Page:The Enchanted Parrot.djvu/43

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THE ENCHANTED PARROT
39


He then proceeded on his travels and reached a town called Ratuavatî, where he fell violently in love with a young lady called Sthagikâ. She could not make out where all the money came from, and her mother to whom she confided her doubts said: ' Well, what is this Brâhman's business, for he seems to have plenty of money. How does he come by it ? ' So she asked her admirer but he would not tell her. By dint of worrying, however, she got it out of him, and he let out all about the magic cloak. The consequence was that she waited till he was asleep and then stole the cloak, and as now he had lost all his money, the girl's mother showed him the door. It has been said —

" ' There is not much cleverness required to deceive one who has confidence in us.

Nor is much courage required to kill one who is asleep.'

" The Brâhman, when he woke up could not find his cloak, and went and laid a complaint before the magistrates, asserting with great vehemence that he had been robbed. The case was therefore tried, and the mother and daughter were charged with the theft. The mother said: ' This good-for- nothing fellow made love to my daughter. He has invented this story about his cloak — no sensible person could believe such nonsense. The whole