1.    A Brahmin in the town was a horoscopist and astrologer for the king. Since his wife had no children, she raised a mongoose with love and care.

2.    The Brahmin showered his love on the mongoose. He kept the mongoose on his lap, on his chest, embraced it, kissed it, and fed rice and milk by his hand. He placed it on his chest and let it go to sleep. While he raised the mongoose in this loving manner, the couple discovered the woman of the house was pregnant.

3.    Since he was a horoscopist and astrologer, he predicted the birth of a son. "He will be well-versed in the four Vedas, command plenteous wealth, and influence and support his parents and the family. He will be the famous priest and prognosticator for the king and live for a hundred years."

4.    His wife told him not to dream up like that. Let things happen at their own pace and time.

5.    She carried the child to full term and delivered a boy baby. After the baby's birth, she went to a stream to purify herself after childbirth. This purificatory ceremony is something like churching women after childbirth in the Christian tradition. The father remained home minding the child.

6.    The king's minions came to invite him for the Sirāttham (Oblation to manes). If he did not attend the ceremony, other Brahmins would receive the gifts, and he would forego them. He brought the mongoose, placed it near the baby, and left for the palace. There was no other person to watch the baby.

7.    After the sirāttham was over, the Brahmin came home with a sack of clothes, rice, and dal.

8.    When he was in the palace, a poisonous snake entered the house and slithered towards the baby. The mongoose jumped on it and cut it into pieces. Its mouth was dripping with blood, and the mongoose wanted to show it to the Brahmin as evidence of what it did and stood at the entrance to the house with pride and joy. When he saw the mongoose with blood in the mouth, he thought it bit his child and beat it to death with a club. He entered the house with anxiety and saw the baby smiling. At a far distance, he found the snake in several pieces. Then only he realized what happened. Without proper investigation, killing the mongoose caused him the guilt of killing the mongoose he raised so dearly. He carried on beating his mouth and stomach and throwing mud on his head like a maniac. I raised you better than my child. You chose me as the death messenger. He fell on the body of the mongoose and banged his head on the floor. He cried, and seeing the dead mongoose, he broke out again crying. His wife seeing the dead mongoose, cried, and her heart melted like wax. Doing things without proper investigation engenders sorrow, the wife said and sobbed.

9.    For the sin of killing the mongoose, they performed an expiative ceremony and removed their sorrow to a certain extent.