Folk-lore of the Telugus/The Brahman and his two wives
XVII.
THE BRAHMAN AND HIS TWO WIVES.
In the Dakhan lived a Brahman who had two wives. To the elder of these a son was born. When the son was about ten months old, the old Brahman set out with his family on a pilgrimage to Benares, but he unfortunately died on his way. The two women thereupon "went to an adjacent agraharam (the Brahmans' quarters in a city or village), and remained there, rearing the boy with great affection: so much so that the child knew not which of the two was his real mother. But one day the younger lady quarrelled with the elder, and, declaring that she would no longer remain with her, took the child and set out to go home. The elder thereupon seized the child and demanded of the other why she was taking him away. The younger replied that as she had borne the child she was going away with him. So the two still disputing went to the Judge and told their story. He reflected a little, called his servants and ordered them to divide the child in twain and to give each a half. The younger lady remained silent, but the elder, being the real mother, was of opinion that so long as the child did but live it was enough; and, not consenting the Judge's proposal, said to him that the child was not her own, and requested him to give it to the other lady. The Judge, hearing these words, decided that the elder lady was the child's mother, and had the boy given to her.