Once on a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta became his minister.

In those days, there was a dog which used to go to the stall of the Royal elephant and eat the rice spilled where the elephant was fed. Haunting the place for the food’s sake, the dog grew very friendly with the elephant, and at last would never eat except with him. And neither could get on without the other. The dog used to disport himself by swinging back wards and forwards on the elephant’s trunk. One day, a villager bought the dog from the mahout and took the dog home with him.

Then onwards the elephant refused either to eat or drink or take his bath; and the king was told of it. His majesty dispatched the Bodhisatta to find out why the elephant behaved like this. Proceeding to the elephant–house, the Bodhisatta, seeing how sad the elephant was, said to himself, “He has got no bodily ailment; he must have formed an ardent friendship, and is sorrowing at the loss of his friend.” So he asked whether the elephant had become friends with anyone.

“Yes, my lord,” was the answer; “there’s very warm friendship between him and a dog.”

“Where is that dog now?”

“A man took it off.”

“Do you happen to know where that man lives?” “No, my lord.”

The Bodhisatta went to the king and said, “There is nothing wrong with the elephant, sir; but he was very friendly with a dog, and it is missing his friend. This has made him refuse to eat, I imagine.” And continued:-

No morsel can he eat, no rice or grass;

And in the bath he takes no pleasure now.

Methinks, the dog had so familiar grown,

That elephant and dog were closest friends.

On hearing this the king said:“Well. What is to be done now?”

The Bodhisatta said:“Let proclamation be made by beat of drum, to the effect that a man is reported to have carried off a dog of which the Royal elephant was fond of, and that the man in whose house that dog shall be found, shall a heavy penalty.”

The king acted on this advice; and the man, when he came to hear of it, promptly let the dog loose. Away ran the dog at once, and made his way to the elephant. The elephant took the dog up in his trunk, and placed it on his head and wept and cried, and, again setting the dog on the ground, saw the dog eat first and then took his own food.

“Even the minds of animals are known to him,” said the king, and he loaded the Bodhisatta with honours.