Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit · Chapter
XIII explained
Subha Datta retrieves the magic pitcher and brings it home, but in a drunken frenzy he drops and breaks it, losing the treasure forever.
What happens
Subha Datta retrieves the magic pitcher and brings it home, but in a drunken frenzy he drops and breaks it, losing the treasure forever.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
Putraka’s acquisition of flight and his subsequent decision to descend into the city mark the story’s dramatic…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Temptation and Selfishness
Subha Datta succumbs to the temptation of wine, leading to the destruction of the magic pitcher.
- Consequences of Greed
His reckless behavior and greed for more from the pitcher result in its loss and his own sorrow.
Characters to notice
- Subha Datta
The woodcutter who retrieves the magic pitcher but breaks it in a drunken dance.
- The Woodcutter
Subha Datta is the woodcutter; he is the central figure in this chapter.
Key passages
“When the woodcutter was quite sure that everyone was gone and nobody could see where he had hidden the pitcher, he took it from the hole in which it lay and carried it carefully to his home.”
Once the woodcutter was certain no one was watching, he retrieved the pitcher from its hiding place and brought it home with great care.
Describes the retrieval of the magic pitcher.
“But he paid no attention to her. Suddenly, however, he began to feel giddy and fell to the ground, dropping the pitcher as he did so. It was broken to pieces, and a great cry of sorrow went up from all who saw the accident.”
Ignoring his wife's warning, he became dizzy, fell, and shattered the pitcher, causing everyone to mourn.
The moment the pitcher is broken.
