There was a king ruling over a mountainous country many years ago. He decided to find out three things, "Who is the luckiest man, the richest man, and the greatest man in the world?" He sent his messengers all over the country to find out the answers to his questions. All of the people of his country said that the king himself was the luckiest, richest and the greatest person in the world. The king became very happy hearing the answers to his questions.
However, a poor man had not said anything to answer the questions of the king. He was living very close to the king's palace with his daughter. The daughter was helping her father do all the work of the house. When the king knew that the poor man had not given any reply to his questions, he summoned him to come to the palace. The poor man went to the palace and was asked the three questions. The poor man had no idea what to say so he remained silent. The king became angry and ordered him to give his reply by the next day. The king further said that if the poor man didn't say anything, he would be executed.
The poor man went to his house. He kept quiet because he had no idea what he should say to the king. The daughter prepared a meal and served him. The poor old man said that he was not hungry. Therefore, the daughter guessed that something had troubled her father. The old man told the story about what he was asked by the king and what was going to happen if he didn't give a reply. The daughter immediately said, "Listen, Daddy, in whoever's house resides a good omen, that person is the luckiest, the richest and the greatest man in the world." She asked her father to say those things to the king the next day.
Next day, the poor man went to the palace early and gave the answer his daughter has given to him. The king became upset upon hearing the answers. He asked an explanation for the answer. However, the old man told the king that he could give no explanation. He made it clear that his daughter had told him to say that answer. The king ordered the daughter be brought to him. The daughter gave the king the same answer. The king asked, "Who is your teacher who taught this?" The girl replied that the king's daughter was the one who taught that answer. Since the poor man's house was near the king's palace, the two girls, no matter what their social status was, had become friends.
The king didn't like his daughter's answers. He ordered her to change her mind and to say some other answer, but his daughter insisted on what she believed. Finally, the king became very angry. He gave his daughter to the poorest man he could find. He said angrily to her, "If you think that a person with a good omen would be the richest, the greatest and the luckiest man, then live a happy life with this poor man." The king gave nothing to his daughter.
The couple left for an unknown place. After many days of walking, they arrived in a small town situated at the junction of two rivers. They made a small house from the leaves and branches of trees. They started collecting wood and selling it in the town. Since both of them worked very hard, they made enough for them to live. They were happy in the true sense.
The queen was very anxious about her daughter. She requested permission from her husband to go to see her daughter. The queen, with her servants, tried to find her daughter in many places. After many days, she found her daughter and son-in-law. She could hardly stop her tears after seeing the way her daughter was living. The queen asked her daughter to go with her. The daughter didn't agree. Then the queen gave her a lot of money and gold. The daughter again didn't accept them. Upon continuous offerings of help by her mother, the daughter made a request to her mother. She asked, "Please order all the people in the country to put out fires on the dark moon night of the month of Magh (January-February). When the queen arrived from her visit, she told the king about their daughter's request. The king agreed to his daughter's request.
One day before the dark moon night of the month of Magh, the daughter of the king asked her husband to make three entrances in their hut. She also asked to make three doors from the wild bush called Pati. She made a triangular-shaped fireplace by herself. They went together in the forest and brought three bundles of wood from a tree called Srikhand and put them nearby the fireplace. They made plates from tree leaves and put different kind of foods, sweets and fruits in them. They also brought different kinds of flowers from the jungle and made garlands. They decorated their hut with the garlands. In this way, their small hut looked very nice and clean on the appointed day.
On the night of the dark moon, the three sisters of the goddess of wealth came down to that area from the heaven to visit and bless different houses. As the night got darker, they felt cold. They tried to find places where they could go and sit near the fire. They couldn't find any houses that had a fire. Finally, they arrived at the hut of the couple who had a fire burning in their house. The three sisters begged to come inside the hut and sit by the fire. The daughter of the king requested that the three sisters come in from different doors. The three sisters sat at the three corners of the fireplace and started to enjoy the warmth of the fire in that dark and cold night. The couple served them the foods they had prepared. The three sisters were enjoying themselves so much that they forgot the time to leave. When the first rooster crowed, they remembered that they must leave before the dawn. As they started to leave, the couple held the three sisters so strongly that they couldn't go. The sisters asked the couple to let them go, but the couple didn't release them. As the dawn was approaching, the sisters became very impatient. They promised that anything the couple asked for would be granted. Thinking that it was the right time, the couple asked them to build a palace bigger than that of her father and include servants, an army and other amenities. The three sisters immediately created all those things. Thus, the couple let them go.
The next morning, when the people saw a big palace with gardens and an army, the people of the town were amazed. After some days, the daughter decided to go meet her parents. She left her palace accompanied by musical bands and a great number of soldiers. When the king heard that a big army was approaching his country, he kept his military on alert. The daughter sent messengers to her father that she was coming. Hearing that their daughter was coming, they became very happy. They welcomed the couple. In this way, they had a joyful reunion after a long time.
Finally, the king quit his long standing position and accepted that a person with a good omen is the greatest, the richest and the luckiest person in the world. He found those virtues in his daughter.
