Once upon a time, when Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta entered into life as a Woodpecker. In a wood of acacia trees he lived, and his name was khadiravaniya, the Bird of the Acacia Wood. He had a comrade named Kandagalaka, or Eatbulb, who got his food in a wood full of good fruit.

One day the friend went to visit Khadiravaniya. “My friend is come!” thought Khadiravaniya; and he led him into the acacia wood, and pecked at the tree trunks until the insects came out, which he gave to his friend. As each was given him, the friend pecked it up, and ate it, as if it were a honey cake. As he ate, pride arose in his heart. He thought, “This bird is a woodpecker, and so am I. What is need for me to be fed by him? I will get my own food in this acacia wood!” So he said to Khadiravaniya, “Friend, don’t trouble yourself, I will get my own food in the acacia wood.”

Then said the other, “You belong to a tribe of birds which finds its food in a forest of pithless silk cotton trees, and trees that bear abundant fruit; but the acacia is full of pith, and hard. Please do not do so!”

Kandagalaka said, “What! am I not a woodpecker?” And he did not listen, but pecked at an acacia trunk. In a moment his beak snapped off, he fell to the ground dead.

Khadiravaniya said, “O! Kandagalaka! the tree where you broke your head is hard and strong!”

But the other perished then and there.