Raimpiyan

Chapter 5: The wizard's trick

As the weeks passed, Raimpiyan's ladder grew longer and longer. "Only one more week and I'll be free..." he thought to himself one morning.

"Raimpiyan," the wizard called from outside, "Raimpiyan, let down your hair. I have some food for you."

As the wizard climbed up, he pulled and tugged painfully on Raimpiyan's hair.

"Ow!" cried . "Why do you always tug so much? Princess Hasina never hurts me when she climbs."

"What?! Princess Hasina?" shouted the wizard. "Who is Princess Hasina?" you wicked boy! I thought I'd shut you away from the world, but you're tricked me."

The wizard leaped into the tower and quickly grabbed a pair of scissors. He hacked away at Raimpiyan's hair until it lay in a heap on the floor.

"I haven't finished," cried the wizard. With a powerful spell, he cast Raimpiyan into the desert.

Then the wizard waited for the princess, a sly smile on his wrinkled face.

"Raimpiyan, Raimpiyan! Let down your hair."
That night Princess Hasina called out to Raimpiyan as usual. His hair came shimmering down.

But when the princess reached the top of the tower, she gasped in shock. An ugly old crone stood in his place.
"Where's Raimpiyan?" she demanded.

"Raimpiyan's gone," said the wizard, with a sinister laugh. "You'll never see him again."

Then the wizard leaned out of the tower and kissed Princess Hasina with his slimy lips.
"Yuck!" cried the princess.

It was a magic kiss. Suddenly, the princess's hands were covered in slime. She lost her grip and fell to the ground like a stone.

Princess Hasina landed smack in a thorn bush. It saved her life, but the sharp thorns blinded her.
"Aaargh! I can't see!" she cried.

Despite her pain, stood up. "I may be blind," she shouted to the wizard, "but I'll find Raimpiyan."
"Never!" he cackled.

Princess Hasina wandered for months seeking Raimpiyan. At last, she met a camel seller who told her about a boy with golden hair and golden eyes, living alone in the middle of the desert.

Princess Hasina hired a driver and the fastest elephants she could find.
"Take me to the desert," he ordered.

Raimpiyan saw the carriage arrive in amazement. As Princess Hasina stumbled out, he ran to her, put his arms around her neck and wept.

Two of his tears fell into Princess Hasina's eyes, and she gasped. "I can see!" she cried.

"Raimpiyan," she said, "I never thought I'd say this to a boy named after a vegetable, but will you marry me?"
"Oh yes?" said Raimpiyan.

Princess Hasina took Raimpiyan to her castle. The entire kingdom was invited to their wedding, including Mr. and Mrs. Roja.

"My son!" cried Mrs. Roja.

Prince Raimpiyan and Princess Hasina lived happily together for the rest of their lives and, in time, had three beautiful children—Kaddoo, Salaad and Ankur.

—The End—