There was once a Brahman named Theodore in a certain town. His wife, being unchaste and a pursuer of other men, was forever making cakes with sugar and butter for a lover, and so cheating her husband.

Now one day her husband saw her and said: “My dear wife, what are you cooking? And where are you for ever carrying cakes? Tell the truth.”

But her impudence was equal to the occasion, and she lied to her husband. “There is a shrine of the blessed goddess not far from here. There I have undertaken a fasting ceremony, and I take an offering, including the most delicious dishes.” Then she took the cakes before his very eyes and started for the shrine of the goddess, imagining that after her statement, her husband would believe it was for the goddess that his wife was daily providing delicious dishes. Having reached the shrine, she went down to the river to perform the ceremonial bath.

Meanwhile her husband arrived by another road and hid behind the statue of the goddess. And his wife entered the shrine after her bath, performed the various rites — laving, anointing, giving incense, making an offering, and so on — bowed before the goddess, and prayed: “O blessed one, how may my husband be made blind?”

Then the Brahman behind the goddess’ back spoke, disguising his natural tone: “If you never stop giving him such food as butter and butter-cakes, then he will presently go blind.”

Now that loose female, deceived by the plausible revelation, gave the Brahman just that kind of food every day. One day the Brahman said: “My dear, I don’t see very well.” And she thought: “Thank the goddess.”

Then the favored lover thought: “The Brahman has gone blind. What can he do to me?” Whereupon he came daily to the house without hesitation.

But at last the Brahman caught him as he entered, seized him by the hair, and clubbed and kicked him to such effect that he died. He also cut off his wicked wife’s nose, and dismissed her.

“And that is why I say:

I know I should not carry frogs

and the rest of it.”

Then Slow-Poison, with noiseless laughter, hummed over the verse:

The trick was good. All sorts of frogs

and the rest of it. And Water-Foot, hearing this, was conscience stricken, and wondering what he meant, inquired: “My dear sir, what do you mean by reciting that repulsive verse? “Nothing at all,” said Slow-Poison, desiring to mask his purpose. And Water-Foot, befooled by his plausible manner, failed to perceive his treachery.

Why spin it out? He ate them all so completely that not even frog-seed was left.

“And that is why I say;

Bear even foes upon your back, ….

and the rest of it. Thus, O King, just as Slow-Poison destroyed the frogs through the power of intelligence, so did I destroy all the enemy. There is much wisdom in this:

The forest-fire leaves roots entire,

Though