# The Vampire's Second Story explained — Vikram and the Vampire

> Chapter companion for Vikram and the Vampire by Richard F. Burton.

## What happens

The Baital tells a story about Prince Raja Ram, who inherits a wise parrot named Churaman. The parrot helps restore the prince's fortunes and advises him on choosing a wife. The tale explores the relative villainy of men and women through debates between the parrot and a jay named Madan-manjari, and includes a sub-story about Ratnawati, a beautiful and obedient daughter who marries an ugly hunchback and comes to love him. The Baital's commentary provokes Raja Vikram's anger, leading to another capture.

## Themes in this chapter

### Gender Roles and Women's Status

The central debate in the chapter concerns the relative villainy of men and women, with characters arguing about women's nature, worth, and capacity for love.

### Deception and Truth

The hunchback's hypocrisy and the theme of appearances versus reality are explored in the sub-story of Ratnawati's marriage.

### Love and Marriage

The chapter discusses marriage choices, the nature of love, and the transformation of affection through duty and time, as seen in Ratnawati's story.

## Character check-ins

### Raja Vikram

The warrior king who listens to the Baital's tale, reacts with anger to the Baital's provocations, and captures the Baital again.

### The Baital

The vampire storyteller who narrates the second story, taunts Vikram, and is recaptured after escaping.

### Raja Ram

The young prince who inherits a kingdom and a wise parrot, and seeks a suitable wife.

### Churaman

The wise parrot who advises Raja Ram and debates the relative villainy of men and women.

### Princess Chandravati

The bride of Raja Ram who defends women against the parrot's accusations.

### Madan-manjari

The jay who argues for the goodness of women and tells the sub-story of Ratnawati.

## Key lines

> The masculine is more worthy than the feminine

Men are considered more valuable than women.

_Raja Ram's grammatical rule reflects the patriarchal view of gender hierarchy._

> Women are worse than we are; a man, however depraved he may be, ever retains some notion of right and wrong, but a woman does not. She has no such regard whatever.

Women are morally inferior to men; even a wicked man has some moral sense, but a woman lacks it entirely.

_Raja Vikram's oracular pronouncement on the relative wickedness of women._

> Ugly, very ugly men prevail over women for two reasons. Firstly, we begin with repugnance, which in the course of nature turns to affection; and we all like the most that which, when unaccustomed to it, we most disliked.

Extremely ugly men often win women's hearts because initial disgust can transform into strong affection, and we tend to value most what we initially disliked.

_The jay's explanation of why ugly men can be successful in love._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/vikram_and_the_vampire_se/chapters/the-vampire-s-second-story
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/vikram_and_the_vampire_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/vikram_and_the_vampire_se/chapters