One day, Tenalirama incurred the extreme displeasure of the king, for overdoing his part. He ordered his servants that Tenalirama must be made to be trampled by an elephant. The servants of the palace, took him to an open plain outside the city. They dug a deep pit there and buried him in it, leaving only his face, projecting above the ground. They then returned to the city to fetch an elephant for treading over Tenalirama.

In the interval, a hunch-backed washerman happened to pass that way. He, after seeing Tenalirama in that particular posture, wanted to find out the reason for that. When asked for the reason, Tenalirama replied, "I have a hunch-back for a very long time. In order to correct the defect, a doctor left me buried here thus. I have lost my curve and become straight now. You can dig me up and see for yourself whether it is so or not." The washerman did accordingly and to his surprise he did not find any bend in Tenalirama's body.

Then, the washerman begged him that he may also be buried in the pit, so that his body too might become erect. Without any delay Tenalirama fulfilled his desire, and returned to the king with the washermans bundle on his hand. The king was very much astonished to see Tenalirama. He asked him, "How could it be possible that you are still alive? By now, you should have been trampled to death by an elephant!" The jester replied with a cool obeisance, "The order was so, but an honest washerman has obligingly taken my place and this is the bundle which he entrusted to me. The king could not control his laughter and excused his jester.