Seeing that this prince did not go straight into the lake， the water demon appeared to him disguised as a humble villager. He said to him， "My dear friend， you look tired and dirty from much walking. Why don't you get into the water and bathe， drink， and eat some lotus roots？"
Remembering the one-way footprints， Prince Goodspeaker said， "You must be some kind of demon disguised as a human！ What have you done with my brothers？" Surprised at being recognized so quickly， the water demon returned to his true ferocious appearance. He replied to the wise prince， "By my rights， I have captured your brothers！"
The prince asked， "For what reason？" "So that soon I can gobble them up！"， the demon answered， "I have permission from my demon ruler to eat all those who go into' this lake who do not know the teaching of the gods. If anyone does know the teaching of the gods， I am not allowed to eat him."
The Prince asked， "Why do you need to know this？ What is the advantage to a demon like you， to know the teaching of the gods？" The water demon replied， "I know there must be some advantage to me." "Then I will tell you what the gods teach，" said Prince Goodspeaker， "but I have a problem. Look at me. I am covered with dust and dirt from traveling. I cannot speak about wise teachings in this condition."
By now， the water demon realized that this prince was especially wise. So he washed and refreshed him. He gave him water to drink from lotus leaves， and tender lotus roots to eat. He prepared a comfortable seat for him， decorated with pretty wild flowers. After laying aside his sword and bow and arrows， the Enlightenment Being sat on the adorned seat. The ferocious demon sat by hisfeet， just like a student listening to a respected teacher.
Prince Goodspeaker said， "This is the teaching of the gods：
You should be ashamed to do unwholesome deeds. You should be afraid to do unwholesome deeds. You should always do wholesome deeds ——that bring happiness to others， and help mankind. Then you will shine with the inner light of calm and peacefulness."
The water demon was pleased with this answer， and said， "Worthy prince， you have completely satisfied my question. You have made me so happy that I will give you back one of your brothers. Which one do you choose？"
Prince Goodspeaker said， "Release my younger brother， Prince Sun." To this the demon replied， "My lordprince， wise one， you know the teaching of the gods but you do not practice it！" The prince asked， "Why do you say that？" The demon said， "Because you leave the older one to die， and save the younger. You do not respect elders！"
The prince then said， "Oh demon， I know the teaching of the gods， and I do practice it. We three princes came to this forest because of the youngest brother. His mother requested our father's kingdom for him. So it was for our protection that our father sent us here. The young Prince Sun joined us out of friendship. But if we return to the court without him， and say he was eaten by a water demon who wanted to know the teachingof the gods， who would believe us？ They would think we killed him because he was the cause of our danger. This would bring shame to us and unhappiness to the kingdom. Fearing such unwholesome results， I tell you again to release the young Prince Sun."
The water demon was so pleased with this answer that he said， "Well done， well done， my lord. You know the true teaching.of the gods， and you do practice that true teaching. I will gladly give back both your brothers！" So saying， he went down into the lake and brought both princes back to shore. They were wet， but unharmed.
Later on， the Bodhisatta gave further helpful adviceto the demon. He said， "Oh water demon， my new friend， you must have done many unwholesome deeds in your previous lives， so that you were born as a flesh eating demon. And if you continue in this way， you will be trapped in a terrible state even in later lives. For unwholesome deeds lead to shame， fear and unpleasantre birth. But wholesome deeds lead to self-respect， peace and pleasant rebirth. Therefore， it would be much better for you to do pure deeds， rather than impure deeds， from now on." This turned the demon from his past ways， and the princes lived together happily under his protection.
One day， word came that the king had died. So the three princes， as well as their friend the water demon， returned to the capital city. Prince Goodspeaker was crowned as king. Prince Moon became the chief minister， and Prince Sun became commander of the army. The water demon was awarded a safe place to live， where he was well fed， cared for and entertained for the rest of his life. In this way they all acquired wholesome meritorious thoughts， leading to rebirth in a heaven world.
The moral is. Unwholesome actions bring shame and fear. Wholesome actions bring self-respect and peace.
，佛教故事:Prince Goodspeaker and the Water Demon