When the king heard this, he said, "Hey Monkey Chief, if this lake really exists, please take lead us to it. I will come to see it myself, and even bring everybody in the palace along with me."
It was decided, and in the early morning of the very next Sunday, the king and the chief of the monkeys set to travel inside the jungle. They were followed by the princes, queens, ministers, household workers and everybody else in the palace.
When they reached the place, everybody was awe-struck to see the lake full of lotus. The chief of monkeys said, "Everybody should enter the lake at the same time, or only the first few will received the blessings. As for you, my king, you should wait. I will show you a special place to enter the lake after they have gone into the lake."
The greedy king, and everybody else followed his instructions and got into the lake. One by one, they started to disappear. The king kept anxiously waiting for them to return with treasures.
When his people and relatives did not come out of the lake after a long time, the king asked, "O Monkey Chief, why do they not come out? Why is it that they take so long time?"
The chief of the monkeys jumped to the top of a tree and replied, "O wicked king, a monster lives in this very lake that has eaten all your court members, and relatives. I have now killed all your family, as you have killed mine. The scriptures say, it is not a sin to return evil for evil deeds."
He continued, "I have saved you, for you were once my master! You may return to your palace, empty-handed and alone."
Thus, the king returned to his palace after losing all his relatives and household members, while the chief of monkeys had his revenge.
The wise indeed say:
Greed surely brings disaster and destruction in the end.
