The World of Courtesans c9.39

c9.39

A second episode relates the story of Kuberadatta, a renowned courtesan of Mathura. She was pregnant and it was obvious that she was going to give birth to twins. This was regarded as an inauspicious event. She was advised by her mother to place the twins when they were born, into a bowl and to set it afloat in a river. Her mother’s advice was based more than anything else on the calculation that this would preserve her daughter's charm. In course of time a son and a daughter were born to the courtesan. She named them Kuberadatta and Kuberadatta respectively. She put a signet ring on the fingers of each of the twins and placed them in a boat filled with gold and precious stones. She allowed the boat to slide away in the waters of the Jamuna Fortunately two women espied the boats and each woman adopted one baby. When they grew up, it was arranged that the boy should marry the girl. During the wedding festivities the women arranged a gambling match between the bride and the bridegroom and made them exchange their rings. The secret was out and the match was broken.