THE BRAHMIN’S DAUGHTER
A certain Brahmin’s wife had no affection for her seven stepdaughters, and persuaded their father to get rid of them. So he invited the girls to come with him on a visit to their grandmother, but on the way he slipped away quietly and left them eating plums in the jungle.
After a while they found themselves all alone, and as night fell were very frightened, and hid themselves in the hollow of a large tree. Here a tiger found them and ate six, leaving only the youngest sister alive.
She hid in the tree for several days, and at last a Rajah found her, and asked how she had got there. Then she told him the whole story, and he felt pity for her and married her.
But she often wondered what had become of her father, and whether he was alive or dead; and when she remembered the fate of her sisters, she secretly made up her mind to be revenged on her stepmother.
Then she called a crow, and asked it if it would go to her former home with a letter from her. In the letter she told her father of her sisters’ fate and of her own good fortune.
The crow carried the news to her father, and, greatly surprised, he read the contents of his daughter’s letter to his wife.
The woman was mercenary as well as cruel, and advised him to lose no time in visiting her, and bringing back all the money he could secure.
So the Brahmin went and spent eight or nine days in the Palace.
As he was preparing to return home, the girl called him, and gave him a box containing a snake, a scorpion, and a wasp; and as it was securely locked, he had no suspicion of its contents.
“Take this,” she said, “and give it with the key to my mother; let her be alone in her room when she receives it, so that she may enjoy my gifts by herself.”
Then she gave him another box full of clothes and jewels and money for himself.
After a long journey, the Brahmin arrived at his home, and said to his wife: “This box is for me, and this one for you; keep it carefully, and open it when you are alone; here is the key.” So saying he went out, shut the door, and put on the chain.
Soon the woman began to cry: “I’m bitten, I’m bitten!” but he mistook it for “I’ve eaten, I’ve eaten!” meaning that he should come and share the feast. So he replied: “I’ve had my share, you eat what is your own share.”
When he opened the door, he found her dead, so he packed up his things and returned to his daughter, and lived happily ever after.