“With these words he took a round sweetmeat from among them and threw it to a dog. As soon as the dog ate it he died convulsed. Seeing this turn of affairs, the prince became incensed, and began to say, ‘It is unbecoming to associate with so false a woman; up to this hour her love has found place in my heart; now, however, it is all over.’ * On hearing this the minister’s son said, ‘Your majesty! what has happened, has happened (i.e., let bygones be bygones); you should now act in such a manner that you may be able to get her away to your home.’ The prince said, ‘Brother! this, too, can be accomplished by you alone.’ The minister’s son said, ‘To-day do this one thing,—go again to Padmãvati, and do just what I tell you,—first go and display much regard and affection for her; (and) when she falls asleep, take off her jewels, and strike her on the left thigh with this trident, and instantly come away from thence.’”
“Having received these instructions, the prince went to Padmãvati at night, and after much affectionate conversation, they both lay down together to sleep; but he was secretly watching his opportunity..To be brief, when the princess fell asleep, he took off all her ornaments, struck her on the left thigh with the trident, and came to his own house. He recounted all the occurrences to the minister’s son, and laid the jewels before him. He then took up the jewels, took the prince with him, and, assuming the guise of a devotee, went and sat in a place for burning bodies. He himself took the part of a spiritual teacher, and making him (the prince) his disciple, said to him, ‘You go into the market and sell these jewels; if anyone should seize you while doing this, bring him to me.’”
“Receiving his instructions, the prince took the jewels with him to the city, and showed them to a goldsmith in close proximity to the king’s palace-gate. As soon as he saw them he recognised them, and said, ‘These are the princess’s jewels; tell me truly, where did you get them?’ He was saying this to him when ten or twenty more men gathered round. To be brief, the kotwãl, hearing the news, sent men and had the prince, together with the jewels and the goldsmith, seized and brought before him, and inspecting the jewels, asked him to state truly where he had got them. When he said, ‘My spiritual preceptor has given them to me to sell, but I know not whence he got them,’—then the kotwãl had the preceptor also apprehended and brought before him, and taking them both, together with the jewels, into the presence of the king, related all the circumstances.”
“On hearing the narrative the king addressed the devotee, saying, ‘Master! whence did you obtain these jewels?’ The devotee said, ‘Your majesty! on the fourteenth night of the dark lunar fortnight I visited a burning-ground to perfect some spells for a witch: when the witch came, I took off her jewels and apparel, and made the impression of a trident on her left thigh; in this way these ornaments came into my possession.’ On hearing this statement of the devotee’s, the king went into his private apartments, and the devotee to his seat * (in the burning-ground). The king said to the queen, ‘Just see if there is a mark on Padmãvati’s left thigh or not, and (if so) what sort of a mark there is.’ The queen having gone and looked, found the mark of a trident. She returned and said to the king, ‘Your majesty! there are three parallel marks; indeed, it appears as if some one had struck her with a trident.’”
“On hearing this account, the king came out and sent for the kotwãl, and told him to go and bring the devotee. The kotwãl set off to bring the devotee on the instant of receiving the order; and the king began reflecting thus,—‘The affairs of one’s household, and the intentions of one’s heart, and any loss which has befallen one—these it is not right to disclose to anyone;’ when, in the interval, the kotwãl brought the devotee into the presence. Then the king took the devotee aside and questioned him, saying, ‘Spiritual guide! what punishment is laid down in the scriptures for a woman?’ On this the devotee said, ‘Your majesty! if a Brahman, a cow, a wife, a child, or any one dependent on us, be guilty of a disgraceful act, it is prescribed that such should be banished from the country.’”
“On hearing this the king had Padmãvati conveyed away in a litter and left in a jungle. Thereupon both the prince and the minister’s son started from their lodging on horseback, went to that jungle, took the Princess Padmãvati with them, and set out for their own country. After some days each reached his father’s house. The greatest joy took possession of all, high and low; and these (i.e., the prince and the princess,) entered upon a life of mutual happiness.”
After relating so much of the tale the sprite asked King Vikramãjït, “To which of those four does guilt attach? If you do not decide this point, you will be cast into hell.” King Vikram said, “The guilt attaches to the king.” The sprite replied, “How does the sin fall on the king?” Vikram answered him thus, “The minister’s son simply did his duty to his master; and the kotwãl obeyed the king’s command; and the princess attained her object; hence, the guilt falls on the king for having inconsiderately expelled her from the country.”
On hearing these words from the king’s mouth, the sprite went and suspended himself on that same tree.
On looking about him, the king perceived that the sprite was not present; so he went straight away back, and, reaching that place, climbed up the tree, bound the corpse, and placing him on his shoulders, set off. Then the sprite said, “O king! the second story is as follows:—”
“On the bank of the Yamunã (Jamnã) is a city named Dharmmasthal, the king of which is named Gunãdhip. Moreover, a Brahman named Kesava lives there, who is in the habit of performing his devotions and religious duties on the banks of the Jamnã; and his daughter’s name was Madhumãvati. She was very beautiful. When she became marriageable, her mother, father, and brother, were all three intent on getting her married. It happened that while her father had gone one day, with one of his supporters, * to a marriage ceremony somewhere, and her brother to his teacher’s in the village, for instruction, in their absence a Brahman’s son came to the house. Her mother, seeing the youth’s beauty. and excellent qualities, said, ‘I will give my daughter in marriage to thee.’ And there the Brahman had agreed to give his daughter to a young Brahman; while his son had given his word to a Brahman at the place where he had gone to study, that he would give him his sister.”
“After some days those two (i.e., the father and son) arrived with the two youths, and here (at home) the third youth was stopping from the first (awaiting them). One’s name was Tribikram, the other’s Bãman; the third’s Madhusüdan; they were all on a par in point of good looks, moral excellence, learning, and age. On seeing them, the Brahman began to reflect thus, ‘One girl, and three suitors-elect! To whom shall I give her, to whom not? And we have all three given our words to the three of them: this is a strange piece of business that has happened! What shall I do?’”
“He was sitting reflecting thus when in the meantime a snake bit the girl, (and) she died. On hearing the news, her father, brother, and the three youths, all five ran off in a body, and, after much toil and trouble, brought all the snake-charmers, conjurers, and as many practisers of magic arts for the purpose of expelling poison, as there were (in the place). They all looked at the girl, and said she could not be restored to life. The first said, ‘A man bitten by a snake on the fifth, sixth, eighth, nine, or fourteenth day of the lunar month does not survive.’ A second said, ‘One who has been bitten on a Saturday or Tuesday, too, does not live.’ A third said, ‘Poison which has ascended (into the system) when the moon is in the fourth, tenth, ninth, sixteenth, nineteenth, and third asterisms of its path, does not descend.’ * A fourth said, ‘One bitten in any of the following members, viz., an organ of sense, the lips, the cheek, the neck, the abdomen, or the navel, cannot escape.’”
“A fifth said, ‘In this instance even Brahma could not restore to life; of what account are we then? Do you now perform her funeral rites; we are off.’ Having said this, the conjurers went away; and the Brahman took the corpse away, burnt it in the place for such rites, and went off.”
“Now, after he had gone, those three youths acted in this wise:—One of them picked up and fastened together her charred bones, and becoming a religious mendicant, went forth to wander from forest to forest.
“The second, having tied her ashes up in a bundle, built a hut, and began living on that very spot. The third became a devotee, furnished himself with a wallet and neck-band, and set out to wander from land to land. One day he went to a Brahman’s house in some country for food. The resident * Brahman, on seeing him, began to say. ‘Very well; eat food here to-day.’ On hearing this he sat down there. When the food was ready, he had his hands and feet washed, and took and seated him in the square place where the food was cooked, and himself sat down near him; and his wife came to serve out the food. Some was served, some remained, when her youngest son cried, and seized the border of his mother’s mantle. She was trying to make him let it go, but he would not; and as much as she tried to soothe him, he but cried the more, and became more obstinate. On this the Brahman’s wife, becoming angry, took up the child and threw him into the burning fire-place; the child was burnt to ashes.”
“When the Brahman (the guest) witnessed this occurrence, he rose up without eating anything. Then the master of the house said, ‘Why do you not eat?’ He replied, ‘How can one partake of food in his house where a diabolical deed has been perpetrated.’ On hearing this the householder arose, and going to another part of his house, brought a book on the science of restoring to life, took a charm from it, muttered some prayers, and brought his son back to life. Then that Brahman, seeing this wonder, began to ponder in his mind, ‘If this book were to fall into my hands I, too, could restore my beloved to life.’ Having made up his mind on this point, he ate the food, and tarried there. To be brief, when night came on, after some time all partook of supper, and went and lay down in their respective places, and were chatting together on one subject or another. The Brahman, too, went and lay down apart, but kept lying awake. When he thought that the night was far advanced, and all had gone to sleep, he arose quietly, softly entered his (host’s) room, took that book, and decamped; and in the course of several days he arrived at the place where he (the father) had burnt the Brahman’s daughter. He found the other two Brahmans there also, sitting and conversing together. Those two also, recognising him, approached and met him, and inquired, saying, ‘Brother! you have wandered from land to land, it is true; but, tell us, have you learned any science as well?’
“He said, ‘I have learned the science of restoring the dead to life.’ As soon as they heard this, they said, ‘If you have learned this, restore our beloved to life.’ He replied, ‘Make a heap of the ashes and bones, and I will restore it to life.’ They gathered together the ashes and bones. Then he took a charm out of the book, and muttered prayers; the girl rose up alive. Thereupon Cupid so blinded the three of them that they began wrangling among themselves.”
Having related so much of the tale, the sprite said, “O king! tell me this; to whom did that woman (by right) belong? (or, whose wife was she?).” King Vikram replied, “To him who built the hut and stayed there.” The sprite said, “If he had not preserved the bones, how could she have been restored to life? And if the other had not returned instructed in the science, how could he have restored her to life?” The king made answer thus:—“He who had preserved her bones, occupied the place of her son; and he who gave her life, became, as it were, her father; hence, she became the wife of him who built a hut and remained there with the ashes.” On hearing this answer, the sprite went again and suspended himself on that tree. The king, too, arrived close at his heels, and, having bound him, and placed him on his shoulder, started off with him again.
The sprite said, “O king! there is a city named Bardwãn, wherein is a king named Rüpsen. It happened one day that the king was seated in an apartment adjoining the gate (of his palace), when, from without the gate, the loud voices of some people reached him. The king said, ‘Who is at the gate? and what noise is that taking place?’ Upon this the gatekeeper replied, ‘Great king! you have asked a fine question! Knowing this to be the gate of a wealthy personage, numbers of persons of all kinds come and sit at it for the sake of money, and converse on a variety of topics; this is their noise.’”
“On hearing this the king kept silent. In the meanwhile a traveller, named Birbar, a Rajput, came from the south to the king’s gate, in the hope of obtaining service. The gate-keeper, after ascertaining his circumstances, said to the king, ‘Your majesty! an armed man has come in the hope of entering your service, and stands at the door: with your majesty’s leave he shall come before you.’ Having heard this, the king gave the order to bring him in. He went and brought him. Then the king asked, ‘O Rãjpüt! How much shall I allow thee for daily expenses?’ On hearing this Birbar said, ‘Give me a thousand tolas (about 833 oz.) of gold daily, and I shall be able to subsist.’ The king enquired, ‘How many persons are there with you (dependent on you)?’ He replied, ‘First, my wife; second, a son; third, a daughter; fourth, myself: there is no fifth person with me.’ Hearing him speak thus, all the people of the king’s court turned away their faces and began laughing; but the king began to consider why he had asked for a large sum of money. Ultimately he thought it out in his own mind, that a vast sum of money given away will some day prove of advantage. Coming to this conclusion, he sent for his treasurer and said, ‘Give this Birbar a thousand tolas of gold daily from my treasury.’
“On hearing this order, Birbar took a thousand tolas of gold for that day, and brought it to the place where he was staying, and dividing it into two parts, distributed one half among the Brahmans; and again dividing the remaining half into two parts, distributed one portion thereof among pilgrims, devotees, the worshippers of Vishnu, and religious mendicants; and of the one part which remained he had food cooked and fed the poor, and what remained over he consumed himself. In this way he, with his wife and children, used regularly to subsist. And every night he used to take his sword and shield and go and mount guard over the king’s couch; and when the king, roused from sleep, used to call out, ‘Is any, one in waiting?’ then he used to answer, ‘Birbar is in attendance; what may be your commands?’ Thus answered he whenever the king called out, and thereupon, whatever he (the king) ordered to be done, he executed.”
“In this way, through eagerness for wealth, he used to keep awake the whole night long; nay, whether eating, drinking, sleeping, sitting still, or moving about (that is to say) during the whole twenty-four hours (lit. eight watches), he used to keep his lord in mind. The practice is, that if one person sells another, this one becomes sold; but a servant, by entering service, sells himself; and, when sold, he becomes a dependant; and once dependant, he has no prospect of peace. It is notorious, that however clever, wise, and learned he may be, still, when he is in his master’s presence, he remains quite silent, like a dumb person, through fear. So long as he is aloof from him, he is at rest. On this account it is that the learned say, ‘To perform the duties of a servant is more difficult than to perform religious duties.’”
“(To) the story: It is related, that one day the weeping voice of a woman chanced to come at night-time from the burning-ground. On hearing it the king called out, ‘Is any one in waiting?’ Birbar instantly answered, ‘I am here; your commands.’ Thereupon the king gave him this order,—‘Go to the spot whence yon weeping voice of a woman proceeds, and enquire of her the cause of her weeping, and return quickly.’ Having given him this order the king began to say to himself, ‘Whosoever desires to test his servant should order him to do things in season and out of season; if he execute his order, know that he is worth something; and if he object, be sure that he is worthless. And in this same way prove brethren and friends in days of adversity, and a wife in poverty.’”
“In fine, on receiving this order, he took the direction whence the sound of her weeping proceeded; and the king also, after dressing himself in black, followed him secretly, for the purpose of observing his courage. In this interval Birbar arrived there. What does he behold in the burning-ground, but a beautiful woman, lavishly decked with jewels from head to foot, crying aloud and bitterly! At one moment she was dancing, at another leaping, at another running; and not a tear in her eyes! And while repeatedly beating her head, and crying out, ‘Alas! alas!’ she kept dashing herself on the ground. Seeing this her condition, Birbar asked, ‘Why art thou crying and beating thyself so violently? Who art thou? and what trouble has befallen thee?’”
“On this she said, ‘I am the royal glory.’ Birbar said, ‘Why art thou weeping?’ Upon this she began relating her case to Birbar, saying, ‘Impious acts (lit. acts such as a Shüdra performs) are committed in the king’s house, whence misfortune will find admission therein, and I shall depart thence; after the lapse of a month the king will suffer much affliction and die; this is the sorrow which makes me weep. Further, I have enjoyed great happiness in his house, and hence this regret: and this matter will in nowise prove false.’”
“Birbar then asked, ‘Is there any such remedy for it, whereby the king may escape, and live a hundred years?’ She said, ‘Towards the east, at a distance of four kos (eight miles), is a temple sacred to (the goddess) Devi; if you will cut off your son’s head with your own hand, and offer it to that goddess, then the king will reign a hundred years precisely as he now reigns, and no harm of any kind will’ befall the king.’”
“As soon as he had heard these words, Birbar went home, and the king also followed him. To be brief, when he got home, he awoke his wife, and minutely related the whole story to her. On hearing the circumstances, she roused the son alone; but the daughter also awoke. Then that woman said to her boy, ‘Son! by sacrificing your head the king’s life will be saved, and the government, too, will endure.’ When the boy heard this, he said, ‘Mother! in the first place, it is your command; in the second, it is for my lord’s service; thirdly, if this body come of use to a deity, nothing in the world is better for me; in my opinion, than this: it is not right to delay any longer now in this business. There is a saying, ‘If one have a son, to have him under control,—a body, free from disease,—science, such that one benefits thereby,—a friend, prudent,—a wife, submissive,—if these five things are obtainable by man, they are the bestowers of happiness and the averters of trouble: if a servant be unwilling, a king parsimonious, a friend insincere, and a wife disobedient, these four things are the banishers of peace and the promoters of misery.’”
“Birbar again addressed his wife, saying, ‘If thou wilt willingly give up thy child, I will take him away and sacrifice him for the king.’ She replied, saying, ‘I have no concern with son, daughter, brother, kinsfolk, mother, father, or any one; from you it is that my happiness proceeds; and in the moral Code, too, it is thus written,—‘A woman is purified neither by offerings nor by religious offices; her religion consists in serving and honouring her husband, no matter whether he be lame, maimed in the hands, dumb, deaf, blind of both eyes, blind of one eye, a leper, hunch-backed,—of whatever kind he be, if she perform any description of virtuous action in the world, while she does not obey her husband, she will fall into hell.’ His son said, ‘Father! the man by whom’ his master’s business is accomplished—his continuing to live in the world is attended with advantage; and in this there is advantage in both worlds.’ Then his daughter said, ‘If the mother give poison to the daughter, and the father sell the son, and the king seize everything, then whose protection shall we seek?”’
“The four, deliberating with one another somewhat after the above fashion, went to the temple of Devi. The king also secretly followed them. When Birbar arrived there, he entered the temple, paid his adoration to Devi, and joined his hands in supplication, and said, ‘O Devi! grant that by the sacrificing of my son the king may live a hundred years.’ Saying so much, he struck such a blow with the sword that his son’s head fell upon the ground. On witnessing her brother’s death, the daughter struck a blow with the sword on her own neck, so that her head and body fell asunder. Seeing her son and daughter dead, Birbar’s wife struck such a stroke with the sword on her own neck, that her head was severed from her body. Further, seeing the death of those three, Birbar, reflecting in his mind, began to say, ‘When my son is dead, for whose sake shall I retain service? and to whom shall I give the gold I receive from the king?’ Having reflected thus, he struck such a blow with the sword on his own neck, that his head was severed from his body. Again, beholding the death of these four, the king sajd to himself, ‘For my sake the lives of his family have perished; accursed is it any longer to govern a realm for which the whole family of one is destroyed, while one holds sovereignty; it is no virtue thus to reign.’ Having deliberated thus, the king was on the point of killing himself with the sword; in the meantime, however, Devi came and seized his hand, and said, ‘Son! I am well pleased at thy courage, and will grant thee whatever boon thou mayest ask of me.’ The king said, ‘Mother! if thou art pleased, restore all these four to life.’ Devi said, ‘This same shall take place,’ and on the instant of saying it, Bhawãni brought the water of life from the nether regions, and restored all four to life. After that the king bestowed half his kingdom on Birbar.”
Having related so much, the sprite said, “Blessed is the servant who did not grudge his life, and that of his family, for his master’s sake! And happy is the king who showed no eagerness to cling to his dominion and his life. O king! I ask you this,—Whose virtue, of those five, was the most excellent?” Then King Vikramãjït said, “The king’s virtue was the greatest.” The sprite asked, “Why?” Then the king answered, saying, “It behoves the servant to lay down his life for his master, for this is his duty; but since the king gave up his throne for the sake of his servant, and valued not his life at a straw, the king’s merit was the superior.” Having heard these words, the sprite again went and suspended himself on the tree in that burning-ground.
The king, having gone there again, bound the sprite and brought him away. Then the sprite said, “O king! there is a town named Bhogwati, of which Rüpsen is the king, and he has a parrot named Chürãman. One day the king asked the parrot, ‘What different things do you know?’ Then the parrot said, ‘Your majesty! I know everything.’ The king rejoined, ‘Tell me, then, if you know where there is a beautiful maiden equal to me in rank.’ Then the parrot said, ‘Your majesty! in the country of Magadh there is a king named Magadheshwar, and his daughter’s name is Chandrãvatï; you will be married to her. She is very beautiful, and very learned.’”
“On hearing these words from the parrot, the king summoned an astrologer named Chandrakãnt, and asked him, ‘To what maid shall I be married?’ He also, having made the discovery through his knowledge of astrology, said, ‘There is a maiden named Chandrãvatï; you will be married to her.’
“Hearing these words, the king summoned a Brahman, and after explaining all, said to him at the moment of despatching him to King Magadheshwar, ‘If you return, after placing the arrangements for my marriage on a firm basis, I will make you happy.’ Having heard these words, the Brahman took leave.”
“Now, in the possession of King Magadheshwar’s daughter was a maina, whose name was Madanmanjari.
“In the same way the princess, too, one day asked Madanmanjari, ‘Where is there a husband worthy of me?’ On this the maina said, ‘Rüpsen is the King of Bhogwati; he will be thy lord.’ To be brief, unseen (of one another), the one had become enamoured of the other, when, in the course of a few days, the Brahman also arrived there, and delivered his own sovereign’s message to that king. He too consented to his proposal, and summoning a Brahman of his own, entrusted to him the nuptial gifts and all customary things, sent him along with that Brahman, and gave him this injunction, ‘Do you go and present my compliments to the king, and having marked his forehead with the usual unguents, return quickly: when you return I will make preparations for the wedding.’”
“The short of the story is, the two Brahmans set out thence. In the course of some days they arrived at King Rüpsen’s, and related all the occurrences of that place. On hearing this the king was pleased, and after making all (necessary) preparations, set out to be married. Reaching that country after some days, he married, and after receiving the bridal gifts and dowry, and bidding adieu to the king, started for his own kingdom. When leaving, the princess took Madanmanjari’s cage with her too. After some days they arrived in their own country, and commenced living happily in their palace.”
“It happened one day that the cages of both the parrot and the mainã were placed near the throne, and the king and queen entered into conversation, saying, ‘No one’s life passes happily without a companion; hence it is best for us to marry the parrot and mainã to one another, and put them both in one cage; then will they also live happily.’ After conversing together thus, they had a large cage brought, and put both into it.”
“Some days after, the king and queen were seated conversing with each other, when the parrot began to talk to the mainã, saying, ‘Sexual intercourse is the essence of all bliss in this world; and he who, on being born into the world, has not enjoyed sexual intercourse—his life has been passed in vain. Hence, do thou let me copulate with thee.’ On hearing this the mainã said, ‘I have no desire for a male.’ Thereupon he inquired ‘Why?’ The mainã said, ‘The male sex are sinful, irreligious, deceivers, and wife-killers.’ Hearing this, the parrot said, ‘The female sex, too, are deceitful, false, stupid, avaricious creatures, and murderesses.’”
“When the two commenced wrangling in this manner, the king asked, ‘Why are you two quarrelling with each other?’ The maina replied, ‘Great king! the male sex are evil-doers and wife-killers, and hence I have no desire to have a male partner. Your majesty! I will tell you a tale, do you be pleased to hearken; for such (as I describe them) are men.’”
“‘There was a city named Ilãpur, and a merchant named Mahãdhan dwelt there, who could not get a family. On this account he was continually making pilgrimages and keeping fasts, and always hearing the Purãnas read, and he used to give gifts largely to the Brahmans. In fine, after some considerable time, by God’s will, a son was born in that merchant’s house. He celebrated the event with great pomp, and gave large gifts to the Brahmans and bards, and also gave away a good deal to the hungry, thirsty, and indigent. When he reached the age of five years, he placed him (in school) for instruction. He used to leave home for the purpose of learning, but used to gamble with the boys when he got there.”
“‘After some time the merchant died, and he (the son) becoming his own master, used to spend his days in gambling and his nights in fornication. Thus he dissipated his whole wealth in a few years, and having no alternative, quitted his country, and proceeding from bad to worse, arrived at the city of Chandrapur. In that place dwelt a merchant named Hemgupt, who possessed much wealth. He went to him, and mentioned his father’s name and circumstances. He (the merchant) felt instant pleasure on hearing these accounts; and rising and embracing him, inquired, ‘How came you here?’ Then he said, ‘I had engaged a vessel, and set out for an island to trade, and having arrived there, and sold the goods, had taken in other goods as cargo, and left with the vessel for my own land, when suddenly so violent a storm arose that the ship was wrecked, and I was left seated on a plank; and so, drifting on, I have reached this shore. But I feel a sense of shame at having lost all my property and wealth. How can I now return and show my face to my fellow-citizens in this state?’”
“‘To be brief, when he uttered such words in his presence, he (the merchant) too began to think to himself, ‘God has relieved me of any anxiety without any effort of my own (lit. I sitting at home); now, a coincidence like this occurs through the mercy of God alone; it behoves me to make no delay now. The best thing to be done is to give my girl in marriage * to him; whatever is done now is best; as for the morrow—who knows what it may bring forth!’ Forming this grand design in his mind, he came to his wife and began to say, ‘A merchant’s son has arrived; if you approve, we will give Ratnãvati in marriage to him.’ She, too, was delighted on hearing (this), and said, ‘Sir merchant! when God brings about a coincidence like this, then alone does it occur; for the desire of our hearts has been obtained without our bestirring ourselves in the least (lit., we sitting quietly at home); hence, it is best not to delay, but quickly send for the family priest, have the auspicious moment determined, and give her away in marriage.’ Hereupon the merchant sent for the priest, had the fortunate planetary conjunction determined, and gave his daughter away, bestowing a large dowry upon her. In fine, when the marriage had taken place, they commenced living together there.”
“‘To proceed:—After some days, he said to the merchant’s daughter, ‘A long time has passed since I arrived in your land, and no news of my household has reached me, and my mind remains troubled in consequence. I have told you my whole case; you should now so explain matters to your mother that she may, of her own free will, allow me to depart, that I may return to my own city. If it be your wish, do you also come.’ On this, she said to her mother, ‘My husband desires permission to depart to his own land; do you, too, act in such a manner now that his mind may receive no pain.’”
“‘The merchant’s wife went to her husband, and said, ‘Your son-in-law asks leave to return home.’ On hearing this, the merchant said, ‘Very well; we will let him go, for we can exercise no authority over a stranger’s son; we will, do that alone wherein his pleasure consists.’ Having said this, he sent for his daughter, and asked, ‘Will you go to your father-in-law’s, or remain at your mother’s? Speak your own mind.’ At this she blushed, and gave no answer, (but) returned to her husband, and said, ‘My parents have declared that they will do that wherein your pleasure consists; don’t you leave me behind.’ To be brief, the merchant summoned his son-in-law, loaded him with wealth, and dismissed him, and allowed his daughter to accompany him in a litter, together with a female servant. After this, he set out from thence.”
“‘When he reached a certain jungle, he said to the merchant’s daughter, ‘There is great danger here; if you will take off your jewels and give them to me, I will fasten them round my waist; when we come to a town you can put them on again.’ She no sooner heard this than she took off all her ornaments, and he having taken them, and sent away the bearers of the litter, killed the woman-servant and threw her into a well, and pushing her (his wife) into a well also, went off to his own country with all the jewels.”
“‘In the meantime, a traveller came along that road, and hearing the sound of weeping, stopped, and began to say to himself, ‘How comes the weeping voice of a human bring (to be heard) in this jungle?’ Having reflected thus, he proceeded in the direction of the sound of the crying, and perceived a well. On looking into it, what does he behold but a woman weeping! Then he took out the woman, and commenced questioning her on her circumstances, saying, ‘Who art thou, and how didst thou fall into this (well)?’ On hearing this, she said, ‘I am the daughter of Hemgupt, the merchant, and was accompanying my husband to his country, when thieves waylaid us, killed my servant and threw her into a well, and bound and carried off my husband together with my jewels. I have no intelligence of him, nor he of me.’ When he heard this, the traveller took her along with him, and left her at the merchant’s door.”
“‘She went to her parents. They, at the sight of her, began enquiring, ‘What has happened to thee?’ She said, ‘Robbers came and plundered us on the road, and after killing the servant and casting her into a well, pushed me into a dry well, and bound and carried off my husband, together with my jewels. When they began demanding more money, he said to them, ‘You have taken all I possessed, what have I now left?’ Beyond this, whether they killed him or let him go, I have no knowledge.’ Then her father said, ‘Daughter! feel no anxiety; thy husband lives, and, God willing, will join thee in a few days, for robbers take money, not life.’”
“‘In fine, the merchant gave her other ornaments in place’ of all that had disappeared, and comforted and consoled her greatly. And the merchant’s son, also, having reached home, and sold the jewels, spent his days and nights in the company of loose women, and in gambling, so much so, that all his money was expended. Then he came to want bread. At last, when he began to suffer extreme misery, he one day bethought himself of going to his father-in-law’s, and pretending that a grandson had been born to him, and that he had come to congratulate him on the event. Having determined on this in his mind, he set out.”
“‘In the course of several days he arrived there. When he was about to enter the house, his wife saw from the front that her husband was coming (and said to herself), ‘He must not be allowed to turn back through any apprehension he may feel.’ Upon this she approached him and said, ‘Husband! be not at all troubled in mind; I have told my father that robbers came and killed my servant, and after making me take off all my jewels, and casting me into a well, bound and carried off my husband. Do you tell the same tale; feel no anxiety; the house is yours, and I am your slave.’ After speaking thus she entered the house. He went to the merchant, who rose and embraced him, and questioned him on all that had befallen him. He related everything precisely as his wife had instructed him to do.”
“‘Rejoicings took place throughout the house. Then the merchant, after providing him with the means of bathing, and placing food before him, and after ministering much comfort, said, ‘This house is yours, abide (here) in peace.’ He commenced living there. In brief, after several days the merchant’s daughter came and lay with him one night with her jewels on, and fell asleep. When it was midnight, he perceived that she had fallen into a sound sleep. He then inflicted such a wound on her neck, that she died; and after stripping her of all her jewels, he took the road to his own country.”
“‘After narrating so much the maina said, ‘This, your majesty! I saw with my own eyes. For this reason I have no wish to have anything to do with a male. You see, your majesty! what villains men are! Who would love such, and so cherish a serpent in her own home? Will your majesty be pleased to consider this point,—What crime had that woman committed?’”
“Having heard this, the king said, ‘O parrot! do you tell me what faults there are in women.’ Thereupon the parrot said, ‘Attend, O king!’”
“‘There is a city (called) Kanchanpur, where (dwelt) a merchant, named Sãgardatt, whose son’s name was Shridatt. The name of another city is Jayshripur, where there was a merchant, named Somadatt, and his daughter’s name was Jayshri. She had married the son of that merchant, and the son had gone to a certain country to trade. She used to live at her parents’ house. In fine, when he had spent twelve years in trading, and she arrived at woman’s estate here, she one day addressed a companion of hers thus: ‘Sister! my youth is being wasted; up to this moment I have tasted none of the world’s joys.’ On hearing these words, her companion said to her, ‘Be of good cheer! God willing, thy husband will soon come and join thee.’”
“‘She got vexed at these words, and ascending to the upper chamber, and peeping through the lattice, saw a young man coming along. When he drew near her, his eyes and hers suddenly met. The hearts of both went forth to one another. Then she said to her companion, ‘Bring that man to me.’ On hearing this, the companion went and said to him, ‘Somadatt’s daughter wishes to see you in private; but do you come to my house.’ She then put him on the track to her house. He said, ‘I will come at night.’ The companion came and informed the merchant’s daughter that he had promised to come at night. When she heard this, Jayshri said to her companion, ‘You go home; when he arrives, let me know, and I will also come when free to leave home.’”
“‘On hearing her words, her companion went home, and seating herself at the door, began watching for his coming. In the meantime he arrived. She seated him in the doorway, saying, ‘You sit here; I will go and give notice of your arrival.’ And she came to Jayshri and said, ‘Your sweetheart has arrived.’ On hearing this she said, ‘Wait awhile; let the household go to sleep, and then I will come.’ And so, after some delay, when it was near midnight, and all had gone to sleep, then she arose softly and accompanied her, and arrived there in a very short time; and the two met in her house without restraint. When nearly an hour and a half * of night remained, she rose and returned home, and went quietly to sleep; and he also went to his house at daybreak.”
“‘Many days passed thus. At last her husband, too, returned from foreign parts to his father-in-law’s house. When she beheld her husband she became troubled in mind, and said to her companion, ‘Such is my anxiety, what shall I do? whither shall I go? Sleep, hunger, thirst, all are forgotten; nothing is agreeable to me (lit. neither hot nor cold pleases me). And she told her the whole state of her heart. To be brief, she got through the day somehow or other; but at night, when her husband had finished supper, his mother-in-law had a bed made for him in a separate building, and sent word to him to go and take repose, while she said to her daughter, ‘You go and do your duty to your husband.’”
“‘She turned up her nose and knitted her brows on hearing this, and remained silent. On this her mother rebuked her sharply, and sent her off to him. Being powerless, she went there, but lay on the bed with her face turned away. The more he kept addressing her in words of tenderness, the more vexed would she become. On this he presented her with all the various descriptions of apparel, and the jewels which he had brought for her from different places, and said, ‘Wear these.’ Then, in truth, she became still more vexed, and frowned and turned away her face. And he, too, went to sleep in despair; for he was fatigued with the journey. To her, however, thinking of her lover, sleep came not.”
“‘When she thought that he was in an unconscious sleep, she arose softly, and leaving him asleep, went fearlessly in the dark night to the abode of her lover; and a thief seeing her on the way, thought to himself ‘Where can this woman be going, alone, with her jewels on, at this midnight hour.’ Thus soliloquising, he followed her. In short, she managed somehow to reach her lover’s house. Now, there, a snake had bitten and left him; he was lying dead. She thought he was sleeping. Being, as it was, consumed with the fire of separation, she clasped him to her without restraint, and began caressing him; and the thief from a distance was watching the fun.”
“‘An evil spirit, too, was seated on a pipal tree there, looking on at the scene. All at once it came into his mind to enter his (dead) body and have carnal intercourse with her. Having resolved on this, he entered the body, and after having intercourse with her, bit off her nose with his teeth, and went and sat on the same tree. The thief observed all these occurrences. And she, in despair, went as she was, all stained with blood, to her companion, and related all that had happened. Whereupon her companion said, ‘Go quickly to thy husband ere yet the sun rise, and, arrived there, weep aloud and bitterly. If any one should question thee, say, ‘He has cut off my nose.’”
“‘She went thither on the instant of hearing her companion’s words, and commenced weeping and wailing excessively. Hearing the noise of her weeping, all her relations came, and lo! she had no nose,—was sitting noseless! Then they exclaimed, ‘O you shameless, wicked, pitiless, mad wretch! Why have you bitten off her nose without any fault on her part?’ He, too, became alarmed on witnessing this farce, and began to say to himself, ‘Trust not a wanton-minded woman, a black snake, an armed man, an enemy,—and fear the wiles of a woman. What can an eminent poet not describe? What does he not know who has acquired supernatural power? What absurd nonsense does a drunkard not chatter? What can a woman not accomplish? True it is, that the defects of horses, the thunder of the clouds, the wiles of woman, and the destiny of man,—these things even the gods do not comprehend; what power has man, then (to understand them)?’”
“‘In the meantime her father gave information of the occurrence to the city magistrate. Policemen came from the station there, and bound and brought him before the magistrate. The magistrate of the city gave notice to the king. The king having sent for him, and questioned him about the case, he declared he knew nothing. And on his summoning the merchant’s daughter, and interrogating her, she replied, ‘Your majesty! when you see plainly (what has happened), why do you question me?’ Then the king said to him, ‘What punishment shall I inflict on thee?’ On hearing this, he replied, ‘Do unto me whatever you deem just.’ The king said, ‘Away with him, and impale him!’ On receiving the king’s order the people took him away to impale him.”
“‘Observe the coincidence;—that thief was also standing there, looking on at the scene. When he was convinced that this man was about to be unjustly put to death, he raised a cry for justice. The king summoned him, and asked, ‘Who art thou?’ He said, ‘Great king! I am a thief; and this man is innocent; his blood is about to be unjustly shed; you have not given judgment at all wisely.’ Hereupon the king summoned him (the husband) also, and questioned the thief, saying, ‘Declare the truth on thy honour! What are the facts of this case?’ The thief then gave a detailed account of the circumstances; and the king, too, comprehended them thoroughly. Ultimately he sent attendants, and had the woman’s nose brought from the mouth of her lover, who was lying dead, and inspected it. Then he was assured that the man was guiltless, and the thief truthful. Hereupon the thief said, ‘To cherish the good, and punish evil-doers, has from of old been a duty of kings.’”
“After relating so much of the tale, the parrot Chürãman said, ‘Great king! such embodiments of all crime are women! The king having had the woman’s face blackened and her head shaved, had her mounted on an ass, and taken round the city, and then set at liberty; and after giving betel-leaf to the thief and the merchant’s son, he allowed them to depart.’”
Having related so much of the story, the sprite said, “O king! to which of these two does the greater guilt attach?” Then King Bir Vikramãjit said, “To the woman.” On this the sprite said, “How so?” On hearing this, the king said, “However depraved a man may be, still some sense of right and wrong remains in him; but a woman does not give a thought to right and wrong; hence great guilt attached to the woman.” Hearing these words, the sprite went again and hung himself on the same tree. The king went again and took him down from the tree, tied him up in a bundle, placed him on his shoulder, and carried him away.