The Cartwright and His Wife

In a certain place lived a cartwright named Viradhara. His wife Kamadamani's conduct was the talk of the town, and from common report he knew she was unfaithful.

He decided to test her, and said: "My dear, tomorrow morning I go to another village; it will take some days, so prepare food for the road." Delighted, she made him excellent food with ghee.

At dawn he left the house — then changed his appearance, came back, and lay hidden under the bed in that same room without anyone seeing him.

She, meanwhile, had sent word to her lover Devadatta, and had dressed herself. At evening Devadatta came and sat on the bed. Lying under it, the cartwright saw all of it. Rage filled him, but he thought: "Let me hear what they say first, and then do what is fitting."

As she got onto the bed, her foot brushed against the cartwright's body underneath. She understood at once: "My husband is certainly hidden here, testing me." So, to make a display of her virtue, she said to Devadatta in a hard, raised voice:

"Wretch! Do not touch my body. I am a faithful wife; if you touch me I shall curse you to ashes."

Devadatta was astonished: "Then why did you call me here?"

She said: "Listen carefully. Today I went to the temple of the goddess Chandika to bow to her. Suddenly a voice came out of the air: 'Daughter, what am I to do? You are my devotee — yet within six months your husband will die.' I said: 'Goddess, if you know the calamity, you also know its remedy. Is there any means by which my husband may live a hundred years?' She said: 'There is a remedy, and it rests with you.' I said: 'Tell me; I will do it at the cost of my life.' The goddess said: 'If today you get onto one bed with another man and embrace him, your husband's remaining span will pass to him, and your husband will live another hundred years.' That is why I called you here. Now do as you must."

Under the bed, the foolish cartwright thrilled with joy. He came out and said: "Blessed, faithful wife! Blessed indeed! Wicked people's talk had made my heart suspicious, and that is why I hid under this cot to test you. Come, embrace me — you who kept your vow for my sake even by climbing onto another man's bed!"

And embracing her, he lifted her onto his shoulder. Then he said to Devadatta: "Great soul! It is by my own merit that you came here; by your favour I have gained a hundred years of life. Come, embrace me too and climb on my shoulder!" And he hoisted the lover onto his shoulder as well, by force — and went about carrying them both, and wherever he went he praised the virtues of the pair.

प्रत्यक्षेऽपि कृते पापे मूर्खः सान्त्वैः प्रशाम्यति । रथकारः स्वकां भार्यां सजारां शिरसावहत् ॥

Moral: Even with the wrong done before his eyes, a fool is quieted by soothing words — the cartwright carried his wife and her lover on his own head.

From the Panchatantra, Book III — Of Crows and Owls.