No. 253
The Woman Pre-eminent in Cunning[1]
At a city there was a very rich Heṭṭi young man. During the time when he was [there], they brought a bride[2] for the young man. What of their bringing her! The Heṭṭi young man was [engaged] in giving goods to many ships. Because of it, while the bride[3] married (lit., tied) to the Heṭṭi young man was staying at home, the Heṭṭiyā went to give goods to ships. Having gone, [before his] coming back about six months passed.
At that time, [while he was absent], the Heṭṭi girl who was married [to him] one day went to the well to bring [water]. When she was going, a beard-cutting Barber man having stayed on the path and seen this beautiful woman, laughed. Thereupon the woman, not looking completely on that hand, looked at him with the roguish eye (hora aehin), and went to the village.
On the following day also, the Barber having come, just as before laughed. At that time also the woman, just as before, looked with the roguish eye, and went away.
The woman on the following day also came in order to go for water. That day also, the Barber having stayed on the path laughed. That day the woman having spoken to the Barber, asked, “What did you laugh for when I was coming? Why?”
The Barber said, “I did not laugh at anything whatever but because of the affection which you caused.”
Thereupon the woman asked, “Were you inclined to come with me?” The Barber said, “Yes.”
Then this woman said, “If you come, you cannot come in that way.[4] The Great King having gone, after the Second King has come to Ceylon (Seyilama), after jasmine flowers have blossomed without [being on] creepers, having cut twenty, having stabbed thirty persons, having pounded three persons into one, when two dead sticks are being kneaded into one having mounted on two dead ones, should you come you can talk with me.”