“When Vishnusharmã had reasoned with him in this manner, it came into the Brahman’s mind that he would thenceforth perform meritorious and pious acts. Having thought this over in his mind, he said to his sons, ‘I am about to sit down to a sacrifice; you go and bring me a turtle from the sea.’ On receiving their father’s command, they went to a fisherman, and said, ‘Take a rupee, and catch a turtle for us.’ He took it, and caught one, and gave it to them. Then the eldest of the brothers said to the second, ‘Do thou take it up.’ He said to the youngest, ‘Brother! do thou take it up.’ He replied, saying, ‘I will not touch it; a bad smell will cling to my hands, and I am very nice * in (my) eating.’ The second said, ‘I am very particular in my intercourse with women.’ The eldest said, ‘I am particular in (the matter of) sleeping on a bed.’”
* I hazard this meaning for chatur in the teeth of the
vocabulary and the dictionaries, as, the meanings contained
therein do not seem to me to apply. The student, however,
may, if he pleases, substitute “sharp” or “clever” for
“nice.”
“Thus did the three of them begin wrangling; and leaving the turtle where it was, they proceeded, quarrelling the while, to the king’s gate, and said to the gatekeeper, ‘Three Brahmans have come seeking justice; go thou and tell this to the king.’ On hearing this, the doorkeeper went and informed the king. The king summoned them, and asked, ‘Why are you quarrelling one with another?’ Then the youngest of them said, ‘Your majesty! I am very particular as to food.’ The second said, ‘Lord of the earth! I am very particular as to women.’ The eldest said, ‘Incarnation of justice! I am particular in the matter of beds.’”
“When the monarch heard this, he said, ‘Each of you submit to a trial.’ They said, ‘Very well.’ The king sent for his cook, and said, ‘Prepare various kinds of condiments and meats, and give this Brahman a thoroughly good repast.’ On hearing this, the cook went and prepared food, and taking with him the one who was nice in the matter of food, seated him in front of the dishes. He was on the point of taking up a mouthful and putting it into his mouth, when an offensive smell came from it. He let it go, washed his hands, and came to the king. The king asked, ‘Didst thou enjoy thy repast?’ Then he said, ‘Your majesty! I perceived a disagreeable smell in the food, (and) did not eat.’ The king said again, ‘State the cause of the offensive smell.’ He replied, ‘Your majesty! it was rice which had been grown on a burning-ground; the smell of corpses proceeded from it, and hence I did not eat it.’”
“On hearing this, the king summoned his steward, and asked, ‘Sirrah! from what village does this rice come?’ He replied, ‘From Shibpur, your majesty!’ The king said, ‘Summon the landholder of that village.’ Thereupon the steward had the landholder brought before the monarch. The king asked him, ‘On what land was this rice grown?’ He replied, ‘On a burning-ground, your majesty!’ When the king heard this, he said to that Brahman, ‘Thou art indeed a connoisseur in the matter of food.’”
“After this, he had the one who was nice in the matter of women sent for, and having a bed laid out in an apartment, and all the requisites for enjoyment placed therein, had a beautiful woman brought and placed near him, and the two while lying down began conversing with each other. The king was secretly looking on through a lattice. Now, the Brahman was about to give her a kiss, when smelling her breath, he turned away his face, and went to sleep. The king having witnessed this conduct, entered his palace and sought repose. Rising early in the morning, he came into the court, and summoned that Brahman, and asked, ‘O Brahman! didst thou pass the night pleasantly?’ He replied, ‘Your majesty! I found no pleasure.’ ‘Why?’ asked the king again. The Brahman replied, ‘The smell of a goat proceeded from her mouth, and my mind was much distressed in consequence.’ When the king heard this, he summoned the procuress, and inquired, ‘Whence didst thou bring this (woman)? and who is she?’ She said, ‘She is my sister’s daughter; her mother died when she was three months old, and I brought her up on goat’s milk.’ On hearing this, the monarch said, ‘Thou art indeed a connoisseur in respect of women.’”
“After that he had a very fine bed prepared, and caused the Brahman who was a nice judge of beds to sleep thereon. On its becoming morning, the king sent for him, and asked, ‘Didst thou sleep comfortably through the night?’ He replied, ‘Your majesty ‘I had no sleep the whole night long.’ ‘Why?’ asked the king. He replied, ‘Your majesty! in the seventh fold of the bedding there was a hair, which was pricking my back, and I had no sleep in consequence.’ On hearing this, the king looked into the seventh fold of the bedding, and lo! a hair was found. Thereupon he said to him, ‘Thou art indeed a nice judge of beds.’”
After relating so much of the story, the sprite asked, “Who was the greatest connoisseur of those three?” King Bir Yikramajit replied, “He who was the connoisseur in the matter of beds.” When the sprite heard this, he went again and hung on to that tree; (and) the king also went there on the instant, and bound him, placed him on his shoulder, and carried him away.