Horses graze among the ruins.

Everyone now waited at the site to see what would happen. At midday, as the astrologer had foretold, rain clouds began to form even though it was the height of the dry season. Then, from behind the clouds, a great bird appeared. In its talons it held a wriggling fish. Swooping down from the sky, the bird suddenly dropped its catch. The fish fell to earth and flopped about till it died in the very place indicated by Master Correct.

Though the wager had to be paid, the young man only cut the end of the royal astrologer’s tongue. He could not seriously hurt the man. Humbled, the older man now remembered the fateful horoscope cast for his unfortunate son so many years before. He immediately set about trying to learn all he could of Master Correct’s background. He realized before long that this was, indeed, his lost son and became filled with remorse. He sought out his son, and they were finally reconciled.

Now, another astrologer monk was also jealous of Master Correct. In a plot to shame him, the monk asked the fortune-teller to read his horoscope. Master Correct warned the monk that at a certain time and day, he would be struck by a thunderbolt. The monk treated this news with derision, though he privately planned to do all he could to protect himself.

At the appointed time, the monk waded out into the river and covered his head with a rock. When the storm broke and lightning flashed, he ducked underwater. He was just in time. The thunderbolt struck the rock and shattered it into pieces, but the monk survived unscathed.

Lather that day, the monk visited Master Correct. “I’m still alive,” he gloated. “Where is your thunderbolt? What good are your predictions?”

Master Correct was completely deceived. He searched through his notes but could find no error. Finally, in despair, his mind became unhinged, and he abandoned his faith in astrology. He decided to burn all his books and scrolls. Once this terrible deed was done, the young astrologer descended into insanity. He roamed Pagan, brooding over his failure and mistakes. But he could be heard predicting the presence of treasures buried in the ground throughout the city.