There once was a boy who would go out looking for wood to cut and sell. One day while looking under a bush, he discovered a massive hole in the ground. Inside the hole, there were steps leading him to a majestic palace with intricate carvings. The gorgeous palace as decked up as it was, also had a beautiful fairy inside.

She was sobbing as for all these years she had been alone. As she cried, her tears turned into gems. The boy empathised and began sharing stories with her about his own loneliness from the human realm, until her crying ceased. As a reward she gifted him one of her biggest tear shaped gems. He returned home and upon showing his grandmother, she advised him “We have no use for this, go and trade it with the zamindar for some food instead.”

Now the zamindar was a greedy man and when he saw the precious jewel, he captured the frail young boy and threatened to harm the boy and his grandmother unless they fetched more jewels for him.

Frightened, the boy returned to the fairy and begged her to help him in any way and the kind fairy agreed. Thus, they began collecting the jewels until the fairy couldn’t force herself to cry any more. She handed over a spiritually protected box instead and said as long as you keep this with you, you will be protected against all harm. Trusting in the fairy’s words the boy went back to the zamindar. This time when the zamindar spotted the boy without any gems he was furious.

He tried beating the boy but the boy remained unscathed. He tried lashing out again but the boy still was uninjured again. The shocked zamindar fell back in fear and yelled “You must be some sort of magician!” The boy calmly took out the small box and opened it.

First came a dense fog, and then out of it came seven frightening Giants. The Giants lifted the zamindar into the air, shaking the zamindar furiously. The boy was free to go and the fairy never had to cry another gem again.

A folk story from Ladakh, sourced from Kaahaani Ghar.

Edited by Ashmeen B.

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