tree a female crane and that she-crane happened at
that time to befoul the Brahmana's body and beholding that crane the
Brahmana became very angry and thought of doing her an injury and as the
Brahmana cast his angry glances upon the crane and thought also of doing
her an injury, she fell down on the ground and beholding the crane thus
fallen from the tree and insensible in death, the Brahmana was much moved
by pity and the regenerate one began to lament for the dead crane saying,
'Alas, I have done a bad deed, urged by anger and malice!'

"Markandeya continued, 'Having repeated these words many times, that
learned Brahmana entered a village for procuring alms. And, O bull of the
Bharata race, in course of his eleemosynary round among the houses of
persons of good lineage, the Brahmana entered one such house that he knew
from before. And as he entered the house, he said, 'Give'. And he was
answered by a female with the word, 'Stay'. And while the housewife was
engaged, O king, in cleaning the vessel from which alms are given, her
husband, O thou best of the Bharatas, suddenly entered the house, very
much afflicted with hunger. The chaste housewife beheld her husband and
disregarding the Brahmana, gave her lord water to wash his feet and face
and also a seat and after that the black-eyed lady, placing before her
lord savoury food and drink, humbly stood beside him desirous of
attending to all his wants. And, O Yudhishthira, that obedient wife used
every day to eat the orts of her husband's plate and, always conducting
herself in obedience to the wishes of the lord, that lady ever regarded
her husband, and all her heart's affections inclined towards her lord. Of
various and holy behaviour and skilful in all domestic duties and
attentive to all her relatives, she always did what was agreeable and
beneficial to her husband and she also, with rapt senses attended to the
worship of the gods and the wants of guests and servants and her
mother-in-law and father-in-law.

"And while the lady of handsome eyes was still engaged in waiting upon
her lord, she beheld that Brahmana waiting for alms and beholding him,
she remembered that she had asked him to wait. And remembering all this,
she felt abashed. And then that chaste woman possessed of great fame,
took something for alms and went out, O thou foremost of the Bharatas,
for giving it unto that Brahmana. And when she came before him, the
Brahmana said, 'O best of women, O blesse