# Subha Datta's Return and the Hidden Pitcher explained — Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit

> Chapter companion for Hindu Tales from the Sanskrit by S. M. Mitra.

## What happens

Subha Datta returns home to his wife and children, having hidden the magic pitcher in a hollow tree. He lies about his adventures, claiming he lost his way and survived on fruits. When his wife offers to prepare a meal, he insists on fetching something himself, empties a fuel basket, retrieves the pitcher, and returns with it full of exotic foods, presenting them as 'fruits' he found in the forest.

## Themes in this chapter

### Cleverness and Deception

Subha Datta lies to his wife and children about the pitcher's origin, hiding his true discovery.

### Temptation and Selfishness

Subha Datta prioritizes his secret and the pitcher's bounty over his wife's desire to serve him.

## Character check-ins

### Subha Datta

Returns home and deceives his family about the source of the food.

### The Woodcutter

Mentioned as Subha Datta's wife, who is disappointed but believes his story.

## Key lines

> You can just imagine what a surprise it was to Subha Datta’s wife and children when they saw him coming along the path leading to his home.

Subha Datta's family was astonished to see him returning home.

_Describes the family's surprise at his return._

> He told his wife that he had lost his way in the forest, and had been afraid he would never see her or his children again, but he said nothing about the fairies.

He claimed to have gotten lost and feared he would not return, omitting any mention of the fairies.

_Subha Datta lies about his experience._

> He seized a big basket which was full of fuel for the fire, tumbled all the wood in it on the floor, and went off alone to the pitcher.

He grabbed a basket used for firewood, emptied it, and went alone to retrieve the pitcher.

_He prepares to fetch the hidden pitcher._

> Very soon he was back again with his basket full of all sorts of good things, the very names of which his wife and children had no idea of.

He quickly returned with the basket filled with exotic foods unknown to his family.

_The pitcher provides unfamiliar delicacies._

> “There!” he cried; “what do you think of that? Am I not a clever father to have found all that in the forest? Those are the ‘fruits’ I meant when I told Mother about them.”

He exclaimed proudly, asking if they thought him clever for finding such items in the forest, calling them the 'fruits' he had mentioned.

_Subha Datta boasts about his supposed foraging._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/hindu_tales_from_the_sanskrit_se/chapters/xi
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- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/hindu_tales_from_the_sanskrit_se/chapters