The bird, so saying, straight released his foe
And gently bore him to the earth below;
"Set free to-day, go, safe from danger dwell
In water or on land. I'll guard thee well.

As a skilled leech to men with sickness curst,
Or a cool tank to those that are athirst,
As house that shelters from a chilling frost,
So I a refuge prove to thee, when lost."

And saying, "Be off," he let him go. And the snake disappeared in the abode of the nagas. But the bird, returning to the dwelling-place of the garudas, said, "The snake Pandaraka has won my confidence under oath and has been let loose by me. I will now put him to the test, to see what his feelings are towards me," and repairing to the abode of the nagas, he raised a garuda wind. On seeing him the snake-king thought the garuda-king must have come to seize him, so he assumed a form that stretched to a thousand fathoms and making himself heavy by swallowing stones and sand [85] he lay down, keeping his tail beneath him and raising the hood upon his head, as if minded to bite the garuda-king. On seeing this the garuda repeated another stanza:

O snake, thou madest peace with thine old enemy;
But now thou showst thy fangs. Whence comes this fear to thee?

On hearing this the snake-king repeated three stanzas:

Ever suspect a foe, nor trust thy friend as staunch;
Security breeds fear, to kill thee root and branch.

What! trust the man with whom one quarrelled long ago!
Nay, stand upon thy guard. No one can love his foe.

Inspire a trust in all, but put thy trust in none,
Thyself suspected not, be to suspicion prone.
He that is truly wise ought every nerve to strain
That his true nature ne'er may be to others plain.

Thus did they talk one with another, and becoming reconciled and friendly they repaired together to the hermitage of the ascetic.

The Master, to make the matter clear, said,

The godlike graceful pair of them now see,
Breathing an air of holy purity;
[86] Like steeds well matched neath equal yoke they ran,
To seek the dwelling of that saintly man.

With regard to this the Master uttered another stanza:

Then to the ascetic straight king-snake did go,
And thus Pandaraka addressed his foe,
"Know that to-day, all danger past, I'm free,
But 'tis not due to love of thine for me."

Then the ascetic repeated another stanza:

To that bird-king, I solemnly declare,
I greater love than e'er to thee did bear,
Moved by affection for that royal bird,
I of set purpose, not through folly, erred.

On hearing this, the snake-king repeated two stanzas: