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142 TWO PRAKRIT VERSIONS OF THE MAŅIPATI-CARITA 91. Mūladeva was passing alone on that road by night, and
they caught sight of him and recognised him. 92. Running up they seized him with both hands and straight
way addressed him : 'Learned sir, tell us whose wife
is the more beautiful. 93. Said Müladeva : 'Let each of you describe the good
qualities of his own wife'. They replied: "You
yourself know but we do not know.' 94. Feeling his way by following the indications of their
hearts and basing himself on their species he said to - one of them : 'Listen to the excellences of your wife : 95. By the laughter in her eyes she is a mongoose, by her
chattering a monkey, by her gait a panther, and by the qualities of her soul arising from the power of
virtue a buffalo'. 96. Laughing the piśāca replied: 'It is true, there are these
qualities in my beloved.' Then Mūladeva said to the
other one: 'Listen now to the excellences of your wife:97. She talks when she is not talked to and when she is
spoken to she replies fifteen times over ; and like the bell on the neck of a she-goat she makes a continuous
tinkling noise.' 98. The latter replied : ‘This is true, but which of them is
the more beautiful ?' 'Now listen attentively,' said
Mūladeva, 99. Whom a man loves she is beautiful for him and there
is no defect in her. Thus spoke Mūladeva when the
piśācas had seized him with their hands, and 100. they both released him with exclamations of approval.
Realising that he too could satisfy both of his interro
gators the cat said : 101. The cold occurs when the wind blows either in pausa
or in māgha; in this connection the month is not the
cause.' 102. Then they both said: 'Bravo! Bravo!' and being wise
went to their own abodes whilst the cat entered his lair.
