Long ago, on the coast of Andhra Pradesh, there lived a rich woman called Devayani. She had a beautiful daughter called Kadambari, and three sons. Prakash and Abhilash were tall and strong. They youngest Nagendra, was short and small, but handsome.
Devayani decided to build a house near the sea Bay of Bengal. But her neighbors said, `Don’t! Buthappa, the bad –tempered giant of the sea, will carry away your pretty daughter.’
Every one was afraid of Buthappa, but Devayani said, `I am not afraid. He owns the sea, but not the land.’
Devayani built house, and sure enough, one day Buthappa came crashing through the weaves and carried off Kadambari to his castle under the sea. Devayani was very sad.
Prakash said, `mother, don’t cry. Give me a ship. I shall bring Kadambari home.’
So Devayani built him a fine ship, and he sailed away.
Suddenly, Buthappa rose out of the sea. He picked up the ship and hurled it into the weaves. The mast broke, and Prakash was hurt, but caught hold of the mast and pushed himself home through the weaves.
Then Abhilash tried, but the same thing happened to him.
Little Nagendra said, `I will bring her back, mother.’
`I can not send you,’ cried his mother. `You are too small.’
`But Nagendra borrowed a small boat, and off the he sailed.
Buthappa saw him and thought. `He’s only a boy.’ So he made the ea calm and Nagendra sailed on.
Nagendra sailed to Buthappa castle the top of the castle stuck out of the sea. Nagendra climbed out of his boat, swam into the castle, and found Kadambari.
`What are you doing here?’ she cried in surprise.
When Buthappa returned, Kadambari spoke to him sweetly.
`A small boy, a friend of mine, came here today.’ She said. `Can he stay for a while?’
`I saw him this morning,’ said Buthappa. `He can stay for a bit.’
So Nagendra stayed in the castle with his sister. The weeks went by, but Nagendra missed his mother.
One evening Kadambari said to Buthappa: `This poor boy is very sad. Let him go and see his mother and then come back. Send him home with a present, if you are not too poor.’
`Poor, I am the king of the sea. I am rich!’ the giant shouted. He took Kadambari and showed her a wooden chest full of gold coins.
`He can carry this home to his mother,’ said the giant.
`You are very kind,’ said Kadambari. `But the chest is very heavy. You will have to help him’.
`I shall,’ said Buthappa.
`And,’ Kadambari said, `you will have to start very early tomorrow, so I shall say goodbye now.’ And off she went to bed.
Early the next morning Buthappa came and picked up Nagendra in one arm, and the chest in the mother arm, and swam out sea. He felt Nagendra and the chest safely on land. Then he swam home again.
`Mother, I have come home,’ cried Nagendra. `And look at the wonderful present I have brought.’
When his mother opened the lid of the chest, there were no coins there. Out jumped Kadambari from her hiding place.
How happy they all were!