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In town, there lived a Brahmin, by the name of Dev Sharma. One day, his wife gave birth to a son. The very same day, a female mongoose gave birth to a baby mongoose, but she herself died.
Out of compassion, the Brahmin’s wife took the little mongoose and brought him to as her own son, giving him her own breast milk and bathing him in oil.
However, she was always on her guard, thinking to herself, This mongoose has inherited the defects of his species and may some day harm my son. She was very fond mother.
One day, the woman put her son to bed and then went to take her pitcher to fetch water.
She said to her husband I am going to the well to fetch water. Look after the baby and make sure the mongoose doesn’t hurt him.
After she had gone, the brahmin also left the house and went to beg alms.
Meanwhile, a black snake emerged from a hole. To defend the child, who was like a brother to him, the mongoose attacked his natural enemy, fought with him, bit him to pieces and killed him.
His mouth and claws were all spattered with the snake's blood. Then, in his eagerness to show how brave he had been, the mongoose went and stood outside the house, waiting for the Brahmin’s wife.
When she arrived and saw mongoose covered with blood, the woman jumped to the conclusion that he had killed her son.
She brought the heavy pitcher, full of water, put down heavily on the mongoose and killed him then and there on the spot.
But when she went inside, she found her child safe in his cradle, and a black snake, torn to shreds, lying near by.
She was heartbroken. She felt as though she had been guilty of killing her own son and she began to weep loudly.
The Brahmin returned home.
‘Damn you!’ cried his grief-stricken wife. ‘Greedy fellow! You were so anxious for alms that you didn’t listen to me. Now repent the loss of your second son, that’s what happened to Chakradhara.
‘How was that?’ asked the Brahmin. And his wife told his story. THE STORY OF CHAKRADHAR