Gupta and the Sword that No One Sees

A long time ago, a Monster came down from the Mountains and started terrorising the area round Bandipur. It started by eating crops, then sheep, then oxen, and finally started picking off villagers.

It had the body of a Lion, a Cobra for a tail, and was covered in scales like a fish. It was said that no man could kill the beast and no iron could pierce its armoured hide.

The villagers, in their desparation asked the King of Nepal to help. He posted a reward, and said that any man who killed the beast would become the Lord of the Region.

Many Knights came to try their luck. Famous warriors, brave soldiers, strong and fearless men. All heavily armed and well armoured. All went off to find the monster in his lair, but none returned.

In the village, there was a young boy called Gupta who watched them all. He wanted nothing more than to be a Knight, but he only had a sword made from bamboo.

The Knights on their way to slay the monster would laugh at him. 'You will never become a Knight with just a wooden sword!' they laughed. But they never came back from the monster.

Eventually Gupta decided that he would have try his luck. His father, the priest of the village, begged him not to go, but Gupta was adamant. 'Very well, if you must go, let me bless your sword', said his father.

The next morning Gupta set off. He knew the mountains well, and where the lair of the monster lay. Whilst it was out hunting in the forrest, he hid in the cave.

As night fell, the monster returned to his cave. 'I smell human!' it roared. 'Is there another one come to try and kill me. No man can do this, and no metal blade can pierce my scales!'.

But Gupta was only a boy, and his sword was made of bamboo. It had no edge, but its point was very sharp. He leapt up, and thrust as hard as he could. The sharp point slid in-between the scales and slew the creature.

'I am no man!' he shouted. 'I am only a boy. And this sword is made of bamboo'.

Back in the village, Gupta was treated like a hero. He was rewarded by the King and became Lord of Bandipur.

The Monster was left in the cave, and over time his body turned into rock. It is still possible to see parts of his body, one is shaped like a cobra, another like fish scales, a third like a roaring Tiger.

Gupta was afraid that no one would believe that his wooden sword had slain the monster, so he wrapped it in silk and told the villagers that Shiva had blessed the blade, and to look at it was death. A shrine was built for the sword and once each year it is bought out and paraded through the village. But its silk wrapping is never taken off, so it became called the sword that no one sees.