj and I am the king of Bengaldan. I live a wonderful life in a golden palace with my seven mothers, my beautiful queen Reina, and our twin sons. We are truly blessed, but for such a big family living such a lavish life, my story is not all glitter and gold. In fact, let’s just start from the beginning, the time in my life most similar to how it is now, a time before I existed.
30 years ago in this very same palace there lived a king and his seven lovely queens. They spent much time laughing but behind those glistening eyes and toothy smiles sat heartache because you see, all seven of the queens were unable to conceive. They tried and tried, but not one of the wives became pregnant. The king became frustrated and finally sought out the help of an old medicine man. The man told my father of a tree deep in the woods where seven magic mangoes hung. He said that if my father himself went and retrieved those mangoes then gave them to his wives, they would produce children. The king felt like it was a bit of a long-shot, but was willing to try just about anything. He left immediately and soon returned with the mangoes which his wives all bit into eagerly, hoping desperately for the old man’s words to be true.

Sure enough it wasn't long afterward that all of the queens discovered they were with child! The king could not believe his luck! So many years of trying and heartbreak and finally he was not going to have one, but SEVEN children! He thanked the gods and for weeks his giddiness filled the castle, spilling over into the streets and infecting the citizens with his excitement and joy. Things really seemed to be going great until one day my father was out hunting and he came across the most beautiful young maiden he’d ever seen. She was stunning and he could not take his eyes off of her. He brought her home with him and they were wed. She was immediately accepted into the family even though the extra attention she garnered did create some envy within the other queens. They were jealous of his affection for her, but they grew to dislike her even more and could not pinpoint why. Something just wasn't right.

It wasn't long after their marriage that the king fell completely underneath his new bride’s spell. He loved her so much and would do anything for her… literally. He was at her every beckon call. He worshiped the ground she walked on and did not hide that he loved her more than all of the other brides.

She was his Lakshmi, his Goddess of Love

One day while lavishing her with affection the newest queen asked of the king, “Do you truly love me? More than the others?”

“Of course my queen, more than any other woman in the universe! My love for you is ever-growing!”

“If that is true,” she said, “Then prove it! Blind all of them and have them destroyed! If you truly love me more, then take me as your one true queen.”

The king was conflicted, but ultimately just as blind as his wives would be. He agreed and the other wives were grabbed and thrown down into the cellar where their eyes were ripped out of their heads and their shaking bodies thrown back onto the ground. They awaited their executioner, but when he came, he could not go through with it. He was merciful, and he hid them away. He kept them safe and alive, but they lived a miserable existence. Eventually, he had to cut their rations because hiding them was proving costly. They began to starve, their minds growing mad with desperation.

The seven queens were all blinded, their eyes removed. 

Then one day, the oldest wife gave birth to her child, a son. She looked at him almost lovingly at first, but then decided they should kill the infant and eat him or face starvation. The other queens agreed and each took their portion of the child and ate it all up, each that is except for the youngest queen who set her portion aside and curled up by herself. Soon after the second wife had her child and it too was consumed like the first. This pattern continued until the only queen left to give birth was the youngest. Her labor was long and difficult, but when the baby arrived the queen was beside herself with joy. She immediately loved the child and could not bear the thought of killing him. So, when the other queens demanded she share her meal, she gave her all of her left over portions. They were not fooled though and she had to explain that she wished to nurse and raise the child. Surprisingly, the other queens were excited and all seven raised the child as their own.

She couldn't imagine harming her newborn baby

I grew up and through some strange happenings (a demon consuming the entire palace staff) I became the king’s only real servant. I took care of everything and protected him; I knew he was my father even if he didn't. When the townsfolk came to him scared and upset, speaking of a demon who came at night and gobbled them up, I immediately knew it was the queen and I revealed her for a fake, slaying her like the demon she is and winning a place in the palace for myself and my mothers. Things just seemed to fall into place after that, and we've never looked back.

Author’s Note:
I really liked this story because it reminded me of the old Grimm’s fairy tales. It was grim and dark. I liked the strange, macabre notion of queens eating their own children to survive because it was SO DIFFERENT to what we’d been reading. I obviously don’t like the idea of eating children, but the weird story appealed to me. I wrote it from first and third person which I hope doesn't make it hard to understand. I just wanted to revisit this strange story which you can read on Laura Gibbs' blog.

Image Information:

1. Marriage of H.H Sri Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV and Rana Prathap Kumari of Kathiawar

By: Raja Ravi Varma, found on Wikipedia

2. Mango, posted by Sarangib

Found on Pixabay

3. Goddess Lakshmi by Raja Ravi Varma

Found on Wikimedia Commons

4. Eye Scream Scoop by Sarah

Found on Flickr

5. Foot by Inspiredimages

Found on Pixabay