THE FOURTH WIFE IS THE WISEST
There was a Bunniah who had an only son, who had married four wives; of these, three were fools, and only one was wise.
For some reason the Rajah of that country got angry with the Bunniah, and said that he and all his family were to go away, for he would not permit them to remain in his kingdom any longer; also, they were not to take away any of their jewels or possessions with them, except such things as they were wearing at the time.
Hearing this, the youngest of the four wives asked if she might be allowed to bake some bread, to take for them to eat on the journey.
This was permitted, and, in kneading the flour, she dropped four very valuable and beautiful rubies into it, and then having cooked the bread, showed it to the people as she left, and said: “See, I take nothing with me except this bread.”
They journeyed far away into another country, and were very poor. Then the Bunniah said to his youngest daughter-in-law: “Daughter, what are we to do to live? We have no money and no clothes.”
She was silent for a long time, and then said: “We must sell our jewels, but in the meantime take this”—giving him one of the rubies—“and sell it.”
Now this ruby was worth a very great deal of money, and the Bunniah took it gratefully, thinking all the time what a wise girl his daughter-in-law was, to think of bringing it as she had done.
He then went to a rich merchant, who in reality was not a merchant at all, but a clever thief, and who, as soon as he set eyes on the ruby, knew it to be a valuable one, and determined to have it.
“Go,” said he to one of his servants, “and bring me a basket full of money that I may pay for this valuable stone;” and as the servant left, he turned to the Bunniah, offering him a chair, and said: “Sit down, friend.”
Now this chair was a specially prepared one, being kept by the thief as a trap for the unwary. The seat was of raw cotton, under which was a great hole into which anybody who sat on the chair would fall. It was carefully covered over with a piece of clean white cloth, so that nothing was noticed.
On it the poor Bunniah sat, and as the soft cotton gave way under him, he found himself in the hole, over which the thief carefully placed a great stone and left him, while he quietly pocketed the ruby.
As the Bunniah did not return to his home for many days, his daughter-in-law called her husband, and gave him the second ruby. “Go, seek thy father,” said she; “and if you find him, bring me back this ruby, and buy food and clothes with one you will find with him.”
The young man searched high and low for his father, but, not finding him, he decided to sell his ruby, and by ill chance went to the same merchant who had robbed the Bunniah.
The thief treated him in exactly the same way, and, after having stolen the ruby, trapped him into the same hole as his father.
Finding that neither husband nor father returned, the woman sold her jewels, and bought clothes and food for the rest of the family; but for herself she secretly bought the outfit of a policeman, or chowkidar, and resolved to work in that capacity. So she presented herself at the King’s Court, and he, taking a fancy to the handsome face of the young man (for she was disguised as such), gave her employment.
Living in the jungles near that place was a terrible “Rakhas,” or evil spirit, and that night, while on duty, the new policeman was startled by a roar like that of a tiger; but as soon as the “Rakhas” perceived him, it assumed the form of a woman, and coming up, said weeping: “The Rajah has hanged my husband, and I wish to see him once more, but cannot reach because the gallows are high.”
“Climb upon my back,” said the policeman.
The woman did so, but as soon as she got near enough she began to eat her supposed husband.
On this the young policeman, drawing his sword, cut off the woman’s head, and as she fell, being enchanted, she disappeared, but a silver anklet from one of her feet was left behind.
Next morning the policeman carried the anklet to the King, and told him what had happened, and how the strange woman had disappeared as he struck her with his sword.
The King was much pleased at the youth’s bravery, and also with the silver anklet, which was full of precious stones of great value, and, turning to the policeman, he said: “Ask what you will, and I will give it to you, even if you ask my daughter in marriage.”
The man replied: “O King, I ask nothing; but grant me, I pray you, control over the entire bazaar, that I may kill, banish, hang, or release, and do as I like with the people who dwell there.”
The King granted this request, and having discovered the thief in the supposed merchant, the policeman went to him and boldly demanded the release of his father and son.
But the thief denied all knowledge of the affair.
Then the young man entered the shop, and, lifting up the great stone, beheld the two unfortunate men, who were nearly starved to death.
Having released them, he took the thief to the King, and told him what had happened. After they had hanged the wicked thief, the young policeman changed his clothes and appeared as a woman.
The King was greatly surprised, but so pleased at all she had done, that he called her his “daughter,” and gave her husband, father, and other relations money and goods, so that they lived in contentment for the rest of their lives.