Page:Katha sarit sagara, vol2.djvu/137

 When Gomukha had said this, he remarked, " So strange are these actions of bad women, and the dispensations of Providence, and the conduct of mankind. Now hear this story of another woman who killed eleven.

Story of the woman who had eleven husbands.:— There was in Málava a certain householder, who lived in a village. He had born to him a daughter, who had two or three elder brothers. Now, as soon as she was born her mother died, and a few days after one of of the man's sons died. And then his brother was gored by an ox and died of it. So the householder named his daughter, " Three-slayer," because owing to the birth of this ill-omened girl three had met their death. In course of time she grew up, and then the son of a rich man, who lived in that village, asked her in marriage, and her father gave her to him with the usual rejoicings. She lived for some time with that husband, but he soon died. In a few days the fickle woman took another husband. And the second husband met his death in a short time. Then, led astray by her youthful feelings, she took a third husband. And the third husband of this husband- slayer died like the others. In this way she lost ten husbands in succession. So she got affixed to her by way of ridicule the name of " Ten-slayer." Then her father was ashamed and would not let her take another husband, and she remained in her father's house avoided by people. But one day a handsome young traveller entered it, and was allowed by her father to stop as his guest for a night. When Ten-slayer saw him, she fell in love with him, and when he looked at that charming young woman, he too was captivated. Then Love robbed her of her modesty, and she said to her father, " I choose this traveller as one husband more; if he dies I will then take a vow." She said this in the hearing of the traveller, but her father answered her, " Do not think of such a thing, it is too disgraceful; you have lost ten husbands, and if this one dies too, people will laugh consumedly. When the traveller heard this, he abandoned all reserve, and said, " No chance of my dying, I have lost ten wives one after another. So we are on a par; I swear that it is so by the touch of the feet of Śiva." When the traveller said this, every body was astonished. And the villagers assembled, and with one consent gave permission to Ten-slayer to marry the traveller, and she took him for her husband. And she lived some time with him, but at last he was seized with an ague and died. Then she was called " Eleven-slayer," and even the stones could not help laughing at her: so she betook herself in despondency to the bank of the Ganges and lived the life of an ascetic. The story of the man, who, thanks to Durgá, had always one ox.:— When Gomukha had told this amusing story, he went on to say— " Hear also the story of the man who subsisted on one ox."