A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s5.92

v2.c19.s5.92

Paṭācārā is the daughter of a wealthy merchant in Sāvatthi. She falls in love with a workman who is employed in the house, and allows him to seduce her. After she has become pregnant, she desires to return to her parents. The man consents, but postpones the departure from day to day until, finally, she goes alone. He follows her and overtakes her just at the moment when, seized by the pains of travail in the middle of the street, she gives birth to a child. Then they return again. The same thing happens at the birth of the second child. While the woman is again delivered on the way, a great storm arises. Her husband makes her a shelter out of sticks, but while he is cutting the grass for making a thatch he is bitten by a snake, and dies. Sadly the mother goes on her way with her two children. She comes to a stream, which she cannot cross with both children. So she leaves the elder boy behind on the bank and carries the younger one across, lays him down and returns to the elder one. While she is in the middle of the stream, a hawk flies towards the younger child.