The seer has three sons, and agrees to the bargain; but "the father said, 'Do not take the oldest,' and the mother said, 'Do not take the youngest,' so Rohita took the middle son, Dogstail." Varuna immediately agrees to this substitution of Dogstail for Rohita, "since a priest is of more value than a warrior." The sacrifice is made ready, and Vicv[=a]mitra (the Vedic seer) is the officiating priest.

But no one would bind the boy to the post.

'If thou wilt give me another hundred cows I will bind him,' says the father of Dogstail.

But then no one would kill the boy.

'If thou wilt give me another hundred cows I will kill him,' says the father.