ents, and he had
plenty, though some was left.

"When he had finished, he asked for drink. She gave him water in a new
cooler, sweetened and perfumed with lotus and other flowers; and it
looked and felt so cool, gurgled so pleasantly, and tasted so sweet,
that all his senses were gratified, and he drank eagerly again and
again.

"After waiting on him in this manner, as soon as the dishes and the
remains of the meal had been removed by the old nurse, she sat down
beside him, arranging her scanty patched dress as well as she was
able.

"The young brahman having thus satisfied himself of the capabilities
of the maiden, made known his real name and position to her parents,
and they having gladly accepted him, he married the girl in due form,
and took her home to his own house.

"Not very long afterwards, with very little consideration for her, he
took to himself another wife, a woman of bad character; yet such was
the sweetness of temper of the first, that she showed no anger at
this, but continued to treat her husband with all due honour and
respect, and so gained over her fellow-wife that she became her
dearest friend. At the same time she managed the household admirably,
keeping everything in order, yet making all the servants attached to
her. In short, she acted in such a manner that she entirely gained the
respect and affection of her husband, and he enjoyed great happiness,
and trusted and consulted her in all affairs.

"Therefore I say that the best thing for a householder is to have a
good wife."

Then, in illustration of the third answer, I related the story of
Ratnavati. "There was, in a town in the country of Surat, a rich
ship-captain who had a daughter named Ratnavati. She was married to
Balabhadra, the son of a merchant living in another town. For some
reason he took a sudden dislike to his bride on the very day of the
wedding, and though she continued to live in his house, avoided her
as much as possible, and would never speak to her, notwithstanding the
remonstrances of his friends. The rest of the family and the servants,
seeing this, treated her with neglect and contempt, so that she led a
most wretched life.

"One day, wandering about disconsolate, she met with an old woman, a
buddhist mendicant, who, seeing her weeping and looking miserable,
asked her the reason. She, thinking that this woman might possibly be
possessed of some charm capable of bringing back her husband's
affections, half unwi