तं होवाच नैतदब्राह्मणो विवक्तुमर्हति समिधं सोम्याहरोप त्वा नेष्ये न सत्यादगा इति तमुपनीय कृशानामबलानां चतुःशता गा निराकृत्योवाचेमाः सोम्यानुसंव्रजेति ता अभिप्रस्थापयन्नुवाच नासहस्रेणावर्तेयेति स ह वर्षगणं प्रोवास ता यदा सहस्रं सम्पेदुः ॥ ४.४.५ ॥
In plain words
He said to him, "No one but a brahmin could speak out so. Bring the fuel, my dear; I shall receive thee, for thou hast not swerved from the truth." Having received him, he separated out four hundred lean and feeble cows and said, "Follow after these, my dear." Driving them off, he said, "I shall not return without a thousand." And he lived away for a number of years. When they had become a thousand,