The village elders were wonderstruck. They could not deny that the spirit of the tree had indeed revealed the truth. They immediately started discussing amongst themselves how they should punish for Dharmabuddhi's guilt. 
 
Meanwhile, when Dharmabuddhi heard the spirit of tree speak such, he became sure that there must be something wrong. The spirit of the tree, if it was so, is telling untruth. That is not possible. Having seen the hollow of the tree, he put a heap of dried leaves and grass in front of the hollow of the tree and set fire to it. 
 
When the fire started flaring up, Papabuddhi's father could not bear the heat and the smoke inside the hollow any longer. He came out, with burns in his body, crying for pity.