(Deer in a royal park, to avoid being hunted, decide that lots shall be cast to select a daily victim. The lot having fallen on a doe big with young, the king of the deer offers himself as a substitude at the block and saves not only his own life but also the lives of all living creatures.)

There were two golden deers dwelling in the forest. One under the name of King Banyan Deer and the other, Branch Deer. Each had an attendant of five hundred deers.

In those days the king of Benares was passionately fond of hunting and always had meat at every meal. Everyday he mustered the whole of his subjects, townsfolk and countryfolk alike, to the detriment of their business, and went hunting. His people was told to sow grass for the deers to eat, supply water for them to drink, and opened the gate wide. Then they called out the townsfolk and set out into the forest armed with sticks and all manner of weapons to find the deers. They surrounded about a league of forest in order to catch the deers within their circle, among them was the Banyan and the Branch deer. As soon as they perceived the deers, they proceeded to beat the trees, bushes and ground with their sticks till they drove the herds out of their lairs; they rattled their swords, spears and bows noisily to drive all the deers into the pleasaunce and shut the gate. Then they went to the king and said,"Sire, you always stop our work just to have us go hunting with you, we have driven enough deers from the forest to fill your pleasaunce. Henceforth feed on them."

Hereupon the king looking over the herd saw among them two golden deers, to whom he granted immunity. Sometimes either the king or his cook would go out and shoot a deer to bring home. At first sight of the bow, the deer would dash off trembling for their lives, but after receiving two or three wounds they grew weary, faint and were slain. The king of Banyan was told of this and he sent for the Branch deer to discussed about the matter. "Friend, the deers are being destroyed in great numbers; and though they cannot escape death, at least don’t let them get wounded unnecessarily. Let the deer go to the block by turns, one day from my herd and the next day one from yours. The deer on whom the lot falls, will have to go to the place of execution and lie down with its head on the block in preparation for slaining. In this case the deer would escape wounding."The Branch deer agreed and when its either one of the herds turn to lie down with its neck ready on the block, the cook would carry off only the victim which awaited him.

Now one day the lot fell on a pregnant doe of the herd of Branch, and she went up to the Branch and said,"Lord, I am pregnant. When I have given birth, there will be two of us to take our turn. Please replace me over this turn." The Branch deer rejected her request saying,"You must bear the consequences of your own fortune" Feeling helpless, the doe went to find the Banyan deer and told him her story. "Very well; I will see that the turn passes over you." And there the Banyan deer went to the place of execution and lay down with his head on the block in replace of the doe. Cried the cook on seeing him and off he ran to tell the king. The moment the king heard of it, the king mounted his chariot and arrived with a large followers."My friend the king of the deer," he said holding the Banyan deer,"didn’t I promised you your life? Why are you lying here?"

"Sire, there came a pregnant doe who prayed me to let her turn pass to another; as I could not pass the doom of one on to another, I lay down my life for her taking her doom on myself. There is nothing hidden behind my actions, your majesty."

"My lord, the golden king of deer," said the king,"Even among men, I have never seen anyone so full of charity, love and pity as you. Therefore I am very pleased with you. Arise! I spare the lives of the both of you and her." "Though two of our lives are spared, what about the rest of the deers in the forest, the other four-footed creatures, the flocks of birds and those who lived in the waters?" asked the Banyan deer interceding with the king for the lives of all creatures. "All their lives will be spared also, my lord." answered the king. Thus with grace and charm, the Banyan deer teach the king to walk in righteousness and justice towards parents, children, townsmen and countryfolk. After a few days with the king’s instructions, the Banyan deer and all his attendant herds passed into the forest.

From then on, the people remembering the immunity granted to the deers who used to eat men’s crops didn’t dare to hit or drive them away. "I shall keep my promise to the Banyan deer for he had won my favour. Therefore no one in my kingdom may harm the deers." ordered the king. When the Banyan deer was informed of the king’s decision, he called his herd and said.,"From now onwards, you shall not eat the crops of others unless it is indicated with leaves tied up round it nor shall anyone trespass the fields with markings."

And so, there was never a deer known to have trespass on a field marked as they have all been instructed.