The Bodhisatta was a young stag of golden colour who lived happily with a beautiful doe. The stag was the leader of eight myriads of deer. One day a hunter set a snare and the Bodhisatta’s foot got entangled therein. He gave a succession of warning cries and the herd fled. The doe, however, came up to him and encouraged him to try to break the noose. However, all his efforts were in vain, and, when the hunter approached, the doe went up to him and asked to be allowed to die in her mate’s place. The hunter was so touched and amazed that he set them both free, and the stag gave him a magic jewel which he had found on the feeding ground.

The story was told in reference to a girl of Sāvatthi in a family devoted to the two Chief Disciples. She married an unbeliever, but was allowed to practise her own religion unmolested. She finally persuaded her husband to listen to a discourse by Sāriputta, and both husband and wife became Stream-winners. Later, they joined the Order and became Arahants.

Channa (the husband) is identified with the hunter, while the woman was the doe. J.iii.182-7.