Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 500

A MARRIED COUPLE'S BET
460
man must
be either a downright impostor or the greatest
of the earth."
And I hope, gentlemen,'
said the narrator in conclusion,
that you too will think
the same, and that you will consider my folly to have been
far superior to that of the Brahmin who tore his cloths
fool
on the face
'
to pieces.'
The assembly agreed that the speaker had put forward
a very strong case
but justice required that the other
two should also be heard.
The third claimant, who was burning with impatience
to speak, addressed the court as follows
;
:
My name
known originally Anantayya, but I am now
everywhere as Betel Anantayya, and here follows the
reason why
My wife
'
'
was
nickname was given me.
had been living with me for about a month,
this
after having remained for a long time at her father's house
on account of her youth, when one night on going to bed
I told her
—
I
know not
for
what reason
— that
all
women
were chatterboxes.
knew some men
She at once angrily retorted that she
who were as much chatterboxes as women.
I saw at once that she was alluding to myself
and feeling
extremely piqued at the sharpness of her retort, I said
" Now, just let us see which of us two will speak the first "
" Certainly," quoth she
" but what shall the loser forfeit?"
" A betel-leaf ," answered I
and the wager being thus
made, we both went to sleep without uttering another
word.
The next morning, when the sun was already pretty
high, and there were no signs of our appearing, the other
people in the house called out to each of us by name, but
received no answer.
They shouted louder still, and still
there was silence. Then they knocked violently at the door
but to no purpose. Finally, everybody in
of our room
the house became thoroughly alarmed, suspecting that we
had both died suddenly during the night. The carpenter
of the village was accordingly sent for in hot haste.
He
was soon on the spot with his tools, and promptly broke
open the door of our room.
Judge of the surprise of all when they found both of us
wide awake and in the apparent enjoyment of the best of
;
:
!
:
1
;
'
;
'
1
Thirty or forty of these leaves could be had for a farthing.
Dubois.