The Ungrateful Wife
[Inside Book 4. Loss Of Gains.]
There was once a Brahman in a certain city who loved his wife more than his life. But she squabbled with his family every day, and never rested. Since he could not endure the squabbling, yet was devoted to his wife, he left his family and started for another country far away.
In the middle of a great forest, the Brahman's wife said: "My dear, I am tortured by thirst. Please look about for water." And he did as she requested, but when he returned with water, he found her dead.
Since he loved her dearly, he fell into despair, but as he lamented, he heard a voice from heaven, saying: "Brahman, if you will give half your own life, your wife may live."
So he performed a ceremony of purification, then gave a half of his own life by repeating the three magic words: "I give life." The moment he spoke, his wife stood up, alive.
So together they drank the water, ate forest fruits, and started on. Finally, they entered a flower garden near a city, where the Brahman said to his wife: "Belovèd, please stay here until I return with food." And he left her.
Now in the garden was a cripple, turning a waterwheel and singing with a heavenly voice. When she heard the song, she was smitten with love, went to him, and said: "Dear friend, if you do not give me your love, you will be the murderer of a Brahman woman."
"But what can you do with an invalid like me?" asked the cripple.
"Be still," said she, "you must make me your bride."
And hearing her words, he did so. Thereupon she said: "From this moment I give you my person for life. You must accompany us with this understanding."
"Very well," said he. Then when the Brahman returned with food and began to eat with her, she said: "This cripple is hungry. Please give him a bite, too."
When this was done, the lady said: "Brahman, when you go alone to another village, I have no one to talk to. Suppose we take this cripple with us."
But he replied: "I cannot even carry myself, to say nothing of this cripple."
"I will carry him," said she, "if he will get into a basket."
And the Brahman agreed, his judgement being bewildered by her artful argument.
One day thereafter, as they rested near a well, the wife, aided by the cripple, gave the Brahman a push and plunged him in. And she took the cripple and went to a city. There the policemen, making their rounds to attend to taxes, robberies, and protection, saw the basket on her head, snatched it from her, and took it to the king. And as soon as the king had it opened, he saw the cripple.
Presently the Brahman's wife arrived, weeping and wailing, for she had followed on the heels of the policemen. And when the king asked, "What does this mean?" she said: "This is my invalid husband who was tormented by countless relatives, until, distracted by love, I put him on my head and brought him before you."
And the king said: "You are my sister. Receive two villages, enjoy their delights with your husband, and make yourself comfortable."
At this point the Brahman arrived in the same city, for a certain holy man, as it happened, had drawn him from the well, and he had wandered on. When the wicked wife saw him, she denounced him to the king. "O King," she said, "there comes my husband's enemy."
And the king sentenced him to death. But the Brahman said: "Your Majesty, this woman has something which she received from me. If you love justice, make her give it back."
"My good woman," said the king, "restore whatever you may have that belongs to him."
And she replied: "Your Majesty, I have nothing."
Then the Brahman said: "With three magic words I gave you half my life. Give me that."
And from fear of the king she murmured, just as he had done, the three words "I give life," and fell dead.
Then the king was amazed and said: "What does this mean?" And the Brahman related to him all that had gone before.
"And that is why I say:
I left my family for her;
I gave her half my life;
She leaves me now without a thought;
What man can trust his wife?"
No comments:
Post a Comment