Tejeemola
Once there lived a merchant who had two wives. The elder one had a daughter named Tejeemola while the younger wife had no children. Tejeemola’s mother died soon after so the younger wife became a cruel stepmother.
One fine day, the merchant went far away on business. The step-mother decided to kill Tejeemola so she could inherit everything. First, she sent Tejeemola to her friend's wedding with clothes which was packed with burning coal and a mouse. On seeing the tattered outfit upon her return, she gave Tejeemola a sound thrashing. Dragging her to the dhekee (paddy-husking pedal), she made Tejeemola push the paddy and crushed her hands, feet and finally her head killing the poor girl. She buried her body which grew into a gourd plant. When an old woman tried to pluck the gourd, Tejeemola cried out. 'Along with silk clothes, my step-mother pounded me, I am only Tejeemola'. On hearing this, the step mother pulled up the plant and threw it in the backyard which grew into a citrus tree. In the same way, the tree cried when some cowherds tried to pluck its fruits. Finally, the step-mother threw the tree into the river which turned into a lotus.
A few days later, Tejeemola's father returned by boat and saw a beautiful lotus. As he tried to pluck the flower it sang its sad song once more:
'Along with silk clothes, my step-mother pounded me,
I am only Tejeemola'.
Tejeemola's father took chewed areca nut from his mouth, put it in his left hand while he held a sweetmeat on the right. He asked the lotus to turn into a mynah and eat the areca nut if it was his daughter. The flower turned into a bird and ate the nut.
On reaching home, the merchant asked his wife about Tejeemola who replied the girl had gone to her uncle's house. At that, the merchant produced the bird, threw his handkerchief on it and it turned into Tejeemola. Needless to say, the wicked step mother was driven away from the house and they lived happily.