PART-2: "the princess mysterious trap"

The king, realising that his daughter had reached the age of marriage, decided to arrange her wedding. He approached the princess to seek her consent. Having eagerly awaited this moment, the princess readily agreed. Without wasting any time, the king summoned his minister and instructed him to prepare for a grand swayamvara ceremony, inviting mighty kings from distant lands to participate.

However, the princess added her own condition. She said, "Do not invite only the kings of far-off kingdoms but also the valiant warriors of our own land. I have one condition. I will marry only the one who fulfills it."

The news of the swayamvara spread across the entire kingdom and neighbouring states. Hearing of this, Balaram's parents insisted that he participate in the ceremony. Reluctantly, Balaram agreed.

On the day of the swayamvara, kings from far and wide assembled in the royal court. The princess entered gracefully, offering her respects to the gathered kings. Stepping forward, she declared, "I am free to marry any among you, but I have one condition. I will wed only the one who fulfils it."

The assembled kings agreed to her terms. The princess then revealed her condition: "I will marry the one who slays the dragon that has been terrorising our kingdom."

Hearing this, the kings were taken aback and disheartened. One by one, the princess approached the kings to ask if they would accept her challenge, but none dared to face the dragon. One after another, they left the court, unable to fulfil the condition.

When the princess reached Balaram, she didn't even give him a chance to speak. Mocking him, she said, "What can you do when such mighty kings have fled in fear? What hope is there in your abilities? Leave the court, just like the others!"

This was the first time in his life that Balaram had faced such humiliation. Enraged, he turned to the king and declared, "Within one month, I will sever the head of that dragon and present it here in this court. If I fail, I shall leave this kingdom forever in disgrace." With this solemn vow, he stormed out of the court.

The princess, overhearing his words, smiled to herself, pleased that her plan was working. "He has fallen into my trap," she thought, revelling in her success.

When Balaram's friends saw him leaving the palace, they said, "Balaram, what have you done? It's impossible for you to slay that creature. It's a giant, powerful beast. What will you do now?"

Balaram, burdened by the humiliation he had faced in the palace, replied, "I know. I couldn't bear the disgrace, and that's why I made this decision. What can I do now?" He began to ponder deeply.

Just then, the princess, who had followed him out of the palace, approached Balaram and said, "Balaram, do you remember the insult you caused me? This is the trap I set for you, and you have fallen into it perfectly. Now go ahead, kill the dragon-or fail and leave this town in shame," she laughed mockingly as she walked away.

The princess's plan was to ensure that Balaram, who she believed could never defeat the dragon, would fail and leave the kingdom in humiliation. Once he had suffered enough, she would bring him back to the kingdom, reveal her scheme, and marry him. By doing this, she hoped to break his arrogance and prove herself his equal.

But little did the princess know, Balaram was no ordinary man. Hearing her mocking words, he was not frightened. Instead, his doubts cleared, and he resolved firmly to slay the dragon at any cost.

When Balaram returned home, his parents saw him and said, "Balaram, we know you are brave, but this reckless decision is not right. Abandon this plan. If needed, we can move to another kingdom to live in peace."

To this, Balaram replied, "What? Flee to another kingdom? That's impossible. I have made my decision. Either I will live, or the dragon will."

Hearing this, his parents were distressed. Seeing their worry, Balaram comforted them, saying, "Don't worry, Mother and Father. Have faith in me. I will handle everything."

The next day, Balaram, along with his friends, went to an elderly man who was knowledgeable about the dragon to gather all the information about it. They learned about the dragon's immense power, strength, and gigantic size, as well as the fact that none of the current weapons could harm it.

After understanding all this, Balaram decided to go near the dragon's cave.

Stay tune for PART - 3 🫡

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