# The Soothsayer's Son explained — Indian Fairy Tales

> Chapter companion for Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs.

## What happens

Gangazara, the second son of a soothsayer, inherits only his horoscope which predicts poverty, ten years of imprisonment, death on the seashore, and some happiness afterward. He journeys to Benares, rescues a tiger, a serpent, and a rat from a well, and against their warnings also rescues a goldsmith. The goldsmith later betrays him, leading to his imprisonment. The tiger and serpent armies threaten the city until the king releases him. Gangazara eventually meets his brother near the seashore and dies of joy, but is restored to life by the god Ganesa. He marries the princess of Ujjaini and fulfills his horoscope.

## Themes in this chapter

### Gratitude and Ingratitude

The tiger, serpent, and rat show gratitude to Gangazara for rescuing them, while the goldsmith repays his rescue with betrayal, highlighting the contrast between animal loyalty and human ingratitude.

### Justice and Karma

Gangazara's unjust imprisonment is eventually rectified when the king realizes his error, and the goldsmith's deceit is exposed, illustrating the theme of eventual justice.

### Transformation and Metamorphosis

Gangazara's journey from poverty and imprisonment to kingship and happiness represents a profound personal transformation, fulfilling the paradoxical horoscope.

## Character check-ins

### Gangazara

The soothsayer's second son who fulfills his horoscope through a series of adventures, rescues animals, is betrayed by a goldsmith, and eventually becomes king.

### Manikkasari

The goldsmith rescued by Gangazara from the well, who later betrays him by accusing him of murder.

### King Dantal

The king of Ujjaini who imprisons Gangazara based on the goldsmith's false accusation, later repents and offers his daughter in marriage.

## Key lines

> A soothsayer when on his deathbed wrote out the horoscope of his second son, whose name was Gangazara, and bequeathed it to him as his only property, leaving the whole of his estate to his eldest son.

On his deathbed, a soothsayer gave his second son Gangazara only his horoscope as inheritance, while the eldest son received all the property.

_Sets up the central premise of the story: the horoscope as the protagonist's sole legacy._

> Gangazara thought: 'Shall I take him out or not? If I take him out he may make me the first morsel of his hungry mouth. No; that he will not do. For my father's prophecy never came untrue. I must die on a sea coast, and not by a tiger.'

Gangazara reasoned that since his father's prophecy said he would die on a seacoast, not by a tiger, it was safe to rescue the tiger.

_Shows how faith in the prophecy drives Gangazara's courageous actions._

> The pleasure of Gangazara was so great that he died of joy.

Gangazara was so overwhelmed with happiness at meeting his brother that he died from the shock.

_Fulfills the 'death on the seashore' part of the horoscope in an unexpected way._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/indian_fairy_tales_se/chapters/the-soothsayer-s-son
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/indian_fairy_tales_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/indian_fairy_tales_se/chapters