Chapter 17 - The Horse Galloped!

Kundavai had decided that Vanathi would be the right bride for her incomparable brother Arulmozhivarman. It was her timid temperament. She who is going to marry a brave warrior, who is going to have a son who will rule the world under the shadow of an umbrella, can she be so timid? Kundavai wanted to change her timid nature and make her a brave and brave woman. That's why she had set up this toy crocodile game. But Kodumbalur Kumari passed the test successfully.

When Kundavai Devi and Vanathi returned from Kudanthai astrologer's house, they boarded the swan boat. The boat went a little way; Kundavai and her friends used to play in the water after parking the boat in a wooded place on both sides of the river. They landed at that place today. When everyone got down, one of the women called out, "Alas, crocodile!" Pointing to the other side of the big tree under which they landed, the woman said, "Crocodile! Crocodile!" she screamed. Immediately all the women gathered together and said, "Alas! Crocodile! I am afraid!" they shouted and ran.

But Vanathi, who was timid in nature, was not scared at that time. She had not been frightened by the sudden sight of the terrifying crocodile with an open mouth. Even though all the others pretended to be very scared as Kundavai Devi had said, Vanathi was not afraid.

"Sister! The crocodile is strong only when it is in the water! It can do nothing while lying on the shore. Tell them not to be afraid!" said Kumari of Kodumbalur.

"Blow, wicked cactus! ' This is not a real crocodile; You seem to know the 'toy crocodile' beforehand! Someone must have told you!" said the other women.

"Even if it's a real crocodile, I'm not afraid. I am afraid of lizards and cockroaches!" said Vanathi.

It was at this time that Vandhiyathevan came to save the women from the mouth of the terrible crocodile. He jumped off his horse in one leap and threw the spear.

Vallavaraiyan was thrilled when he heard the majestic looking woman standing in front of the crocodile. His grievance that she had not spoken to him was solved in the Kudanthai astrologer's house. But the crocodile—the fearsome open-mouthed crocodile lying behind her—was embarrassing him for some reason. Why is she standing in front of the crocodile? What does she mean by saying don't bother about it? What was the reason for the crocodile lying there all this time?

The young woman went on to say, "Sir! In Kudanthai you expressed regret for coming into the astrologer's house in a hurry. We left without replying. From this you may have got the impression that the women of Chola Nadu are ignorant of respect. Don't think so. The girl who had accompanied me had suddenly fainted, and my mind was a little disturbed. That's why I didn't answer you...."

Damn! What a sweet voice this is! Why does my heart swell when I hear the language she speaks? Why does the throat hiccup? The flute, the veena, the drums, not even the drums have made me so mad. You've never shaken me like that? If I wanted to interrupt this woman and say something, why couldn't I? Why does the tongue stick to the upper lip like this? Why has the ventilation completely stopped? Why has the Arisilar river stopped flowing? And then this crocodile... Why is it lying idle?

While Vandhiyathevan's heart was thus agitated, the woman's voice was heard as if in a dream: "Even now you did this thinking that you are saving us, the poor girl! You threw a spear at the crocodile. It is rare to find a warrior who can throw the spear so quickly and accurately....

The women who had been listening under the tree laughed again. Vandhiyathevan's dream of infatuation was shattered by that laughter. The magic spell of the girl's speech was broken. He took another look at the crocodile. Ignoring the woman in front of him, he walked away and approached the crocodile, shook his spear from its back. Blood did not flow through the hole pierced by the spear! Then, what came? A little bit of banana and cotton came out!

Again the wicked women laughed. This time they burst out laughing. Vallavarayan's mind and body were stunted. He had never felt such humiliation before. Such an ambition in front of so many women? Are they women? No! No! These are monsters! Don't stand next to them! Don't even look at their faces! Cheechee! My dear Velayudham! Is this what happened to you? Is this the humiliation that has befallen you? How am I going to remedy this and wipe out the dirt that has happened to you...

All these thoughts entered Vandhiyathevan's mind in a few moments. If only the people who laughed there were men, there would have been a battlefield! Those who dared to laugh would have lost their lives instantly! Their blood would have flowed along with the red water of Arisilaru! But these are women! What can be done with them? The only thing to do is to run away from them!

Without even looking at the face of the woman who had upset his heart, Vandhiyathevan ran and climbed on the river bank. His horse, standing there, also neighed. It seemed to Vandhiyathevan that even the horse was laughing at him along with the women. So he vented all his anger on the horse. He jumped on it and sat down and gave two blows with his head rope, 'Sulir, Suleer'! The furious horse tore along the river bank and galloped off.

For a while Kundavai was looking in the direction the horse had gone. She stood watching until the dust that the horse had raised had settled.

Then, turning to the companions, she said, "Girls! You still don't know the point. You shouldn't have laughed like that. When we are alone, you can laugh and laugh any way you like. Shouldn't you be modest when a stranger comes? What will that young man think about the women of Chola Nadu?"