Thereupon some of them were killed and others ran away. A dog, which came from another country, seeing them running off, asked them what had frightened them so much. They gave a full account of all that had occurred. It said, “Why do not you implore the king?”
They replied, “We who are running away have no power of imploring the king, and the others have been rendered mute.”
It said, “Wait awhile, I will implore the king in your behalf.”
Encouraged by him they turned back; and after they had made a halt they expressed their prayer in a verse, uttered at a distance from which they could be heard, saying— [[343]]
“These two dogs, Gaṇḍa and Upagaṇḍa, full of force and health, living in the king’s stronghold, ought to be put to death. We are not deserving of death. O king, it is not right to let the innocent be put to death.”
Having heard this, the king said next day to his ministers, “Honoured sirs, find out those who implored me yesterday in verse.”
The ministers gave orders to the body-guards, saying, “Find out those who implored the king yesterday in verse.”
The guards said, “It was the dogs of the land that did so.”
The king said, “Honoured sirs, find out whether the horse-gear was devoured by Gaṇḍa and Upagaṇḍa, or by other dogs.”
The ministers assembled, and began to take counsel together, saying, “Honoured sirs, the king has ordered us to find out about the dogs. How shall we manage it?”