not fit for you to enter' (for he did not wish his father-in-law to see his fine palace); 'but I will call my wife, that you may see I have not eaten her up, and she and you and I will talk over the matter, and see what we can do for you.'
So the Brahman, the Brahman's daughter, and the Jackal all sat down on the hillside together, and the Brahman said, 'I don't know what to do to get food for myself, my wife, and my six daughters. Son-in-law Jackal, cannot you help me?'
'It is a difficult business,' answered the Jackal, 'but I'll do what I can for you; 'and he ran to his cave and fetched a large melon, and gave it to the Brahman, saying, 'Father-in-law, you must take this melon, and plant it in your garden, and when it grows up, sell the fruit you find upon it, and that will bring you in some money.' So the Brahman took the melon home with him, and planted it in his garden.
By next day the melon that the Jackal had given him had grown up in the Brahman's garden into a fine plant, covered with hundreds of beautiful ripe melons. The Brahman, his wife, and family were overjoyed at the sight. And all the neighbours were astonished, and said, 'How fast that fine melon plant has grown in the Brahman's garden!'
Now it chanced that a woman who lived in a house close by wanted some melons, and seeing what fine ones these were she went down at once to the Brahman's house and bought two or three from the Brahman's wife. She took them home with her, and cut them open—but then, lo and behold! marvel of marvels! what a wonderful sight astonished her! Instead of the thick white pulp she expected to see, the whole of the inside of the melon was composed of diamonds, rubies, and emeralds; and all the seeds were enormous pearls. She immediately locked her door, and taking with her all the money she had, ran back to the Brahman's wife, and said to her, 'Those were very good melons you sold me, I like them so much that I will buy all the others on your melon plant.' And giving her the money, she took home the rest of the melons. Now this cunning woman told none of her friends of the treasure she had found, and the poor stupid Brahman and his family did not know what they had lost, for they had never thought of opening any of the melons; so that for all the precious stones they sold they only got a few pice.[1]
Next day when they looked out of the window, the melon plant
- ↑ A pice is equal to about ½d.
