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.