Murkha and his four wives

Once there lived a Banya (merchant), who had a very intelligent son. When he grew up, his father made endless efforts to get him married but faced failure each and every time. Finally, with great difficulty he found a suitable bride and went ahead with making preparations with the same. Lesser had he known that this too would do his plans no good and he would face the same obstacles like he did earlier. The sudden preparations were a result to a dream his father had seen the previous night- that the daughter of the Baadshah (emperor), of a Raja (king), of a Sahukar (money lender) and of a Nat (tight rope walker) were all the son's wives.

Delaying it no further, he woke up his son at early hours of the day and started convincing him for marriage. But the son had some other plans. He wanted to marry all the four girls. Enraged, the father knew nothing that followed this situation and wanted his troubles to end at the earliest. Out of utmost anger, he beat up his son, who, as a result ran off to a distant land. There it so happened that the daughter of the Baadshah was flirting with the son of the Wazir, furtively.

One evening, the Baadshah's daughter and the Wazir's son were walking around in a garden, whilst planning to hire a servant who will keep their affair a secret and the one who carries letters from one person to the other. It was then that the Banya's son came about and informed them that he had come from a far off land and was willing to serve them in any way possible. They asked him his name and he replied that he had forgotten. He only remembered that people who knew him, called him Murkha (a fool).

Judging his character just by knowing his name, they thought that Murkha would be a perfect choice to keep their affair ...

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...u doing with my husband?” But the Badshah's daughter said “He is my husband, not yours”. As they were disputing, there came a police wala (police man). He heard their parts of the story and led all three of them to the Raja. On their way, they met the Nat’s daughter who happened to claim him as well. And while they were entering, the Raja’s daughter recognized and caught him. The policeman could do nothing but take the five of them to the Raja; and said, “Your Majesty, here is a curious case! All these four women are fighting over one man.” The Raja made an enquiry and after hearing all their stories, said, “There is no doubt that all four of you are his wives. So you better all live with him.”

And with mutual consent they all started living together. Murkha’s destiny was fulfilled, in which he married the daughters of the Raja, the Badshah, the Nat and the Sahukar.