The crane asked how it was. The king related - There lived, in Hastinapura, a washerman, Vilasa by name. His ass had become feeble on account of carrying burdens too heavy for him and was almost at the point of death. Thereupon the washerman, having wrapped him up in a tiger's skin, let him loose in a cornfield near a forest. Now the master of the field seeing him from a distance used quickly run away taking him for a tiger. Then, one day, one of the men setting guard over the corn having protected his body with a dusky blanket and got a bow and arrow ready, remained waiting in a corner with his body bent down (in a bent posture). Seeing him from a distance the donkey who had grown stout and gained strength by eating corn at pleasure thought him to be a female ass and setting up a loud bray ran towards her. The corn-keeper knowing for certain from his braying that it was an ass killed him easily. Hence, I say - A stupid ass, that daily fed on corn etc. What next? Dirghamukha replied - Then the birds said - Ah villain, vile crane, treading on our ground, you revile our lord! This cannot be borne now. With these words all of them pecked at me with their bills and said wrathfully - Look here, you blockhead, that swan, your king, is extremely mild. He has no claim at all to sovereignty. For he who is all mildness is not able to save even the thing on the palm of his hand. How can he govern the earth then, or what is a kingdom to him? You too are a frog in a well (an inexperienced fellow) and hence you advise us to seek his shelter. Listen - A large tree, endowed with fruit and shade, should be resorted to: if, through ill luck, there be no fruit who can take off the shade?