This is classified as ATU 2040. The Climax of Horrors.
A thakore is a land-holder, also spelled thakur.
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During the disastrous famine of 1878, a Thakore left his native village, and went to a distant part of Gujarat to earn his bread. During his absence, his house and haystacks were burnt to ashes and all the members of his family died of diseases and starvation. Not a pennyworth of his once handsome property, not a single soul of his once extensive family, remained, except an old servant who set out in search of his young master, to convey to him the sad news of his bereavement. After wandering from place to place for a long time, he at last fell in with the Thakore who embraced him with tears of joy in his eyes and inquired after the health of his dear ones. The faithful servant thought that if he revealed the sad tidings all at once, it would break his master's heart. He, therefore, resolved to break it as gently as possible.
"Well, my friend," began the Thakore, "are all at home doing well?"
"All, except our poor dog Bazia."
"It grieves me very much to hear that my poor old dog is no more. Of what did
he die?"
"Our mare Hardi died," replied the servant. "The dog ate her flesh and followed her to the grave."
"What happened to my dear mare? I am very sorry to have lost both my pets."
"She died for want of hay and gram."
"When I left home, there was a large stock of both. Where did it all go?"
"A part of it was destroyed by fire and the remainder was disposed of in order to defray the expenses of feeding the Brahmins on the 13th day after your mother's death."
Shocked at this last blow the Thakore exclaimed, "My mother ! Is she also no more? Of what did she die?"
"The loss of your only son told heavily upon her health and she succumbed to the blow."
This utterly overwhelmed the Thakore."My son! my only son! Oh! my God!" he cried. "I don't know what to believe and what not to believe. What happened to my darling?"
"He died for want of proper nourishment."
"Do you mean to say that my wife did not nourish her own child? That is absurd!"
"She did suckle him and took great care of him as long as she was alive; but after her decease, the tender child was too helpless to live without a mother's care."
"So my wife is also dead!" sobbed the Thakore. "Whom have I left then in the world? Let us go home where I can lay myself down in a quiet corner and weep over my misfortunes."
"Even that last consolation is denied you," replied the servant sadly. "Before I left, a great fire broke out in the vicinity of our house and utterly destroyed it together with other houses."
The Thakore gave up the idea of returning home and finished his miserable life abroad.
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