The gold-making princess meets Sivalu at the palace bathing tank, Warwick Goble, 1912
The princess stands on the palace steps with her attendants as Sivalu chews betel-leaves before her. This is their first meeting in Day’s Match-making Jackal tale, before her marriage to the weaver. The illustration does not show the later transformation of flour paste into gold.
Overview
After a jackal deceives her family into marrying her to a supposedly wealthy king, the princess discovers that her husband is a poor weaver. She knows how to create gold: she smears flour mixed with water over her body, lets it dry, and rubs it off in little balls that become gold. Repeating the process funds a palace and a settlement of seven hundred weaving families. The tale does not explain how she acquired this ability or identify her as a goddess.
She invites her parents to visit and arranges a display that fulfils the jackal’s earlier boasts, including animals chewing betel-leaves, streets covered in costly shawls and hospitals for sick or infirm animals. Her parents accept the prosperity as their son-in-law’s wealth. The concluding transformation is therefore material and social; neither spouse changes bodily form.
Origins & earliest records
Bengali oral storytelling translated by Lal Behari Day
Records & interpretation
Complete relevant tale, attached notes,1883 preface and1912 edition credits directly read.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Folk-Tales of Bengal
XVIII, The Match-making Jackal, pp. 217–227 and two notes
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
Primary records and illustrations
Lal Behari Day, Folk-Tales of Bengal (Macmillan,1912; first edition1883)
XVIII. XVIII, The Match-making Jackal, pp. 217–227 and two notes
Whole XVIII through closing formula and both notes directly read. Jackal’s deception separated from the princess’s actual gold-making. Original paraphrase; no image inspection claimed.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Historical translated oral narrative and collector notesDay, Folk-Tales of Bengal (1912), XVIII, The Match-making Jackal, pp. 217–227 and two notesResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
Historical illustrationThe gold-making princess meets Sivalu at the palace bathing tank, Warwick Goble, 1912
The princess stands on the palace steps with her attendants as Sivalu chews betel-leaves before her. This is their first meeting in Day’s Match-making Jackal tale, before her marriage to the weaver. The illustration does not show the later transformation of flour paste into gold.
