There once lived seven brothers and a sister in a village. The sister’s name was Biran Bai. When their parents were to set out on a long pilgrimage, they called all the seven daughters-in-law. The mother said “Look, you dear daughters-in-law, keep my only daughter, Biran Bai, happy and do not extract any work of her.”

The daughters-in-law said, “If we tell her to do something, it is only when you are around. We will see to it that she is comfortable in your absence. We are fortunate to have a beautiful and tender sister-in-law. Moreover, she has always enjoyed more affection and love than any of her brothers. So, leave her solely to our care.”

In course of time while the parents were away on pilgrimage, the brothers also remained out on business trips. One day when they were out as usual, their wives decided to go out to bring some yellow earth from the outskirts of the village. Biran Bai was very much enthusiastic about it. She immediately responded to the idea “Yes, yes, let us be off.”

All set out for the yellow-earth mine. While the wives dug ordinary earth, Biran Bai filled her basket with pearls. Seeing this the wives were green with jealousy. They said to themselves: “This flirt of a girl is very wicked. She must be well off in sorcery. We must do something about that or else she may bring troubles, nobody knows what!”

In the afternoon when they were preparing to return, Biran Bai asked: “May I accompany you? I can lift this load pretty well.”

“No, no, you have never carried any load so far. We are afraid that our husbands would be very angry if anything happens to you. You just wait here, we shall soon return after unloading our baskets.”

Poor Biran waited for them, not knowing what evil intention they had in their minds. She sat there for the whole day, but none of them returned. It was now evening. A band of minstrels passed that way. Biran Bai requested one of the minstrels, “Maharaj, please help me in lifting up my basket.”

Seeing no one around, the minstrel asked her: “Baccha, why are you here all alone?” Biran Bai related the whole story. The minstrel availed of the opportunity and took her in his band. At first, he did not allow her to go anywhere. But soon he sent her begging in small villages. He forbade her to go into the village she belonged to. He had frightened her saying that she would get nothing in that village and it was very likely that somebody would kidnap her.

Due to fear Biran Bai dared not go to that side.

One day when the minstrel was ill, she forgot his warning and unknowingly went in the same lane in which her house was situated. One of her sisters-in-law was standing at the door. Biran Bai began to sing:

In the meantime, her mother came out of the door and said “What dost thou sing, child, repeat it again.”

Biran Bai sang again and her mother marked her a close resemblance of her Biran who had fallen prey, as per her daughters-in-law’s report, to a crumble of a mine while digging yellow earth. The mother then asked “Where dost thou live child? Wouldst thou come here daily? I shall take thee to be my daughter and give you rich alms.”

Now Biran Bai recalled her past and related her previous account. Her sorrowful tale made both of them weep. Thus Biran Bai returned to her house and now her parents thought of her marriage. When the minstrel came to know of her departure, he arrived at her house after his recovery from a long illness. At that time the betrothal ceremony was going on.

At such an occasion he spoke out as “Engage her you may to another, but a disciple she is mine.” And at the time of her marriage he came again and said, “Marry her you may to another, but as a disciple she is mine.” When the wedding was over and Biran Bai was on the point of departure for her father-in-law’s house, he came again and said, “Take away the bride you may, but as a disciple she is mine.”

Thus the minstrel began to tease her at all places. When the marriage party reached home he came again and said: “The marriage party has returned, but as a disciple the bride is mine.” The minstrel continued to vex her at every step.

Biran Bai was horrified and haunted. She asked her husband and his people to keep her under seven locks lest the minstrel should take her away. Her bed was laid under seven locks. The night was dark. There was a noise outside. Bhan Bai was awakened; she said:

“The first lock has been opened, my mother-in-law, wake up.
The second lock has been opened, my father-in-law, wake up.
The third lock has been opened, my elder brother-in-law, wake up.
The fourth lock has been opened, my elder sister-in-law, wake up.
The fifth lock has been opened, my younger brother-in-law, wake up.
The sixth lock has been opened, my younger sister-in-law, wake up.
The seventh lock has been opened, my husband, please wake up.”

In this way Biran Bai awakened all the persons of the house. In the meantime, having broken the seventh lock, the minstrel entered Biran Bai’s home only to get a good beating. After that he never showed his face. Now Biran Bai happily set up her house, not afraid of anybody. She was happy with her house and lived a long life.

A Folktale sourced from Folk Tales of Madhya Pradesh by Shyam Parmar.

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