Once upon a time, there lived a king. His name was Nand. He ruled the entire land surrounded by the seas and he was known in far off lands too. Many kings knelt before him, used to make the footstool on which he rested his feet. The king had a minister called Vararuchi, an expert in politics and philosophy.

One day, Vararuchi's wife was sulking. He adopted every tactics he could think of to bring her round, but failed. As a last resort, he said, "My darling, I will do anything to please you, be happy with me." "All right then, get your head shaved off and fall at my feet. Then I shall be happy." The minister did so and his wife made up with him.

On the same day, King Nand's also queen had a sulking fit. King Nand did his best to please her, but failed. Finally, he had to say to her, "My darling, I will do anything to please you, just say it." "All right, I will put a bit in your mouth, ride you like a horse and make you gallop. And while you are running, you must neigh. If you do this, I will be happy." The king did so and the queen became her usual self again.

The following morning, when the King entered the court, he saw Vararuchi with his head shaved-off. He asked him, "Vararuchi, Why have you shaved your head all of a sudden?"

Vararuchi replied "Your Majesty, in what way doesn't a man do what his woman asks him to do? On her request, he neighs like a horse and shaves his head at odd times."

Thus continued the monkey - "And so, like Nand and Vararuchi, you too, O wicked crocodile, are a slave to your wife. You had conspired to kill me, but your chatter gave you away. It's so true what they say: "Silence is golden", or "Parrots and other cackling birds get caught, whilst the cranes stay free", or "The donkey, who was dressed up in a tiger's skin, was frightening to look at, but got killed because he brayed." So, by keeping quiet one succeeds."

"How was that?" asked the Karaalmukh crocodile. And Raktmukh monkey told the story of "The Donkey and the Washerman" to Crocodile.