All this was carried out. All were astonished at this decision, and the king asked who had been the discoverer of this way of escape. Whereupon Mahaushadha replied that Viśākhā had discovered it. Then all perceived that the carpenter’s daughter was exceedingly clever, and her fame spread abroad throughout all lands.
After that a merchant from the north made a present of two mares[13] to the king, and said, “These two mares, O king, are dam and foal, but which the dam is and which the foal, nobody knows.” When in this case also the king and his court were in difficulties, the carpenter’s daughter Viśākhā settled the question as before, saying [[165]]that the thick-haired mare was the dam and the soft-haired the foal.
Another time a snake-catcher brought two serpents, one of which was male and the other female, but nobody knew which was which. When Mahaushadha consulted Viśākhā, she laughed, and wondered how it was that the king’s ministers were unable to solve such a problem. What was needed was to fasten the leaf of a cotton plant to the end of a reed, and to stroke the backs of the serpents with the cotton. The serpent which was unable to endure that stroking would be the male.
On another occasion, a merchant from the south brought a stem of sandal-wood,[14] of which no one knew the upper end from the lower. Mahaushadha again consulted his wife, who told him to throw the stem into a pool. The root end would then sink downwards.
Once King Janaka was pleased to try which of his ministers was capable of recognising precious stones. With this intent he caused a gem to be fastened to the top of a standard upon the belvedere, underneath which was a tank. The king promised to give the gem to him who should recognise it; but no one who went into the water, intending to grasp at the light he saw there, was considered entitled to obtain it. When Viśākhā was consulted by her husband, she said that he must look upwards, for that light was only the reflection of the gem attached to the standard, and that it was necessary to go in the direction of the standard in order to obtain the gem.
As Viśākhā was very handsome, the six ministers tried, by means of all sorts of presents of gold, silver, and precious stones, to entice her into making an assignation, but they could not succeed in doing so. As they did not desist, she asked her husband if it was really the [[166]]custom of the country that every young and handsome woman should be cajoled by other men. He replied that this took place everywhere, for men were greedy after all women, and they were instructed by the women themselves; but that if a woman was prudent, she did not give her consent. Then said Viśākhā, “If I were to bring a man of that kind to harm or disgrace, would any danger arise out of it?” Mahaushadha said, “Do so, and fear not.” So she told him that he was to feign an illness, and she would turn it to good account. He did so. Then she sent messengers to inform the ministers, who had become acquainted with his indisposition, that she would grant them the fulfilment of their desires. Having caused an image of Mahaushadha to be made of wood, she dressed it and laid it in his bed. To each of the ministers she sent word to come to her at a certain hour, without letting the others know anything about it. She had also caused six chests to be made, and had distributed them in six of her rooms. Each of the ministers, on his arrival, she hid away in one of the chests. Next day she let the report spread abroad that Mahaushadha was dead. Thereupon the king and his court, as well as the rest of the people, broke forth into lamentation. But Viśākhā locked the chests and took them to the king, and said, “Now that Mahaushadha is dead, here are his treasures of gold, silver, and precious stones, sealed with his own signet.” While the king was grieving that these presents should have been made to him on the very day of their owner’s death, Mahaushadha came into the palace by another way, laughing and adorned with flowers. Having made obeisance to the king, he said, “Do you mean now to take possession of my property, O king, although you have never shadowed me with the canopy of your grace?”
“I have not taken it,” said the king. “It was brought here from your own house.” [[167]]
“Great king and Mahaushadha,” said Viśākhā, “there is another world besides this. These are precious stones from it. Take them as a pledge. Great king, these are the men who have dishonoured me, the widow separated from her husband, and have stolen from me my treasure.”