विक्रम चरित (उज्जैन सम्राट् विक्रमादित्य - पराक्रम, न्याय एवं ३२ पुतलियों की कथा सटीक)

31 little or no control in domestic concerns—not from any want of the necessary qualifications, but from the evil nature of her husband, notwithstanding his piety. These little explanations are necessary, to prepare the reader for what follows. After the parrot had been placed on the chowrung allotted to him, the mistress ordered one of her slaves to give some grain to the miller, to be ground for the use of the bird. Observing the grain to be of the most ordinary kind, and consisting of several different descriptions, the parrot asked his mistress if that was what they used daily for their own food. “Yes,” said she, “though we have all we can wish for in this house, and that too in abun- dance, the parsimonious nature of my husband deprives me of all control in the arrangement of his domestic concerns, and to act otherwise than I do at present would bring down upon me his ire.” The parrot judged from this that she was leading an unhappy life, so he said to his mistress, “Take my advice, and go you now and order the prepara- tion of everything good to-day to eat, after which put on your best and richest clothes, and adorn yourself with all the jewels you possess. Fear not; I will answer for you. Should your husband display any symptoms of anger I will appease him, and bring about such a change in his habits and life that he will never behave towards you as he has hitherto done.” This induced the mistress to do as she was bid. Having acted up to the instructions of the parrot so far, she came to him, and asked for further counsel. “Let your husband,” said he, “be sent for to take his meal a little earlier than is his wont.” A servant was sent forth in- stantly. The merchant was somewhat surprised to receive a call to his meal so unusually early; he, however, returned home. He was still more surprised and even enraged at the profuseness and richness of the repast that was prepared for him, and at the gaudiness with which his wife was decked out. After performing his ablutions, the merchant sat down to his meal, casting no friendly glance from time to time at his wife, and at the ornaments on her person; these