Enjoy one of our new bedtime stories for kids. This Indian bedtime story about the Stingy Husband and the Gullible Wife tale comes from the book 'Tales of the Sun or Folklore of Southern India’ from 1890, authored by Howard Kingscote and Pandit Natesa Sastri.

Long ago, in a distant village, there lived a married couple. The husband, despite his wealth, was known for his great stinginess. The woman, on the other hand, was known for believing everything she was told. When people wanted something from her, they would come and flatter her, but only when her husband was not around. When he was away, beggars and ordinary swindlers would come to the wife and ask for help. They often succeeded thanks to their flattery. When the husband found out, it always ended in a huge argument, and eventually, the wife had to abandon her charitable inclinations.

Indian fairy tale – swindlerIn a nearby village lived an exceptionally cunning swindler, who knew well what was happening in the rich miser’s family. One day, when the husband had gone out on horseback to inspect his lands, the swindler came to the wife and immediately collapsed exhausted at the threshold.

The woman rushed to him, helped him up, and asked who he was.

„I come from the town of Kailasa, from which your husband originates. I bring news from his parents,” he said, then gave the names of her husband’s parents, which he had learned from neighbors.

„My husband would be so happy if he were here and met you! Please sit down and rest for a while until he returns. How are they doing? Are they well?”

She asked the rogue these and a thousand other questions. In turn, he wanted to escape as quickly as possible, knowing well how he would be treated if the stingy husband returned home.

„Oh Mother! There are no words to describe the misfortunes they are enduring. They don’t even have a rag to cover themselves with, and they have been living on water alone for six days. If you saw them, it would break your heart.”

The rogue’s pitiful words completely deceived the good woman, who firmly believed he had come from Kailasa, sent to her by the old folks.

„Why should they suffer like this,” she said, „when their son has plenty to eat and money for all sorts of luxuries?”

With these words, she went into the house and soon returned with two boxes containing her and her husband’s clothes, giving everything away, instructing him to take them to the poor old folks in Kailasa. She also gave him a box of jewelry for her mother-in-law.

„But a dress and jewels won’t fill their hungry stomachs,” said the rogue.

Asking him to wait a bit, the woman went to get the money hidden by her husband. The rogue praised her kindness and generosity, then hurriedly made his way.

Shortly after, the husband returned home. The wife immediately began telling him everything that had happened. She was sure he would be curious about his parents. The man quickly realized the situation, and his anger was great. However, when he learned that the rogue had just left, he restrained himself and asked in which direction he had gone. He jumped on his horse, shouted that he wanted to give something else to his parents, and galloped after the swindler.

He rode very fast and from a distance saw the rogue walking with the loot. Seeing that escape was futile, the rogue climbed a nearby fig tree.

Seeing no chance that the rogue would come down willingly and with no one around to help, our hero tied his horse to the tree and also began to climb. The rogue was just waiting for this. As soon as the man was high up, he threw his loot to the ground and, jumping from branch to branch, quickly descended from the tree. He then gathered the items, jumped on the horse, and galloped away.

The husband was getting on in years and could not match the rogue. He climbed down much slower and, cursing his stupidity, slowly walked back home on foot. His wife waited for his arrival with a smile and said:

„It’s a beautiful gesture on your part to decide to give your horse to your parents as well. You can be so generous at times!”

The man just clenched his teeth, bowed his head, and said nothing. There are many in the world who, when they lose something, would rather say it was of their own volition than admit to their own foolishness.

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Julia Martin

Julia Martin is a woman of diverse interests and skills, based in the United States. Creativity is a significant part of Julia’s life. She channels her imaginative spirit into writing – from heartfelt poems and enchanting children’s fairy tales to captivating fantasy stories and narratives filled with suspense. Julia firmly believes in the power of storytelling in fostering a child’s imagination, enriching vocabulary, and enhancing intellectual development. Moreover, this practice strengthens the emotional bond between parent and child, instilling a sense of security and love. Julia dedicates her fairy tales to her wonderful husband Nikodem and her daughter Nadia, reflecting the love and passion that she puts into every aspect of her life.