Now the king, after issuing the order for the destruction of the dogs, sat himself down in the seat of judgment. The Bodisat went straight up to the place, and rushing forwards, ran underneath the king’s throne. Thereupon the king’s attendants were about to drive him away, but the king stopped them. After he had rested awhile, he came out from under the throne, and made obeisance to the king, and asked him, “Is it you who are having the dogs slain?” “Yes; it is I,” was the reply. “What is their fault, O king of men?” “They have eaten the leathern coverings and straps of my chariot.” “Do you know which ones did it?” “That we don’t know.” “To have all killed wherever they may be found, without knowing for certain who are the culprits that gnawed the leather, is not just, O king!” “I gave orders for the destruction of the dogs, saying, ’Kill them all wherever they may be found,’ because dogs had eaten the carriage leather.” “What then! Do your men kill all dogs, or are there some not punished with death?” “There are some. The royal dogs in our house are exempt.” “Great king! only just now you were saying you had given orders to kill all dogs, wherever found, because dogs had eaten the carriage-leather; and now you say that the well-bred dogs in your own house have been exempted. Now this being so, you become guilty of partiality and the other shortcomings of a judge.[304] Now, to be guilty of such thing is neither right, nor kingly. It behoves him who bears the name of king to try motives as with a balance. Since the royal dogs are not punished with death, whilst the poor dogs are, this is no sentence of death on all dogs, but slaughter of the weak.” Then the Great Being further lifted up his pleasant voice, and said, “Great king! That which you are doing is not justice;” and he taught the king the Truth in this stanza: “The dogs brought up in the king’s house, The thoroughbreds in birth and strength-- Not these, but we, are to be killed. This is no righteous vengeance; this is slaughter of the weak!” When the king heard what the Bodisat said, he asked, “O Wise One, do you then know who it is has eaten the carriage leather?” “Yes; I know it,” said he. “Who are they then?” “It is the thoroughbreds living in your own house.” “But how can we know they are the guilty ones?” “I will prove it to you.” “Prove it then, O sage!” “Send for the thoroughbreds, and have a little buttermilk and Dabba grass brought in.” The king did so; and the Great Being said, “Have the grass crushed in the buttermilk, and give the dogs to drink.” The king did so; and each of the dogs, as they drank it, vomited it up,--and bits of leather with it. Then the king was delighted as with a decision by the all-wise Buddha himself; and gave up his sceptre to the Bodisat. But the Bodisat preached the law to the king in the ten verses on righteousness, from the story of the Three Birds, beginning-- Walk righteously, O great king!...