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111. AS THEY DESERVED
A rich merchant had once to go on a long journey. He therefore entrusted all the treasure and jewellery in his huge and well kept mansion to his wife and charged her to be careful in maintaining it properly. But she was more interested in maintaining herself and spent most of her time in the beautifying and decorating her own person. She completely neglected the upkeep of the house. She did not even notice that a peepal plant had struck roots in one of the walls of the house. In course of time, the plant grew and the wall collapsed. Even then she did not pay any attention. By the time her husband returned his beautifully constructed house had been almost completely damaged. He drove her away from the house and constructed another and married another woman.
Time came for him to go on another long journey and he entrusted the care of the house and property to the second wife. She however looked after the place with great deal of care. Whenever she noticed anything wrong with the woodwork in the house, she got men quickly to set it right. If any of the pictures in the house looked soiled, very carefully she cleaned them. When her husband came back, he was happy to see his house in perfectly good condition, wearing fresh look of a new house. He was happy with his wife and she enjoyed all comforts with him; whereas the discarded wife went about like a beggar.
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