By and by they who were leading Daṇḍin along came to a drinking-house. In it Daṇḍin sat down upon the landlady’s new-born babe, which was lying asleep under a dress. “There’s a child lying there! There’s a child lying there!” cried the mother. But when she looked at it, the child was dead. She seized on Daṇḍin and demanded that he, who had killed her child, should give it back to her. He replied, “I did not kill it. Why should I give you a child?” She said, “Come, let us go to King Ādarśamukha.” So they set out on their way.
At a certain spot a crow which sat on a withered tree saw Daṇḍin, and asked him whither he was going. He replied, “I am not going anywhere, but I am being taken by these people.”
“Whither?”
“To King Ādarśamukha’s.”
“Then take charge of a commission from me, and say to King Ādarśamukha, ‘At such and such a spot there [[33]]stands a tree with dry leaves. On this tree sits a crow which wants to ask you what is the reason why it remains upon that tree, and takes no delight in other trees which are green and full of sap.’ ”
They went farther, and some gazelles saw Daṇḍin and asked him whither he was going. He replied, “I am not going anywhere, but am being taken by these people.”
“Whither?”
“To King Ādarśamukha’s.”
“Then take charge of a commission from us, and ask the king what is the reason why we find no pleasure in any other place than this, though other places possess meadows and green grass.”
They went on farther. A partridge saw them and asked whither they were going, and all went on as above up to the words, “Then take charge of a commission from me also, and ask the king why I call like a partridge at one spot, and at another spot I have a different kind of voice.”