Shukasaptati 9.7

9.7

tato rājan! me kalatraṃ narāntararataṃ jātaṃ tacca mayā jñātam, tena ca duḥkhena na hasitam /
rājāpīdamākarṇya puṣpahastakai rājñīmāhṛtya sammukhamavalokayāmāsa /
sā ca tena prahāreṇa kapaṭamūrcchāṃ nāṭayati sma /
puṣpahāso 'pi tāmavalokya sahāso babhūva puṣpotkaraśca samajani /
rājāpi tāmāśvāsya kṛtakopo dvijātmajāsyaṃ vilokya mantriṇamavādīt kathamasmadduḥkhe sahāso 'si? mantryapi sabhayamañjaliṃ baddhvābhāṣata-rājan! poṭakajanaistvadīyā rājñī rātrau nāḍikābhirāhatāpi na mūrcchitā, adhunā mūrcchiteti hāsyakāraṇam /
rājāpi sakopo "mantrinnidaṃ tvayā dṛṣṭaṃ śrutaṃ ve'ti papraccha /
mantryāha-svāmindṛṣṭamevedam /
yadi svāmī na pratyeti tadā kañcukamuttāryāvalokayatu /
evaṃ kṛte rājā sarvamajñāsīt /
mantriṇo dvijasutāyāśca mukhamavalokya kimidamityavādīt /
mantryāha-svāmin! yadidaṃ dvijaputryā gūḍhārthaṃ matsyahāsyakāraṇaṃ niveditaṃ tanmayā prakaṭīkṛtam /
ityevamukto rājā āsthānaṃ vyasarjayat /
atha dvijasutāpuṣpahāsāvapi bhītahṛṣṭau svaṃ svaṃ gṛhaṃ jagmatuḥ /
tena ca rājñā tasyā mañjūṣāsthito naro dṛṣṭo vināśitaḥ /
sā ca nijavāsādvisarjitā /
śukaḥ prabhāvatīmāha-

So the king sent for Pushpakâra, and as he was a wise man, and of some importance, he made him valuable presents and asked him why he did not laugh, and why the fish did. He replied: " Family scandals should not be talked about. Loss of money, sorrow of mind, difficulties at home, fraud, contempt — these are things which no wise man ever publishes. Still the command of the king must be obeyed; for the glory of a king, equal to that of Sudra, has surpassing power on the earth; the very name of a righteous, energetic king, surpasses the sun in magnificence. Therefore I will answer your majesty's question. I found out that my wife was in love with some one else, and therefore grief stopped my laughter."

Then the king put his own difficulty before the wise man, and the latter gave no answer but struck the queen full in the face. The queen pretended to faint, and Pushpakslra burst into a fit of laughter. The king was extremely angry and looking at the magician and the Brâhman's daughter, said, "What is there to laugh at? What do you mean by this?" "Sir," replied the magician making a profound bow, "the queen did not faint the other night when she was struck by the young men in whose company she was. Now when I strike her she faints, or pretends to faint." The king grew still more angry and said, "What is this? do you know it of your own knowledge?" The magician answered, "I saw it with my own eyes, and if your majesty is not convinced I will prove it to you." The king went into the matter and found out everything. The magician said, "I suppose your majesty sees now why the Brâhman's daughter would not tell you the reason why the fish laughed." The end of it was that Pushpakâra and the Brâhman's daughter were sent home in a considerable state of trepidation, while the queen and her lovers were sewn up in a sack, and thrown into the river.