The King said, “Up to the time when you catch the Crow I will give their maintenance.”
Afterwards the King caused a suckling woman and an [infant] child to be brought to her. With these two that woman went to her village, and having gone there began to give food to the crows every day. Many crows collected together there for it. She caused that child to be near the crows at the place where the crows were eating the food. During the time while it was there, that little one was playing in the midst of the party of crows, the crows surrounding it. [At last it came to understand their language.]
Afterwards she taught the child, “When the crows are quarrelling, on hearing a crow say, ‘It was thou who droppedst excreta in Gaja-Bāhu’s mouth,’ seize that very Crow [which did it].”
When the crows came to eat the food they quarrelled. At the time when they were quarrelling the child stayed in that very party of crows. Then a crow which was quarrelling said to another crow, “Wilt thou be [quiet], without quarrelling with me? It was thou who droppedst excreta in Gaja-Bāhu’s mouth.” As it was saying the words the child seized that Crow. The woman having come, caught the Crow and imprisoned it, without allowing it to go.
On the following day she took the Crow to the King. The King asked at the hand of that woman, “How didst thou recognise this Crow, so as to catch it?” The woman told him the manner in which it was caught.
Then the King asked the Crow, “Why didst thou drop excreta in my mouth?” At the time when he was asking it there was a jewelled ring on his finger.
The Crow replied, “You said, ‘There is not a greater King than I.’ I saw that there is a greater King than that; on that account I did this.”
Then the King asked, “How dost thou know?”
The Crow said, “I have seen the jewelled ring that is on the finger of that King; it is larger than your jewelled ring. Owing to that I know.”
The King asked, “Where is that ring?” Then the Crow having said, “I can show you,” calling him, went to a city.