The Panchatantra (Purnabhadra's Recension of 1199 CE)/Book 3/The Old Man with the Young Wife
THE OLD MAN WITH THE YOUNG WIFE
There was once an aged merchant in a certain town, and his name was Lovelorn. To such an extent had love clouded his reason that, when his wife died, he gave much money in order to marry the daughter of a penniless shopkeeper. But the girl was heart-broken and could not bear to look at the old merchant. This, indeed, might have been anticipated.
The silvered head will sue in vain,
A maiden's love beseeching;
The maid, despising it, is fain
To flee afar with screeching;
Like Hangman's Well it causes pain,
Where dead men's bones are bleaching.
And furthermore:
Slow, tottering steps the strength exhaust;
The eye unsteady blinks;
From driveling mouth the teeth are lost;
The handsome figure shrinks;
The limbs are wrinkled: relatives
And wife contemptuous pass;
The son no further honor gives
To doddering age. Alas!
Now one night, while she was turning her back to him in bed, a thief entered the house. And she was terrified at seeing a thief, and embraced her husband, old as he was. He, for his part, felt every limb thrill with astonishment and love, and he thought: "Gracious me! Why does she hug me tonight?" Then, peering narrowly about, he discovered the thief in a corner, and reflected: "No doubt she embraces me from fear of him." So he said to the thief:
"She who always shrank from me,
Hugs me to her breast;
Thank you, benefactor! Take
What you like the best."
And the thief made reply:
"Nothing here that I should like;
Should I want a thing,
I’ll return if she does not
Passionately cling."
"Thus advantage may be anticipated from a benefactor, thief though he be. How much more from a suppliant guest? Besides, having been maltreated by them, he will labor for our success, or for the revelation of their vulnerable point. In view of this, he should not be killed."
Having listened to this view, Foe-Crusher questioned another counselor, namely, Hook-Nose. "My worthy sir, what should be done under the present circumstances?" And Hook-Nose answered: "O King, he should not be killed. For
From enemies expect relief,
If discord pierce their host;
Thus, life was given by the thief
And cattle by the ghost."
"How was that?" asked Foe-Crusher. And Hook-Nose told the story of