A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s5.78

v2.c19.s5.78

A merchant goes with a donkey from Benares to Taxila in order to sell pottery. While the man is selling his wares, the donkey grazes outside the city. He there converses with a she-ass who pities him greatly because he has to carry heavy loads so many miles, and because he has nobody to stroke his legs and back when he returns home. Through this talk the donkey becomes refractory and refuses to return to Benares. Even the threat of the whip avails nothing. At last the master perceives the she-ass, and guesses that she is the cause of the donkey's obstinacy, and he determines to make him tractable by means of the "eternal feminine." He promises him a beautiful she-ass as his wife. Highly delighted the donkey now willingly trots home. But after a few days he reminds his master of his promise. The latter says: "I will not break my promise, I will bring you a wife, but I can only give you food for yourself alone; you yourself must know whether or not that will be sufficient for you when there are two of you; through your both living together children will also be born; you yourself must know whether or not this will be sufficient for you when there are so many of you." No sooner had the master concluded his speech than the donkey lost all desire for a wife.