The Prince, after washing his [right] hand and mouth, having gone and sat down, according to the advice of the astrologer-teacher taking from all the food a very little gave it to the dog and cat that were near the Prince, and remained looking [at them] a little time. While he was [waiting] thus, in a little time the dog and cat died and fell down. Having seen this and become afraid, the Prince set off from there and began to go away.
Having gone on and on in this way, near the palace of another King through hunger-weakness he fell, and struck the ground. The men who saw this having gone running, said to the King [that] a man like a royal Prince had fallen down, and was not far from the palace. The King gave orders, “Very speedily bring him here.” Thereupon the men having lifted him up, took him to the royal house.
While he was there, when he asked him [regarding] the circumstances, “I am very weak through hunger;[2] for many days I have not obtained any food,” he said.
“At first having made rice gruel, give ye him a little,” the King said.
Thereupon the servants having said, “It is good” (Yahapataeyi), prepared and gave it. After his weakness was removed in this way, he asked him [about] the circumstances. Commencing at the beginning, from the time (taen) when he went near the Royal Preceptor, he told the story before the King (raju).
Then the King spoke, “Wast thou unable to learn letters? Not thus should a royal Prince understand. Wast thou unable to learn the art of swords, the art of bows, etc.?” he asked.
Thereupon, when answering he said he knew the whole of those arts; only letters he did not know.
At that time the King thought thus, “Because of his not knowing only letters, ordering them to kill him was wrong, the first-born son. Remain thou near me,” he commanded.
Belonging to the King there was a single daughter only. As there were no sons he regarded this Prince like a son. When not much time had gone thus, the King thought of giving And the Prince when replying on all the occasions said, “I am not willing to leave His Majesty the King and go away.”