The Bald Wife

A certain man had two wives, the younger of whom he loved more than

the elder. The younger wife had two tufts of hair on her head, and

the elder only one. The man went to a distant town for merchandise;

so the two wives lived together in the house. But they hated each

other: the younger one, who was her husband's favourite, ill-treated

the other. She made her do all the menial work in the house; rebuked

her all day and night; and did not give her enough to eat. One day

the younger wife said to the elder, "Come and take away all the lice

from the hair of my head." While the elder wife was searching among the

younger one's hair for the vermin, one lock of hair by chance gave way;

on which the younger one, mightily incensed, tore off the single tuft

that was on the head of the elder wife, and drove her away from the

house. The elder wife, now become completely bald, determined to go

into the forest, and there either die of starvation or be devoured by

some wild beast. On her way she passed by a cotton plant. She stopped

near it, made for herself a broom with some sticks which lay about,

and swept clean the ground round about the plant. The plant was much

pleased, and gave her a blessing. She wended on her way, and now saw

a plantain tree. She swept the ground round about the plantain tree

which, being pleased with her, gave her a blessing. As she went on

she saw the shed of a Brahmani bull. As the shed was very dirty,

she swept the place clean, on which the bull, being much pleased,

blessed her. She next saw a tulasi plant, bowed herself down before

it, and cleaned the place round about, on which the plant gave her

a blessing. As she was going on in her journey she saw a hut made of

branches of trees and leaves, and near it a man sitting cross-legged,

apparently absorbed in meditation. She stood for a moment behind

the venerable muni. "Whoever you may be," he said, "come before me;

do not stand behind me; if you do, I will reduce you to ashes." The

woman, trembling with fear, stood before the muni. "What is your

petition?" asked the muni. "Father Muni," answered the woman, "thou

knowest how miserable I am, since thou art all-knowing. My husband

does not love me, and his other wife, having torn off the only tuft

of hair on my head, has driven me away from the house. Have pity

upon me, Father Muni!" The muni, continuing sitting, said, "Go into

the tank which you see yonder. Plunge into the water only once, and

then come to me again." The woman went to the tank, washed in it,

and plunged into the water only once, according to the bidding of

the muni. When she got out of the water, what a change was seen in

her! Her head was full of jet black hair, which was so long that it

touched her heels; her complexion had become perfectly fair; and she

looked young and beautiful. Filled with joy and gratitude, she went

to the muni, and bowed herself to the ground. The muni said to her,

"Rise, woman. Go inside the hut, and you will find a number of wicker

baskets, and bring out any you like." The woman went into the hut,

and selected a modest-looking basket. The muni said, "Open the

basket." She opened it, and found it filled with ingots of gold,

pearls and all sorts of precious stones. The muni said, "Woman,

take that basket with you. It will never get empty. When you take

away the present contents their room will be supplied by another set,

and that by another, and that by another, and the basket will never

become empty. Daughter, go in peace." The woman bowed herself down

to the ground in profound but silent gratitude, and went away.

As she was returning homewards with the basket in her hand, she passed

by the tulasi plant whose bottom she had swept. The tulasi plant said

to her, "Go in peace, child! thy husband will love thee warmly." She

next came to the shed of the Brahmani bull, who gave her two shell

ornaments which were twined round its horns, saying, "Daughter, take

these shells, put them on your wrists, and whenever you shake either

of them you will get whatever ornaments you wish to obtain." She then

came to the plantain tree, which gave her one of its broad leaves,

saying, "Take, child, this leaf; and when you move it you will get

not only all sorts of delicious plantains, but all kinds of agreeable

food." She came last of all to the cotton plant, which gave her one

of its own branches, saying, "Daughter, take this branch; and when

you shake it you will get not only all sorts of cotton clothes, but

also of silk and purple. Shake it now in my presence." She shook the

branch, and a fabric of the finest glossy silk fell on her lap. She

put on that silk cloth, and wended on her way with the shells on her

wrists, and the basket and the branch and the leaf in her hands.

The younger wife was standing at the door of her house, when she

saw a beautiful woman approach her. She could scarcely believe her

eyes. What a change! The old, bald hag turned into the very Queen

of Beauty herself! The elder wife, now grown rich and beautiful,

treated the younger wife with kindness. She gave her fine clothes,

costly ornaments, and the richest viands. But all to no purpose. The

younger wife envied the beauty and hair of her associate. Having heard

that she got it all from Father Muni in the forest, she determined to

go there. Accordingly she started on her journey. She saw the cotton

plant, but did nothing to it; she passed by the plantain tree, the

shed of the Brahmani bull, and the tulasi plant, without taking any

notice of them. She approached the muni. The muni told her to bathe in

the tank, and plunge only once into the water. She gave one plunge,

at which she got a glorious head of hair and a beautifully fair

complexion. She thought a second plunge would make her still more

beautiful. Accordingly she plunged into the water again, and came

out as bald and ugly as before. She came to the muni, and wept. The

sage drove her away, saying, "Be off, you disobedient woman. You will

get no boon from me." She went back to her house mad with grief. The

lord of the two women returned from his travels and was struck with

the long locks and beauty of his first wife. He loved her dearly;

and when he saw her secret and untold resources and her incredible

wealth, he almost adored her. They lived together happily for many

years, and had for their maid-servant the younger woman, who had been

formerly his best beloved.

Here my story endeth,

The Natiya-thorn withereth;

"Why, O Natiya-thorn, dost wither?"

"Why does thy cow on me browse?"

"Why, O cow, dost thou browse?"

"Why does thy neat-herd not tend me?"

"Why, O neat-herd, dost not tend the cow?"

"Why does thy daughter-in-law not give me rice?"

"Why, O daughter-in-law, dost not give rice?"

"Why does my child cry?"

"Why, O child, dost thou cry?"

"Why does the ant bite me?"

"Why, O ant, dost thou bite?"

Koot! koot! koot!