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Published on Sunday, November 02 2008




Prince Arjun was very fond of his horse Kahva. Prince Arjun loved Kahva as his best friend.


Very often the two friends would go on long rides. One particular sunny and rain-washed beautiful day, prince Arjun decided to follow the rainbow. He wanted to go to the place where rainbow meets the earth. It took Prince Arjun seven days and seven nights, and he had to cross seven mountains before he reached his destination.


The place where the rainbow meets the earth was more beautiful than any other place he had ever seen or imagined. He was surrounded by beautiful waterfalls, with mermaids splashing in the river. Flowers in all colors and hues were blooming everywhere. Hundreds of butterflies were fluttering and dancing. Birds were singing beautiful melodies. This place was more beautiful than the places in his dreams.


Prince Arjun was walking and enjoying the surroundings, when he heard a voice. "Did he hear it right? It was a faint sound as if someone was crying. "Who could this person be? Why is this person crying?" Many thoughts crossed Prince Arjun's mind and he decided to check. He started to follow the faint sound. The sound seemed to be coming from deep within the jungle.

Prince Arjun started making his way through the thick bushes, and finally reached a clearing in the jungle. What he saw made him even more amazed. In the clearing stood a small cottage. "Someone lives here?" The crying sound was coming from the cottage. Prince Arjun knocked at the door. "Knock, Knock, Knock". No reply! He knocked again, "Knock, Knock, Knock, Knock". Still no reply!


Prince Arjun was about to turn back when he noticed that the door was not locked. Arjun really wanted to help the crying person, so he decided to go inside. "Who are you and why are you crying?" Still no other sound. The crying sound was coming from a room upstairs, where a winding stairs led to. He started to walk up the stairs slowly and reached a door. The crying person was behind that door. Arjun knocked at the door again. The crying sound stopped and now Arjun could hear the sound of slow footsteps.


When the door opened, Arjun saw standing in front of him a very old man. The man had a very gentle face, which was filled with wrinkles. The old man was wearing a cloak which dragged behind him on the floor. His hair were very long, which almost seemed to touch the floor. He was holding a staff in his hand.


The old man was very surprised to see Prince Arjun. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" Prince Arjun explained how he heard the crying sound and reached the cottage while following it. "I thought someone might be in trouble, and I wanted to help. When I knocked at the door, nobody answered, so I decided to check".

"You seem like a very brave and helpful person", the old man said, "but I don't think you can help me. Even with all my magic, I was not able to save my daughter from the evil dragon".

"Magic? Evil dragon?" Prince Arjun thought in his mind. "Who is this person?"

"I am Mali, wizard of the rainbow jungle", the old man continued. "I have a daughter, Yashi." Dragon of the fire mountain, wants to be the most powerful wizard of all. For that he needs my magic staff. When I refused to give it to him, he kidnapped Yashi", the old man said.

According to Mali, the dragon is an evil wizard. If he gets hold of Mali's magical staff, he would become very powerful and unstoppable. He would destroy the rainbow jungle and make all it inhabitants his servants. "I don't know how to get my daughter back. I am too old to fight the mighty dragon", Mali cried.


"Please don't lose faith. Trust me and just tell me where this dragon has taken your daughter. I will fight with him and bring back your daughter safely". Prince Arjun said to Mali.

"I really appreciate your courage, Prince Arjun, but the dragon is very powerful. Even if you are ready to fight with him, to reach the place where dragon is, will take you years on your horse", said the old wizard. "But since you are so determined, I will try to help you in whatever way I can".


After saying this, the old wizard took Prince Arjun in his magic room. The room was filled with strange things Arjun never knew existed. One of the walls had bottles filled with colored potions. The other wall had a huge bookcase, which seemed to go so high up, Prince Arjun could barely see it end. The bookcase was filled up with magic books from around the world.

In the middle of the room was a big crystal ball.

Mali took Arjun near to the crystal ball and start casting a magic spell.

"See beyond the tallest walls, rise above the highest skies.
Show me how there the fire falls, and evil dragon forever flies"

The crystal ball started to spin faster and faster. A lighting struck inside the crystal ball. It was so bright that Arjun had to close his eyes. When he opened his eyes, what he saw in the crystal ball left him speechless. The crystal ball showed a huge mountain with fire all around it. And in the skies he saw the fiercest creature he had ever imagined. The ferocious dragon breathed fire and winds from his wings caused storms. The raging sound from his throat could easily faint anybody.


"I am not afraid of him", said Prince Arjun courageously. "Just tell me how to reach that place, and leave rest to me".

Old wizard Mali said, "The dragon of the fire mountain lives across seven highest mountains. Before reaching the first of those seven mountains, you will have to cross seven seas of boiling water. And to reach the first sea of boiling water, you will have to cross seven burning rivers."


After saying that, the old wizards reached under his long cloak, and pulled out a pair of shoes. "Prince Arjun, these are magic slippers. When you wear these and knock the heels together three times, you'll be able to fly. These shoes can help you reach the mountain where the dragon lives, much faster. But this is all the help I can give to you. You will be on your own, once you reach the largest fire mountain".

Prince Arjun put on the magic slippers and said goodbye to the old wizard. Arjun clicked the heels of the shoes three times and jumped on his horse. To his amazement, the horse started to rise in the air and fly!

Arjun waved goodbye to Mali and started in the direction of the smallest of the seven burning rivers. We don't know how long he flew but finally he reached the first burning river. Because he was flying through the air, Prince Arjun breezed passed the river in no time. But as soon as he crossed the first burning river, he faced an even bigger one. The flames from the river almost came to the height he was flying on. He clicked the heels of the shoes again and pulled on the reins of his horse Kahva. Now he was safe from the fire. Going this way, he crossed all the fire rivers and reached the shore of a sea of boiling water. We do not know how long it took him to cross all the seven seas of boiling water and to cross seven mountains breathing hot lava. This information is lost in generations who told this story to it's young ones.

We know for sure that Prince Arjun did flew across the seven seas with boiling water, safely. And, we know for sure he crossed each of the fire breathing mountains, for he reached the highest of the mountains, on which the fierce dragon lived in his castle.

Prince Arjun challenged the ferocious dragon to free princess Yashi, or fight. Prince Arjun and the fire dragon fought for many days. No one knows how many, but in the end, dragon started to get tired and weak. He could not breathe fire anymore and his wings made small winds rather than raging storms. And then, the dragon fell to the ground. Triumphed Prince Arjun spared the dragon's life and warned him not the bother wizard Mali and princess Yashi again.


Dragon apologized for this mistake and promise his lifelong friendship to Prince Arjun. Arjun carried the princess Yashi on the back of horse and started journey back to the garden of rainbow. Probably he traveled for seven days and seven nights, but who knows exactly how many. We do know that they finally reached the forest of rainbow. Wizard Mali was very happy to see his daughter safe. Mali requested Prince Arjun to marry his daughter for there cannot be a more worthy person than Prince Arjun.

Prince Arjun and Princess Yashi got married but nobody knows for how many years they lived after that. We know for sure that they lived happy and with fire dragon as their protector.