The king no sooner heard it than he mounted his chariot, and proceeded with a great retinue to the place, and beholding the Bodisat, said, “My friend the King of the Deer! did I not grant you your life? Why are you lying here?” “O great king! a roe with young came and told me that the lot had fallen upon her. Now it was impossible for me to transfer her miserable fate to any one else. So I, giving my life to her, and accepting death in her place, have lain down. Harbour no further suspicion, O great king!” “My Lord the golden-coloured King of the Deer! I never yet saw, even among men, one so full of forbearance, kindness, and compassion. I am pleased with thee in this matter. Rise up! I grant your lives, both to you and to her!” “But though two be safe, what shall the rest do, O king of men?” “Then I grant their lives to the rest, my Lord.” “Thus, then, great king, the deer in the park will have gained security, but what will the others do?” “They also shall not be molested.” “Great king! even though the deer dwell secure, what shall the rest of the four-footed creatures do?” “They also shall be free from fear.” “Great king! even though the quadrupeds are in safety, what shall the flocks of birds do?” “Well, I grant the same boon to them.” “Great king! the birds then will obtain peace, but what of the fish who dwell in the water?” “They shall have peace as well.” And so the Great Being, having interceded with the king for all creatures, rose up and established the king in the Five Precepts,[286] and said, “Walk in righteousness, O great king! Doing justice and mercy to fathers and mothers, to sons and daughters, to townsmen and landsmen, you shall enter, when your body is dissolved, the happy world of heaven!” Thus, with the grace of a Buddha, he preached the Truth to the king; and when he had dwelt a few days in the park to exhort the king, he went away to the forest with his attendant herd. And the roe gave birth to a son as beautiful as buds of flowers; and he went playing about with the Monkey Deer’s herd. But when its mother saw that, she said, “My son, henceforth go not in his company; you may keep to the Banyan Deer’s herd!” And thus exhorting him, she uttered the verse-- Follow the Banyan Deer: Dwell not with the Monkey Deer. Better death with the Banyan Deer, Than life with the Monkey Deer.[287] Now after that the deer, secure of their lives, began to eat men’s crops. And the men dared not strike them or drive them away, recollecting how it had been granted to them that they should dwell secure. So they met together in front of the king’s palace, and told the matter to the king. “When I was well pleased, I granted to the leader of the Banyan Deer a boon,” said he. “I may give up my kingdom, but not my oath! Begone with you! Not a man in my kingdom shall be allowed to hurt the deer.”