Chapter II: Part 2

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.

TALE III.

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.

TALE IV.

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.’”

THE MAINA’S STORY.

“‘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.”

* Lit. “make the girl’s hands yellow.” Among the Hindus, for
some days before marriage, the hands of a betrothed couple
are stained yellow with turmeric.

“‘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!’”

THE PARROT’S STORY.

“‘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.”

* Lit,--“Four gharis.” A ghari is equal to twenty-four
minutes; and hence the exact time would be six minutes more
than “an hour and a half.”

“‘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.

TALE V.

The sprite said, “O king! there is a city named Ujjain, of which Mahãbal was king. Now, he had an envoy named Haridãs. The name of that envoy’s daughter was Mahãdevï. She was extremely beautiful. When she became marriageable, her father thought that he ought to seek a husband for her, and give her in marriage. In short, the girl one day said to her father, ‘Father! give me in marriage to some one who is possessed of all accomplishments. On this, he said, ‘I will give thee to one who is acquainted with all science.’”

“One day subsequent to this, the king summoned Haridãs, and said, ‘There is in the south a king named Harichand; go and ask after his health and welfare for me, and bring me news thereof.’ On receiving the king’s command he took leave, and arriving at that king’s after some days, delivered to him the whole message of his royal master, and took up his permanent abode near that monarch.”

“To be brief, it happened one day that the king questioned him, saying, ‘Haridãs! has the Iron Age (i.e. the fourth age of the world, or the age of vice) begun yet or not?’ On this he put his hands together and said, ‘Your majesty! we are already in the Iron Age (_lit_. the Iron Age is present); for falsehood is rife in the world, and truth has decreased; people utter soft words to one’s face, while they harbour deceit in their hearts; virtue has vanished; vice has increased; the earth has begun to yield less fruit; kings have begun levying contributions by violence; Brahmans have become covetous; women have abandoned modesty; the son obeys not the father’s command; brother trusts not brother; friendship has departed from amongst friends; faith is no longer found in masters, and servants have cast aside the duty they owe to masters, and every description of impropriety meets the eye.’”

“When he had said all this to the king, his majesty arose and went into the private apartments, and he (the envoy) came and sat down in his own place. In the meantime a Brahman’s son came to him and said, ‘I have come to solicit something of you.’ On hearing this, he said, ‘What request have you to make? Mention it.’ He replied, ‘Give me your daughter in marriage.’ Haridãs said, ‘I will give her to him in whom all accomplishments exist.’ Hearing this, he rejoined, ‘I am acquainted with all the sciences.’ Then said the envoy, ‘Show me something of thy knowledge; I shall thus be able to judge whether thou art versed in science.’ Hereupon the Brahman’s son said, ‘I have made a car which has this marvellous property, that it will convey you in a moment to any place you may wish to go to.’ Then Haridãs replied, ‘Bring the car to me in the morning.’”

“In fine, he brought the car to Haridãs early in the morning. Then the two mounted the car, and arrived in the City of Ujjain. Here, however, it so happened that, previous to his arrival, another Brahman’s son had come, and said to his eldest son, ‘Give me your sister in marriage and he also had replied, saying, ‘I will give her to one who is learned in all the sciences;’ and that Brahman’s son, too, had said, ‘I am acquainted with all knowledge and science.’ On hearing this, he had said, ‘To you will I give her.’ Another Brahman’s son had said to the girl’s mother, ‘Give me your daughter.’ She, too, had given him the same answer; viz., ‘I will give my girl to him who is acquainted with all science.’ That Brahman’s son also had replied, ‘I am acquainted with the whole body of science contained in the _Shãstras_, and can shoot an arrow which will hit an object which is merely heard, and not seen.’ On hearing this, she, too, had said, ‘I consent, and will give her to thee.’”

“In short, all the three suitors had come and met together in this way. Haridãs began to think to himself, ‘One girl and three suitors! to whom shall I give her, and to whom not?’ He was troubled with this thought, when a demon came at night and carried off the girl to the summit of a mountain in the Vindhyã range. It is said that too much of anything is not good. Sïtã was exceedingly beautiful, and Rãvan carried her off; King Bali gave gifts largely,--he became indigent; Rãvan utterly ruined his family by his excessive pride.”

“In brief, when mom arrived, and none of the household found the girl, they began to fancy all sorts of things; and the three suitors, too, on bearing of the matter, came there. One of them was a wise man,--him Haridãs questioned, saying, ‘O wise man! tell me whither the girl has gone?’ He considered for a moment or so, and said, ‘A demon has carried off your daughter, and lodged her on a mountain.’ On this, the second said, ‘I will kill the demon and bring her back.’ Then, again, the third said, ‘Mount my car and bring her back.’ On the instant of hearing this, he mounted the car, reached the place, slew the demon, and forthwith brought her back. And then they began quarrelling with one another. Thereupon the father pondered over the matter in his mind, and said, ‘All of them have conferred obligations on me, to whom shall I give her, and to whom not?’” Having related so much of the story, the sprite said, “Now, king Vikram! whose wife, out of the three, did the maiden become?” He replied, “She became the wife of him who slew the demon and brought her back.” The sprite said, “The good qualities of all were on a par,--how came she to become his wife?” The king replied, “The other two simply conferred favours, for which they were recompensed; but this one fought with and slew him (the demon) and brought her away, hence she became his wife.” On hearing this the sprite went again to the same tree, and suspended himself on it, and the king, too, went immediately, bound the sprite, placed him on his shoulder, and carried him off as before.

TALE VI.

Again the sprite said, “O king! there is a city named Dharmpur, of which Dharmshil was king; and his minister’s name was Andhak. He said one day to the king, ‘Your majesty! build a temple, and place an image of Devi therein, and pay constant adoration thereto, for this is said in the _Shãstra_ to possess great merit.’ Thereupon the king had a temple built and (the image of) Devi placed in it, and began offering adoration after the manner prescribed by the Vedas; and he would not drink water without having worshipped.”

“When a considerable time had passed thus, the minister said one day, ‘Great king! the saying is well known,--The house of a sonless man is empty, a fool’s mind is empty, and everything pertaining to an indigent person is empty.’ On hearing these words, the king went to the temple of Devi, and joining his hands in supplication, began to extol her, saying, ‘O Devi! Brahma, Vishnü, Rudra, Indra await thy bidding the livelong day; and thou it was who didst seize the demons Mahish-aspr, Chand Mund, Raktbij, and slaying the evil spirits, relieved the earth of its burthen; and wheresoever trouble has befallen thy worshippers, there thou hast gone and aided them; and in this hope I have approached thy threshhold; fulfil now the desire of my heart also.’”

“When the king had celebrated the praises of the goddess to this extent, a voice issued from the temple of Devi, saying, ‘King! I am well pleased with thee; ask any boon that thou may’st desire.’ The king said, ‘Mother! if thou art pleased with me, grant me a son.’ Devi replied, ‘King! thou shalt have a son (who shall be) very powerful and very glorious.’ Then the king made offerings of sandal, unbroken rice, flowers, incense, lamps and consecrated food, and paid adoration. Moreover, he made it a practice of worshipping thus daily. To be brief, after some days a son was born to the king. The king, with his family and kindred, proceeded with music and song, and worshipped at the shrine of Devi.”

“In the meantime, it happened one day that a washerman, accompanied by a friend of his, was coming from a certain town towards this city, and the temple of Devi met his eye. He resolved on prostrating himself (before the shrine). At that moment he beheld a washerman’s daughter, who was very handsome, coming towards him. He was fascinated at the sight of her, and went to worship Devi. After prostrating himself, he joined his hands in supplication, and said in his heart, ‘O Devi! if, through thy favour, my marriage to this beautiful being should take place, I will devote my head as an offering to thee.’ After making this vow, and prostrating himself, he took his friend with him, and went to his own city.”

“When he arrived there, the separation (from his love) so troubled him that sleep, hunger, thirst--all were forgotten. He spent the whole day in thoughts of her. On perceiving this woful state of his, his friend went and told his father all the circumstances. His father also became alarmed on hearing these things, and reflecting on the matter began to say, ‘From observing his state it seems (to me) that if his betrothal to that maiden does not take place, he will grieve to death; wherefore it is better to marry him to the girl, that thus he may be saved.’”

“Having thus considered, he took his son’s friend with him, and on reaching that town, went to the girl’s father and said, ‘I have come to solicit something of you; if you will grant my request, I will make it known.’ He replied, ‘If I possess the thing, I will give it; speak out.’ Having secured his promise thus, he said, ‘Give your daughter in marriage to my son.’ On hearing this, he too agreed to the proposal; and having had a priest called in, and the day, the auspicious conjunction, and the moment determined, said, ‘Bring your son; I, for my part, will stain my daughter’s hands yellow.’ * On hearing this, he arose, returned to his own house, got ready all the requisites for the marriage, and set out for the ceremony; and on reaching the place, and having the marriage ceremony performed, he took his son and daughter-in-law with him and returned home; and the bride and bridegroom commenced a happy life together.”

* Lit. “make the girl’s hands yellow.” Among the Hindus, for
some days before marriage, the hands of a betrothed couple
are stained yellow with turmeric.

“Again, after some time, an occasion of rejoicing arose at the girl’s father’s, and so an invitation came to these (the bride and bridegroom) also. The wife and husband got ready, and taking their friend with them, set out for that city. When they arrived near the place, the temple of Devi came in sight, and then, his vow came to his mind. Thereupon he reflected and said to himself, ‘I am a great liar, and a very irreligious wretch, for I have lied to Devi herself!’ Having said this to himself, he spoke to his friend, saying, ‘Do you tarry here while I pay a visit to Devi.’ And to his wife he said, ‘Do thou also stay here.’ Having said this and gone to the temple, he bathed in the pool, went before Devi, joined his hands in supplication, addressed her reverentially, and raised a sword and struck himself on the neck His head was severed from his body, and fell upon the ground.”

“To be brief, after some delay, his friend thought that as he had been gone a very long while and had not yet returned, he ought to go and see (what had happened); so he said to the wife, ‘Stay here; I will soon hunt him up and bring him here.’ Having said this, he went into the temple of Devi, and lo! his (friend’s) head was lying apart from his body! On beholding this state of things there, he began to say to himself, ‘The world is a hard place! No one will suppose that he, with his own hand, offered his head as a sacrifice to Devi; on the contrary, they will say, that, as his wife was very beautiful, he (the friend), in order to possess her, killed him, and is practising this artful trick. Therefore it is preferable to die here; whereas to obtain an evil reputation in the world is not desirable.’”

“Having said this, he bathed in the pool, came into the presence of Devi, joined his hands and made obeisance, and taking up the sword, struck himself on the neck, so that his head was severed from his body. And she, weary of standing there alone, and watching for their return till she quite despaired, went in quest of them into the temple of Devi. Arrived there, what does she behold but the two lying dead! Then, seeing them both dead, she thought to herself, ‘People will not believe that these two have voluntarily offered themselves as sacrifices to Devi. Everybody will say that the widow was a wanton wretch, (and) that she killed them both and left them that she might indulge in her depravity. It is better to die than to endure such infamy.’”

“Alter reflecting thus, she plunged into the pool (and bathed), and coming into the presence of Devi, bowed her head in obeisance; (then) taking up the sword, was about to strike herself on the neck, when Devi descended from the throne, and came and seized her hand, and said, ‘Daughter! ask a boon; I am well-pleased with thee.’ On this she said, ‘Mother! if thou art pleased with me, restore these two to life.’ Then Devi said, ‘Unite their heads to their bodies.’ In the tumult of her joy she changed the heads in putting them on. And Devi brought the water of life and sprinkled it upon them. The two rose up alive, and began disputing one with another; one saying, ‘She is my wife;’ the other, ‘She is mine.’”

Having related so much of the story, the sprite said, “Now king Vikramãjit! of which of these two is she the wife?” The king said, “Hearken! The guiding principle for this is laid down in the book of law, thus: ‘The Ganges is the best of rivers, and Sumeru is the most excellent of mountains, and Kalpavriksh * is the most excellent of trees, (and) the head is supreme among all the members of the body. According to this judgment she becomes the wife of him who possesses the superior member.’” On hearing these words the sprite went and again suspended himself on that tree; and the king having gone and bound him, placed him on his shoulder and carried him off.

* Kalpavriksh is a fabulous tree, yielding all wishes, said
to exist in the paradise of India.

TALE VII.

The sprite said, “O king! there is a city named Champãpur, the king of which is Champakeshwar. And the queen’s name is Sulochanã, and the daughter’s Tribhuvan-sundari. She is an eminently-beautiful woman, whose face is like the moon, hair like black clouds, eyes like a gazelle’s, eyebrows (arched) like a bow, nose like a parrot’s (beak), neck like a pigeon’s, teeth like the grains of a pomegranate; the redness of whose lips resembles that of the _kandüri_, * whose waist is like a leopard’s, hands and feet like the tender lotus, complexion like the champa-flower; in short, the bloom of her youth was daily on the increase.”

* The kandüri is a cucurbitaceous plant with red fruit, or
the gourd of the momordica monadelpha. Its Hindi name is
bimb.

“When she became marriageable, the king and queen began to feel anxious in their minds. And the news spread among the monarchs of the different countries (round about) that so beautiful a girl had been born in the palace of king Champakeshwar that, at a mere glance at her beauty, gods, men, and holy sages, remain fascinated. Thereupon the kings of the different countries had each his likeness painted, and sent it by the hands of a Brahman to king Champakeshwar.

“The king received and showed the portraits of all the monarchs to his daughter, but none of them suited her fancy. Thereupon the king said, ‘Do thou, then, make a public choice of a husband.’ To this, too, she did not agree, but said to her father, ‘Father! give me to him who possesses the three qualities of beauty, strength, and superior knowledge.’”