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18.THE SARANGA BIRDS
She had petulantly upbraided
him. Hearing his repeated laments "Is it
so?" she said: "I know your mind, I know
that you desire to go back to Jarita, having
had enough of me. Why falsely bring in
the fire and the children? You have
yourself told me that the children of Jarita
would never perish in fire since the Fire
god has given you that boon. You may as
well tell the truth and go away, if you like,
to your beloved Jarita. I shall only be
another of the many trusting females
betrayed by unworthy males and cast out
wandering in the forest. You may go."
The bird Mandapala said: "Your
assumption is untrue. I took birth as a bird
for obtaining children and I am naturally
anxious about them.
I shall just go and see them and then come
back to you " Having thus consoled his
new mate, be went to the tree where Jarita
was seated.
Jarita paid no attention to her consort but
remained absorbed in joy at finding her
children alive.
Then she turned to her husband and asked
in an indifferent tone why he had come.
He replied with affection:
"Are my children happy? Who is the
eldest among them?"
Then Jarita cut in icily: "Do you greatly
care? Go back to her for whom you
abandoned me. Be happy with her."
Mandapala philosophised: "A woman will
not care for her husband after she has
become a mother. Such is the way of the
world. Even the blameless Vasishtha was
thus ignored by Arundhati."
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