What did the other women in the boat do after Princess Kundavai and Vanathi left for Kudandhai Jodhidar's house? Let us see that now.

"Hey Tharakai, see how lucky this Vanathi is - Kundavai Devi seems to have some special love for her."

"Nothing of that sort, Varani. Vanathi has been acting funny for the past few months - and she faints for no reason at all. That's why Kundavai Devi has taken her to the Jodhidar. In case a ghost or a spirit has possessed her, we need to exorcise it. Kundavai Devi is worried because Vanathi's parents are dead and her uncle has appointed Kundavai Devi as a guardian."

"You must be joking. No spirit or ghost can possess Vanathi. She herself is as vicious as a ghost."

"And you know what? She is a big con artist. She does not really faint. It is all an act."

"Yes Niravathi, you are right. And on that day, when the Prince had to leave for Sri Lanka, she let the aarathi plate fall down just to get his attention. Otherwise how can you just let go of something that you had in your hand? And our Prince is not a bear or a tiger to be frightened of."

"And immediately she pretended as if she lost consciousness. Imagine how clever you have to be to think that fast."

"The surprising thing is that Prince Arulmozhivarmar and Kundavai Devi believed that she had really fainted."

"Yes, the times are like that. People believe only those who cheat, lie and act these days. There is absolutely no value for truth or honesty."

"Yes, you are right. Prince Arulmozhivarmar who was ready to leave for battle came back to check whether she was alright - doesn't this show to what extent her acting was successful?"

"Nothing of that sort. It only shows how kindhearted our prince is. He had seen that a girl had fainted before he left. He naturally wanted to know what happened to her. You need not construe anything from this."

"You are right about the Prince. You cannot find a more benevolent prince anywhere in this world. And this Vanathi is trying to make a fool out of him with her acting skills."

"And once our Prince comes back from Sri Lanka she will try her skills again. We must not allow that to happen. We must be very careful."

"If I don't make this Vanathi go mad by the time the Prince comes back I will change my name from Tharakai to Thadakai!"

"Ok. Let us first finish the job that Kundavai Devi asked us to do. We will have to do it before she comes."

They opened the lower compartment of their boat. There lay a crocodile within it. It was a dead crocodile, which had been preserved and stuffed with straw and cotton. After they brought out the crocodile they rowed the boat to the shore. They placed the crocodile under a tree by the shore so that it was half within the water and half on land. They also tied the tail of the crocodile to a tree with a small rope so that it did not move away with the running waters of the Arisalaru.

"Hey Mandakini, why has Kundavai Devi asked us to tie this dead crocodile under the tree?"

"Don't you know? Vanathi is so very frightened of everything. Kundavai Devi wants to make her brave... that's why."

"Looks as if Kundavai Devi has decided to wed our Prince to this Vanathi."

"If that's the case I will poison her."

"You don't have to do all that. Kings from all over the world want to give their daughters to our Prince. When that's the case who is going to look at this Kodumbalur Vanathi."

"But our Prince says that if ever he gets married, it would be to a girl from Tamil Nadu."

"Then it is good for us. Vanathi is not the only clever girl in the world. If she can put on an act so can we. We all can try our best to marry him."

Why were these girls so jealous of Vanathi? We will learn that in the next chapter.
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