Folktales of Odisha: The Story of Tapoi

Tapoi Story

Tapoi was the only daughter of a wealthy merchant named Tanyavant. She was the youngest and most beloved among her parents and seven brothers. Tapoi lived a very happy life, playing with her friends, like the minister’s daughter and other village girls, swinging and making pretend meals with sand and mud.

One day, while Tapoi was playing a game of cleaning grains, an old woman approached her and said, “You are the daughter of such a rich family; why are you playing like poor children? Tell your parents to make you a golden sieve (for cleaning grain) and a golden winnowing fan.” Tapoi conveyed this to her parents. They immediately summoned the finest goldsmiths and ordered a large golden winnowing fan encrusted with diamonds.

However, misfortune struck soon after. Tapoi’s father passed away when the fan was only half-complete. By the time the golden fan was finished, her mother also died. The family performed their final rites.

After some time, Tapoi’s brothers decided to leave for distant islands for trade. They organized everything at home and instructed their wives (Tapoi’s sisters-in-law) to take great care of Tapoi, to ensure her comfort and happiness. Initially, the sisters-in-law treated her well.

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But one day, an old beggar woman came to their house. She told Tapoi’s eldest sister-in-law, “Why are you spoiling your sister-in-law with so much affection? Though she is young, she will harm you by complaining to her brothers. Send her to graze goats in the forest. There, a tiger or a snake will kill her, and you can simply say she died of illness.”

Hearing this, the sisters-in-law started mistreating Tapoi. They dressed her in rags and sent her to graze goats in the forest, giving her only a handful of rice to eat. Except for the youngest sister-in-law, all — especially the eldest — were very cruel. Only once a week, when it was the youngest sister-in-law’s turn to send her food, Tapoi could eat properly.

One evening, a storm hit, and a goat named “Gharmani” went missing in the forest. The eldest sister-in-law became furious and threatened Tapoi that if she didn’t return with the goat that night, her nose would be cut off. Frightened, Tapoi went into the forest to search. She cried out “Gharmani, Gharmani” many times but to no avail. Then, she prayed to Mother Mangala Devi, and soon heard the goat’s bleating. She returned home with the goat.

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The eldest sister-in-law’s anger subsided slightly, but she denied Tapoi any food that night. The next day, the food given was so bad that Tapoi threw it away and remained hungry. She thought it would be better to die in the jungle than return home. That night, she did not go back. Crying bitterly, she poured out her sufferings.

Coincidentally, that same night, Tapoi’s brothers returned from their trade journey. From their boats, they heard someone crying and sent their youngest brother to investigate. He found Tapoi in the jungle. When the brothers saw her miserable state and heard about the sisters-in-law’s cruelty, they were furious.

The next day, when the sisters-in-law came to the boat to welcome the brothers, they asked, “Where is Tapoi?” They lied, claiming she had a headache. One by one, the brothers called their wives onto the boat for a religious ceremony. Tapoi, disguised as a goddess, cut off the noses of the six cruel sisters-in-law. When the youngest sister-in-law came, Tapoi threw the knife away and hugged her, saying, “Because of you, I am alive. You are like my mother.”

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Ashamed, the six noseless sisters-in-law did not return home and wandered into the forest, where a huge tiger ate them. A few days later, Tapoi married a wealthy merchant named Biranchi. Their wedding was grand, no less magnificent than a royal wedding.

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This folktale “Tapoi Katha” is adapted from Kunjabihari Das’s collection Lokagalpa Sanchayan. It’s a simple and touching story that highlights the joys and sorrows of little Tapoi and the behavior of her family.