From then onwards, they lived happily. The four of them would tell each other stories, and the camel was always found along with the lion.
One day, the lion returned home badly injured after a fight with a wild elephant. He was unable to even walk, let alone go out and hunt.
Unable to bear the hunger, he asked the camel, jackal and the wolf to go in search of some small animal that he will be able to kill, even in his condition. Thus, the hunger for all three of them would be satisfied. But the three of them returned empty-handed in the evening, even after their efforts to search for an animal.
The jackal began wondering in hunger, "The young camel does not belong amongst us, and he will be able to provide food for many days. But, I have to be cunning to convince the lion to kill him, as he has promised not to harm him."
He said to the camel, "Our master will soon die of hunger, and so will we. I and the wolf will die of starvation, and some other animal will prey on you after they know that there is nobody to protect you anymore. I suggest you must offer yourself to the lion, and save us from dying. For your sacrifice, you will be reborn in a body twice the size of what you have in this life!"
The young camel agreed immediately, "Had it not been for the lion, I would have been dead long ago. I shall be rewarded hundred-times for my sacrifice, and find a place in heaven. I agree to offer my body."
In the evening, the jackal said to the lion, that the camel will be blessed with twice the size of the body in his next birth, if he killed him and worshipped God before eating him. He explained that the camel was willing to offer his body for this sacrifice.
The lion was convinced by the cunning jackal and he agreed. As soon the jackal was able to convince him, he jumped on the young camel and tore him apart. The young camel died instantly.
The lion remembered that he must worship before eating for the young camel's next life and asked the jackal and wolf to guard over the carcass, while he returned. He then went for a bath and worshiped the gods.
