The Saint's Daughter

A saint and his wife were childless and longed for a child. One day, while the saint was meditating outdoors, an eagle accidentally dropped a female mouse into his lap. With his yogic powers, he turned the mouse into a girl and took her home.

"Who is this girl? Where have you brought her from?" asked the saint's wife curiously. 

The saint narrated the story. 

"God has sent her to us," said the wife ecstatically. "We will raise her as our own."

The girl grew into a beautiful young woman, and the saint and his wife decided it was time to marry her off. The saint wanted his daughter to marry the Sun God and summoned him. But the young woman said, "Forgive me, Father, but I cannot marry him, as he is scorching."

The saint was disheartened and asked the Sun God if he could suggest a more suitable groom for his daughter. "The Cloud God," answered the Sun God. "He alone can protect her from the heat of my sunshine."

The saint then summoned the Cloud God. But the saint's daughter said, "I will not marry this dark entity. Besides, clouds cause thunder, which frightens me." 

The saint was again saddened. He asked the Cloud God to suggest a more worthy groom. "The Wind God," replied the Cloud God. "He can easily blow me away."

The saint then summoned the Wind God and asked his daughter her opinion. "I cannot marry such an unstable individual," she replied. "He always flies here and there." 

This reply upset the saint, who asked the Wind God to recommend a better match for his daughter. "The King of the Mountains is solid and stable," answered the Wind God. "He can easily stop me from blowing and will be the ideal groom for your daughter."

The saint and his daughter went to meet the Mountain King. But his daughter said, "I cannot marry someone who is so hard and cold."

Now, the saint was really worried that his daughter would remain unmarried. He asked the King of the Mountains who would be a better groom for his daughter. "Marry her to a mouse!" said the Mountain King. "He is gentle and can easily make a hole in any mountain."

The saint and his daughter then approached a male mouse. This time, the young woman exclaimed, "I love him! Please turn me into a mouse so that I may marry him." 

"How strange is fate!" the saint wondered aloud. "You came to me as a female mouse, and I turned you into a girl. But since you were born a mouse, you were destined to marry a mouse." He then turned the young woman back into a female mouse.

Fate never changes.