Long ago, in a village by the forest, lived a widow named Rupali and her son Bhanu. They were poor but content. Rupali worked hard every day to care for Bhanu. Their house, though small and made of mud, felt like a castle as long as they were together.

One day, while Bhanu played in the forest, he noticed a strange glow from an old tree. Curious, he approached and found a small, sparkling stone lodged in the roots. Thinking it was a gem, he took it home to show his mother. Rupali was amazed by its brilliance and told Bhanu it was a ruby. She brought it to the village elder, who confirmed it was indeed a precious stone and advised her to present it to the king.

The next day, Rupali and Bhanu journeyed to the palace. The wise and generous king was astonished by the ruby’s beauty. He offered them a great sum of money in exchange, and with it, Rupali and Bhanu returned to their village, their hearts full of joy.

Time passed, and Bhanu often returned to the forest, hoping to find more stones. One afternoon, as he searched by the old tree, a strange old man appeared from the thick branches. His white hair and aged face contrasted with his mischievous eyes.

The old man asked Bhanu what he was searching for. Without hesitation, Bhanu told him about the ruby. The man smiled and said, “What you found is just one of many. If you want more, follow me.”

Intrigued by the possibility, Bhanu followed the old man deep into the forest. They reached a hidden cave where the ground sparkled with countless rubies, each more brilliant than the last. Bhanu’s eyes widened in wonder, but before he could touch any, the old man warned him.

“These rubies come from the tears of a celestial serpent,” he said. “Every hundred years, the serpent sheds a tear, creating a ruby. But if you take more than one, the serpent will curse you.”

Greed overwhelmed Bhanu, and he ignored the warning. He grabbed as many rubies as his hands could carry and ran toward the village.

As soon as he left the cave, a loud hiss filled the air, and the sky darkened. A colossal serpent emerged, its eyes burning with rage. Bhanu ran as fast as he could, but the serpent was faster. Just as it was about to strike, Bhanu stumbled, scattering the rubies across the ground.

The rubies returned to the earth, and the serpent’s anger subsided. In a voice like thunder, it spoke: “You disrespected my gift. From now on, no human shall ever find another ruby in these woods.”

With that, the serpent vanished into its cave. The rubies, once bright, were swallowed by the forest. Bhanu returned home with nothing but regret.

The villagers never found another ruby, and they passed down this story for generations, warning their children about greed and the importance of respecting nature’s gifts.

A folk story from West Bengal, sourced from Folk-Tales of Bengal compiled by Lal Behari Dey

Edited by Archie Joshi

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