That year the herdboy’s father and mother decided that it was time for him to marry and began to look about for a wife for him; but he announced that he had made up his mind to have a dog for his wife and he-would never marry a human girl.

Everyone laughed at him for such an extraordinary idea, but he could not be moved; so at last they concluded that he must really have the soul of a dog in him, and that it was best to let him have his own way.  So his father and mother asked him whether there was any particular dog he would like to have for his bride, and then he gave the name of the man into whose house he had tracked the dog that he had seen going to the ravine.  The master of the dog laughed at the idea that anyone should wish to marry her, and gladly accepted a bride’s price for her; so a day was fixed for the wedding and the booth built for the ceremony and the bridegroom’s party went to the bride’s house and the marriage took place in due form and the bride was escorted to her husband’s house.

Every night when her husband was asleep, the bride used to come out of the dog’s skin and go out of the house; and when her husband found out this, he one night only pretended to go to sleep and lay watching her, and when she was about to leave the room he jumped up and caught hold of her and seizing the dog skin, threw it into the fire, where it was burnt to ashes, so his bride remained a woman, but she was of more than human beanty.  This soon became known in the village and everyone congratulated the herdboy on his wisdom in marrying a dog.

Now the herdboy had a friend named Jitu and when Jitu saw what a prize his friend had got, he thought that he could not do better than marry a dog himself.  His relations made no objection and a bride was selected and the marriage took place, but when they were putting vermilion on the bride’s forehead she began to growl; but in spite of her growling they dragged her to the bridegroom’s house, and forcibly anointed her with oil and turmeric; but when the bride’s party set off home, the dog broke loose and ran after them; then everyone shouted to Jitu to run after his bride and bring her back, but she only growled and bit at him, so that he had at last to give it up.  Then everyone laughed at him so much that he was too ashamed to speak, and two or three days later he hanged himself.

LXXXVI.  Wealth or Wisdom.

Once upon a time there were a Raja and a rich merchant, and they each had one son.  The two boys went to the same school and in the course of time became great friends; they were always together out of school hours; the merchant’s son would take his meals at the Raja’s palace or the Raja’s son would eat with his friend at the merchant’s house.  One day the two youths began a discussion as to whether wealth or wisdom were the more powerful:  the Raja’s son said that wealth was most important, while the merchant’s son declared for wisdom; the discussion waxed hot and neither would yield his opinion.  At last the merchant’s son declared; “It is of no use for us to argue like this, let us put it to the test:  let us both go to some far country and take service with some master for a year, and try whether wealth or wisdom is the more successful.”  The Prince agreed to this plan and they fixed a day for starting