Indeed, that best of Brahmanas endued with learning, knowing from his own state that his aged, toil-worn, cheerless, and helpless wife was herself afflicted by hunger, and seeing that lady who had been emaciated into mere skin and bones, was quivering with weakness, addressed her and said, 'O beautiful one, with even animals, with even worms and insects, wives are fed and protected. You should not, therefore, say so. The wife treats her husband with kindness and feeds and protects him.