The Tham Vessantara-jAtaka - Khamkoo

hAriyA thiyo maM paribhA santi tayA jiBBena brAhmaBa : I am not going to fetch water
for you, as you are old, O Brahmin, and the women mock me”
The old Brahmin was unhappy when he heard what his wife told him. He
insisted his wife tell him who was cursing and shouting at her. In so doing, he described
further the group of women, whom he thought to have insulted to his wife in this way: I
Kham, the woman who is ugly to see and speaks harsh words; the black fat woman who
has no shame of herself and used to fight with a group of men; Sura Brahmin’s daughter
who is ugly in every limb and ugly to see; the evil woman who used to carry a bag on
her shoulder, wandering in villages because her husband has run away from her and she
is still looking for another man; the blind woman, the wife of SurabhI, who is always
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bitten by her husband; the greedy woman who is much indebted and always teases
men; the evil, huge faced woman who has been divorced seven times; the evil woman
who became pregnant by the headman of the village when her husband died; the woman
who speaks too loudly to be heard; the shopkeeper woman who always uses harsh
words; the woman who sells fish using harsh words and her fish is never sold; the red
clothed woman who always snaps back and everyone is afraid of encountering her.
JUjaka said: “Do not fetch water for me, do not serve me, I am going to fetch water. Do
not be angry my lady.”
The Brahmin girl replied: NAhaM taM hi kule jAtA yaM tvam udaka mAhare evaM
brAhana jAnAhi na te vacchAmahaM ghare : “I was not born in the kind of family to let
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you go to fetch water. Brahmin, listen to this. I am not living with you in your house. If
you do not bring me a slave, surely I am not going to stay with you”.
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