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.”
When the Banyan Deer heard that, he assembled the herds, and said, “Henceforth you are not allowed to eat other people’s crops.” And so forbidding them, he sent a message to the men: “Henceforth let the husbandmen put up no fence to guard their crops; but let them tie leaves round the edge of the field as a sign.”
From that time, they say, the sign of the tying of leaves was seen in the fields, and from that time not a single deer trespassed beyond it; for such was the instruction they received from the Bodisat.