Long ago there was a young man who looked worn and haggard on the outside, yet was very intelligent and possessed a magic power, so that he could understand the speech of the birds and beasts.

He sought out a quiet place to practice the Dharma, but his wish could not be fulfilled, and so he had to hire himself out to a wealthy man, earning his living as a peddler who sold goods everywhere.

One day the master and the young man stopped to rest and eat lunch beneath a great tree. Suddenly a flock of crows flew in from somewhere, filled the tree, and cawed noisily. Hearing the crows, the young man merely sat and smiled, saying nothing. This puzzled the master, but he too said nothing.

When night came, the master called the young man over to ask about what had happened at midday:

– My boy, why did you smile at noon when you heard the crows cawing?

Hearing his master's question, the young man answered truthfully:

– Sir, because I have studied magic I understand exactly what the crows were crying about. They were hungry and wished to eat you but did not know how, so they urged me to kill you: first to seize the precious jewel in your pocket, and afterward to eat your flesh to satisfy their hunger.

Terrified at this, the master nevertheless felt less afraid because the young man was so honest, and so he pressed on:

– If you knew this, why did you not kill me, take the precious jewel, and make yourself rich?

The young man answered at once:

– Sir, your jewel and your money were not made by my own sweat and tears; to kill a man and rob him of his belongings is a cruel deed. Moreover, all this time you have helped me — how could I, out of greed, forget such kindness and loyalty?

Hearing this, the master was filled with respect; from then on he cared for the young man as if he were his own younger brother, and gave him much wealth to make a living.