Now Branch thought to himself, "Pottika will be slandering me in the king's ear, but if I am by, he will not be able to speak"; so he also repaired thither. And Pottika, even in his presence, spoke to the king saying, "My lord, when I was weary with my journey, I went to Branch's house, hoping to rest there first and then to visit you. But Branch said, "I know him not!" and evil entreated me, and haled me forth by the neck! Could you believe it!" and with these words, he uttered three stanzas of verse:

"'Who is the man? I know him not! and the man's father, who?
Who is the man?" so Sakha said:--Nigrodha, what think you?

"Then Sakha's men at Sakha's word dealt buffets on my face,
And seizing me about the throat forth cast me from the place.

"That such a deed in treachery an evil man should do!
An ingrate is a shame, O king--and he your comrade, too!"

[42] On hearing these, Banyan recited four stanzas:

"I know not, nor have ever heard in speech from any one,
Any such ill as this you tell which Sakha now has done.

With me and Sakha you have lived; we both your comrades were;
Of empery among mankind you gave us each a share:
We have by thee got majesty, and not a doubt is there.

"As when a seed in fire is cast, it burns, and cannot grow;
Do a good turn to evil men, it perishes even so.

"The grateful, good, and virtuous, such men are not as they;
In good soil seeds, in good men deeds, are never thrown away."

As Banyan was reciting these lines, Branch stood still where he was. Then the king asked him, "Well, Branch, do you recognise this man Pottika?" He was dumb. And the king laid his bidding upon the man in the words of the eighth stanza:

"Seize on this worthless traitor here, whose thoughts so evil be;
Spear him! for I would have him die--his life is nought to me!"

But Pottika, on hearing this, thought within himself--"Let not this fool die for my sake!" and uttered the ninth stanza:

[43] "Great king, have mercy! life once gone is hard to bring again:
My lord forgive, and let him live! I wish the churl no pain."

When the king heard this, he forgave Branch; and he wished to bestow the place of Commander-in-chief upon Pottika, but he would not. Then the king gave him the post of Treasurer, and with it went the judgeship of all the merchant guilds. Before that no such office had existed, but there was this office ever after. And by-and-bye Pottika the Royal Treasurer, being blest with sons and with daughters, uttered the last stanza for their admonition:

"With Nigrodha one should dwell;
To wait on Sakha is not well.
Better with Nigrodha death
Than with Sakha to draw breath."