The Tale of Three Sisters
Updated: Sep 14
Before Madhri’s crown passed to the custodians, there were three princesses who could have adorned it. However, their doom was preordained because the three sisters loved the only Prince of Shantipur.
Neither of them knew that their sisters loved the same prince, nor did they intend to share among themselves their affection. Maybe because they feared that others might seek him out.
The eldest of the three sisters was considered the most beautiful by the people. She was an ardent believer in God and prayed every dawn with a thousand flowers. Ever since she fell in love with the prince after his royal visit, she pleaded with God to make him her husband. Though she desired him more than anything else, she was never prepared to propose her feelings.
The second sister was not considered as beautiful as the eldest; she was valued for her knowledge. She knew that she ought to express her feelings to the prince if she intended to earn his affection. So mustering her courage, weeks after the prince’s royal visit, she wrote a letter before ordering one of her maids to get it delivered by a messenger in secrecy.
The youngest was considered to be the least attractive, alongside the possession of a rotten mind. Because of her insecurities and actions, she earned a lot of well-deserved hatred from everyone around her. Desiring to know every word spoken about her, she recruited and governed spies. As a result, she learned that her sister had sent a note to the Prince of Shantipur, and she was taken aback.
Though she commanded her forces to hunt the messenger and stop him by any means, it was beyond their grasp. Presuming that the prince would prefer her sister due to her beauty even if she approached him now, the youngest sister decided to turn herself ugly by any means.
After expressing her intentions, one of her maids suggested that she visit a witch. Abiding by the suggestion, the princess met a witch and offered her a lot of gold. The witch presaged that black magic can, at times, have undesirable consequences.
Getting concerned about the time being wasted, the youngest princess commanded the witch to act immediately and couldn’t or didn’t want to foresee any peril. Obeying the princess, the witch cast her charm.
Overnight, the second sister’s eyes turned completely white, and her skin was filled with blisters. As time elapsed, she fell ill of a mysterious sickness that healers couldn’t help her with and within a couple of days, she was dead.
Though her sister’s ugliness made the youngest princess a bit contented in the beginning, her death made her feel guilty. Even the madness within her couldn’t protect her from the pain she experienced in playing a key part in killing her sister. This drove her so insane that one night, she jumped out of her window to silence her mind once and for all.
The eldest sister was heartbroken and kept praying for peace while still seeking to earn the prince by God’s grace. Unfortunately, after the demise of the last two princesses, the Prince of Shantipur married the girl he loved.
Neither did he acquire the letter that the second sister sent him, nor did he know that the eldest sister waited for him. The most ill-fated aspect was that he didn’t even remember the third sister until the word spread across kingdoms that she had killed herself.
Credits
This story was written by R. S. Chintalapati, edited by Sreekar Ayyagari & Tarun Chintam and illustrated by Sravani Dhulipala.
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