[1] That is, at the front end of the pole; the other man held the rear end on his shoulder, and was thus guided by it along the path which his eyes could not distinguish. [↑]
No. 231
The Son and the Mother[1]
In a certain country a widow woman lived with her only son, it is said. At the time when her son arrived at a young man’s age, this woman for the purpose of bringing and giving him a [bride in] marriage, having descended to the road, set off to go to a village not distant from it. While this woman was going thus, in order to quench her weariness she went to a travellers’ shed that was at the side of the path.
After a little time, yet [another] woman having arrived at this very travellers’ shed, when these two were conversing one of those persons asked [the other] on account of what circumstances she went along by that road. At that time the woman who had come first to the travellers’ shed gave answer thus, that is, “My husband having died I have only one son. Because of it, in order to seek a marriage for that son I set out and came in this manner,” she said.
Thereupon the other woman says, “My husband also having died, I have only one daughter. I came on the search for a suitable husband for that daughter,” she said.
After that, these two persons ascertaining that they were people belonging to the [good] castes, agreed to marry the son and daughter of these two persons. [After] promising in this manner, having given in marriage the other woman’s daughter to the son of the first-mentioned woman, because the daughter’s mother is living alone they summoned the whole four persons to one house, and resided there.
When they are coming and dwelling in that manner a very little time, the young man said to his mother that his wife was not good. A very little time having gone thus, the young woman says to her husband, “I cannot reside here with your mother. Because of it [please] kill her. If it be not so, having gone away with my mother we shall live alone,” she said.