Long, long ago there lived a hermit on the bank of the Ganga river. He was very kind by nature. Daily in the morning, the hermit used to visit the river Ganga for a bath. Then he took some water on his palm and sipped it after chanting some holy verses on it. This is what we call Aachman in India.
One day the hermit had just put some water on his palm for aachman when a tiny baby-mouse fell on his palm. It had slipped out of the paw of a hawk flying in the sky.
Very merciful as the hermit was, he caressed the baby-mouse and brought her to his hut. “What should I do with this tiny creature ? If I leave it free, some bird of prey may take it away again,” said the hermit to himself.
Just then, the hermit’s wife came out of the hut. Seeing her, the hermit said to himself, “She often yearns to have a baby. Why shouldn’t I change this tiny mouse into a baby-girl ? She will be extremely excited to have it.”
Thinking so, the hermit used his mystic power and changed the tiny mouse into a baby-girl. Then he said to his Better half, “My Sweetheart ! you often express your desire for a baby. Have it and bring it up as your own daughter.”
The hermit’s wife was happy with joy to have a lovely daughter. The wife of the hermit brought up the baby-girl with deep love and care. In due course of time, she grew up to be a charming lass. Her mother, now, grew anxious to marry her off to some suitable match. She pleaded her husband to look for a perfect match for their daughter.
The hermit nodded and decided to marry her daughter off to some divine-being. After thinking hard, he decided to invoke the Sun-God and request him to accept her daughter as his wife.
So, the hermit invoked the Sun-God and he appeared in no time. The hermit spoke with folded hands, “I request you, O Sun-God, to marry my daughter. She is exceptionally charming, good looking and God gifted.” The hermit’s wife and the daughter were witnessing the ongoing proceeding.
Before the sun-god could say anything, the girl burst out, “No, daddy ! I won’t marry him. He is much too hot. Surely he will burn me to ashes.”
Hearing these words, the sun-god got ready to go. But the hermit requested him, “Suggest some suitable groom for her, so that she may pass her life in happiness with him.”
The sun-god recommended the god of clouds saying that he is cool by nature and has the power to counter my hot rays even. Saying so, the sun-god disappeared.
Now the hermit invoked the god of clouds and he appeared before the hermit. Folding his hands, the hermit said, “Be kind enough to wed my beautiful daughter. She is very clever too.”
But the girl didn’t like him because of his bluish-black complexion and lop-sided form. So, the cloud-god too got ready to go. The hermit implored him to suggest some other match for his daughter.
The cloud-god recommended god of wind as a perfect groom for the hermit’s daughter. The cloud-god further said, “He can dismantle me in no time. So, you better ask him to marry your daughter.”
So, the hermit invoked the wind-god who appeared before the family instantly. Before the hermit could strike any meaningful conversations with him , the girl expressed her disappointment and said, “Daddy ! he is extremely active and can never stay at one place. He will drag me hither and thither all my life. So, I have decided not to marry him either.”
The hermit was really disappointed and annoyed as well to hear the words of his daughter. But composing himself, he said to the wind-god, ” Be kind enough to suggest a suitable match for my daughter. She is beautiful, talented and graceful too.”
The wind-god said, “The mountain-god is far stronger than I. He can obstruct my way and change my direction. He is unshakable and huge indeed. So, it’s better you approach him and speak to him about your daughter’s marriage.”
The hermit was compelled to invoke the mountain-god and he appeared before him shaking the earth under his feet. The hermit requested him to accept his daughter as his life-partner.
But the girl again burst out saying, “He is very rocky, a bit heavy and slow-moving. I won’t marry him in any case.”
The hermit felt broken-hearted indeed. His wife was no less disappointed too. So, the hermit requested the mountain-god, “Suggest a suitable match for my beautiful daughter, please”.
The mountain-god said, “I fear only mice. They are far stronger than I as they can dig holes in my hard body easily and live therein happily.
Just then a big handsome mouse happened to pass, the girl jumped in joy seeing him and said in excitement, “Daddy! I shall marry this mouse. He is the most suitable groom for me.
The hermit was taken aback to hear the words of his daughter. He said to his wife, “An honest allegiance will always lies with one’s own race. Having been a human-being for over sixteen years, she hasn’t forgotten her race”.
So, the hermit changed the girl into a she-mouse again using his mystic power. Both the mice ran away together and got into a nearby hole and lived happily ever after.
