Siddhartha was very happy with life. He was next in line to
rule his father’s kingdom. He lived in a beautiful palace that had hundreds of
servants at his feet ready to do his bidding. He pretty much had everything
except someone to share it with. Siddhartha was getting to that point where he
wanted a wife. Someone that he can share his riches with. So he informed his
parents of this desire to get a wife.
He went on and told them what his standards were. They were
very lengthy. According to Siddhartha, she much be youthful, beautiful but not
vain, maternal, an animal-lover, honest, sweet, faithful, meek, and grateful.
Siddhartha’s parents suggested hosting a ball and inviting maidens that had the
characteristics that he described above. The Siddhartha liked this idea.
Siddhartha’s parents sent out their servants and had them
look all throughout the kingdom for maidens that would be appropriate for Siddhartha.
They did not find any women that had all of the characteristics that Siddhartha
wanted in a wife. They would only have some of it or maybe half of what
Siddhartha wanted. Finally, at the last house in the kingdom they came upon a
maiden named Gopa. The servants interviewed and realized that she had all of the
aspects that Siddhartha wanted in a wife. She was beautiful but not vain,
youthful, maternal, an animal-lover, honest, sweet, faithful, meek, and
grateful. Knowing this they invited Gopa to the ball.
On the night of the ball, the palace was filled with
potential maidens for Siddhartha. It was an hour into the night and Siddhartha
still did not find anyone remotely anyone he would be interested in until Gopa
walked in. She was the most beautiful maiden that Siddhartha had ever seen. He
introduced himself to her and asked her to dance with him. While dancing with Gopa,
Siddhartha realized that she was everything he had ever wanted. He did not
dance with anyone else that night because he had no need to. He had found his
wife.
After dancing with her for a while, Siddhartha proposed to
Gopa. Gopa was hesitated at first because of her inferior social status. She
felt like she was not good enough to be Siddhartha’s wife. Siddhartha reassured
Gopa that she is equal to him because of her humble, beauty, and honest
characteristic. It is her characteristic that defines her not her social
status. Realizing this Gopa accepted his proposal.
 |
| (Siddhartha) |
Author's Note
My story is based on the The Marriage of Siddhartha from the "Buddhist Legends." I kept the main ideas, such as Siddhartha's criteria for a wife, Siddhartha and Gopa falling in love, and Gopa coming from a lower social status. I wrote my story in the style of a fairy tale. I was inspired by the Cinderella story.
"The Marriage of Siddhartha" from The Life of Buddha by Andre Ferdinand Herold (1922). Web Source: Public Domain
Sarah, I’m really glad I got the chance to read your interpretation of this story because I have not yet had the chance to read the original! It sounds like a very sweet and pure love story about two people who overcome social/economic boundaries to be with their soulmate. It was a great idea to combine this story with Cinderella. The ball will probably be familiar to all of your readers! Great work!
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