A merchant had a wife with whom four of the city stipendiaries and
their superior officer fell in love, and they all sent go-betweens to
her. She listened to what they said, and appointed a time for a
meeting. But when they asked where the meeting-place was to be, she
directed them to a fig-tree which stood not far from the city, the head
of which soared aloft towards the sky, the branches of which were
widespread, and the foliage of which was thick. Up this tree they were
to climb, and there to await her. She herself awaited an opportunity of
going out of the house. But her husband became suspicious, beat her,
and bound her to a pillar. She had told one of the four lovers that he
was to climb on to a branch on the eastern side of the tree, and she
would come by daybreak. He did so joyfully. The second one, likewise by
her instruction, climbed on to a branch on the south side of the tree,
the third mounted on the western side, and the fourth on the north
side, and the superior officer clambered on to a branch in the middle
of the tree. They spent the whole night on the tree in expectation,
terrified by the wind, all by themselves. For the woman did not come
although the day dawned. Then he who was waiting on the eastern branch
uttered this verse: “The sun has risen, from the village comes the
ploughman. The fig-tree must learn that the false do not come.”
He who was waiting on the southern branch said: “The woman who was to
come is truly false. This sun full of splendour is now about to rise.”
He who was on the eastern side said: “Wilt thou come, excellent one?
Being asked this, she replied, ‘Yes.’”
Then he who sat on the western branch uttered this verse: “As the sun
has risen on the right hand, the ploughers go forth from the village.
As I knew not the appointed time, I have not closed my eyes during the
night.”
After a while he who sat on the northern branch said: “The wind has
shaken me the whole night long. He who goes after strange women suffers
thus and in other ways.”
Then said the superior officer: “If the wind has shaken you well, I
shall not complain. The fig-tree, in nought to blame, complains that
its branches are broken.”
The deity who dwelt in the tree, seeing that they were tricked, said:
“You will complain, and the four others too. When the Vaiśākha month
[160] comes, the tree which men have maimed recovers.”
Having given up their hopes with respect to the woman, the men came
down from the tree and went homewards. But the woman had been released
by her husband, and she betook herself secretly to that tree. When they
saw her they asked her why she had deceived them. She told them the
whole story. They said, “So you are now come to light!” As she
reflected that she could not have to do with five men after the fashion
of dogs, she said that she would yield herself to him among them who
should bring her the most beautiful flowers. Now there was in the royal
castle a keeper of the king’s lotuses, whose nose and ears had been cut
off. To him they betook themselves. But they thought that they would
certainly get nothing from him by way of purchase, though they might if
they flattered him. So one of them said: “As the bulrush grows again
after being cut, so may your nose grow again. Give flowers to him who
prays.”
The second said: “As the kuśa grass grows again after being mown, so
may your nose grow again. Give lotuses to him who prays.”
The third said: “As the Dūrvā grass [161] and the Vīraṇa [162] grow
again even when cut down, so may your nose grow again. Give flowers to
him who prays.”
The fourth said: “As hair and beard, although shorn, yet grow again, so
may your nose grow again. Give flowers to him who prays.”
The fifth said: “The lotus-cravers have all talked nonsense to you.
Whether you give lotuses, or do not give them, your nose will never
grow again.”
The watchman said to himself: “Those four men have talked to me useless
stuff. But the fifth has kept steadily to the truth. To him will I give
the lotuses.”
So he gave him as many lotuses as he wanted. That man went joyfully
with them to the woman, whose enjoyment now fell to his share.