The Carpenter’s Wife

Once upon a time, there was a carpenter in a village. He was living with his wife. The villagers told the carpenter that his wife likes someone else. So he planned to test her. He told his wife that he had to go to work in some other village. So he will not be there for a few days.

On hearing this, his wife became extremely happy, she cooked his favorite dishes and packed his clothes for the journey. The carpenter left for his work the next morning. Now, the wife wore a new sari, daubed herself in scent and decorated her hair with flowers. She waited anxiously for the whole day to pass. When the sun settled, she reached her lover’s home.

She informed him that her husband is out of the village for a few days. She told him to come to her place to spend a good time. Meanwhile, the carpenter was keeping an eye on his house. When his wife left to meet his friend, the carpenter sneaked into the house. He hid himself under the cot. He wanted to see the truth himself. When the night became dark, her lover secretly entered the house.

The wife was sitting on the cot dangling her feet. When her feet hit something hard, she understood that it maybe his husband under the cot. She immediately planned to dupe her husband and teach – him a lesson. She gestured his friend that her husband is under the bed. When her friend tried to touch her hand she started shouting “If you try to touch me I will burn you to ashes”.

On hearing this, her friend inquired “Why you invited me to your place?”

She replied, “To protect my husband”. Upon this, her friend asked, “How? How you can protect your husband”.

She replied that today when I visited the temple and I prayed “Please Goddess give a long life to my husband”.

Then I heard a divine voice “Your swami will survive for six months and you will become a widow after six months”.

When I asked for a solution, the divine goddess voice suggested me “there is no escape for death, his life left for six months only”.

I requested the goddess “please suggest me a solution”

The goddess suggested me “go to bed with a stranger. Now death will follow the stranger and your husband will survive for a hundred years”.

On hearing this, the carpenter believed that his wife is honest with him. The foolish carpenter believed every word of the story as told by his wife.

He immediately came out of the bed “oh my dear wife I’m blessed to have an obedient wife like you” I was a fool to doubt you”. I thought you were not honest with me and you were cheating on me. The carpenter then put his wife on his shoulders. He paraded his wife all over the village and sang songs for her. The clever wife was very happy. She knew that her plan had worked.

Moral: Always be careful and check twice and thrice.