Saliya and Ashokamala-Read Story Here

Saliya and Ashokamala, the most famous love story in the Sri Lankan history.
    King Duthagamini had only one son.His name was Saliya.Saliya was a gentle person who loved poetry and music.He didn't care for armies,soldiers and war.
     One day Saliya was riding on his elephant in the forest,dreaming,when through the trees he heard a girl singing.It was such a lovely voice that Saliya slid off his elephant and crept toward the sound.What he saw made him stop and gasp.
       There,under ans Asoka tree,was a young girl.She was filling a basket with Asoka blossoms and singing.She was the most beautiful girl Saliya had ever seen."Oh,you're a goddess,"he whispered."You're all my dreams come true."The girl heard him and jumped back,dropping her basket.She saw a young man wearing splendid clothes and knew he must be of a high caste.
                   "Oh,sir! Don't come near me,"she cried."I'm a rodia,and outcast,and untouchable,"Now Saliya knew all about rodiyas.They were a group of dhada veddhas,forest dweller or hunters,who used to supply the royal kitchens with meat.Once,they has been unable to find animals to kill so they had to kill a little boy.The Princess Ratnavali had found the meat delicious.Even though she had found out that it was human flesh,she had not told the King.When the king finally heard about that,he banished the Princess Ratnavali and the dhada veddhas from his kingdom,calling rodiyas,untouchables and outcast.Since then the rodiyas had lived in the forests and no one would come near them or touch them.
   But now,Prince Saliya looked at the rodiya girl with love in his heart.She was so beautiful,he thought she must be the grand-grand-daughter of Princess Ratnavali herself,""So you're a rodiya,"he said."Tell me about yourself.""My name is Asokamala,"the girl began,"and.."With every passing moment Saliya fell more and more in love with Asokamala.And she,not knowing he was Prince Saliya,fell in love with him.Time flew as they talked.Neither had ever been so happy in their lives.
    Saliya did't go back to his father's palace.He stayed wit h the rodiyas and made their home his.King Duthagamini soon missed Prince Saliya.He sent out a search party to look for him.Several days later they found him in the rodiyas village in the forest.But he refused to go home.The King was very upset b the news.He went himself to talk to his son.He found him dressed like a rodia with a rodiya girl by his side.
    "My son,"said King Duthagamini sadly,"what have you done?"
"Why father,I've done nothing I'm ashamed of.I love this girl and I want her for my wife."
"My son,these people are outcasts,untouchables.How can a prince marry one of them?"
"Father!"cried the Prince."These people haven't committed any crime.Their ancestors did.We continue to punish innocent people for crimes their ancestors committed.In doing this,we are also committing a crime.You fight invaders to unite our people,Father,but if we have outcasts within our society,we're disunited from within.I beg you,get rid of this terrible caste system which ruins our nation.Then I'll come back with my queen."