King Krishnadevaraya, the ruler of Vijayanagara, was known for his love of horses. His kingdom boasted an impressive collection of various horse breeds. One day, a trader arrived at the court, claiming to have brought the finest Arabian horse. The King, intrigued by the trader's claim, decided to inspect the horse himself.
The horse was indeed magnificent. Its sleek coat, strong build, and graceful movements impressed the King greatly. The trader praised the horse's qualities, saying it was one of the best Arabian horses ever seen. King Krishnadevaraya, convinced by the trader's words and the horse's appearance, decided to buy it. He paid the trader 5000 gold coins in advance and eagerly awaited the arrival of two more similar horses from Arabia, as the trader had promised.
However, days turned into weeks, and there was no sign of the trader or the promised horses. The King grew increasingly worried. One day, to clear his mind, he went for a stroll in his beautiful garden. As he walked among the flowers and trees, he noticed Tenali Raman, one of his cleverest advisors, sitting under a tree, writing something on a piece of paper.
Curious, the King approached Tenali Raman and asked, "Tenali, what are you writing?"
Tenali Raman hesitated for a moment, then handed the paper to the King. The King looked at the list and was shocked to see his own name at the top. The title of the list read, "Biggest Fools in the Vijayanagara Kingdom."
Feeling both surprised and insulted, the King demanded an explanation. "Why is my name on this list, Tenali? Explain yourself!"
Tenali Raman, with his characteristic wit and wisdom, pointed out the recent incident with the trader. "Your Majesty, you paid a stranger 5000 gold coins for a horse and trusted him to return with two more horses from Arabia. You believed his words without any guarantee. Doesn't that seem foolish to you?"
The King, realizing the truth in Tenali's words, felt a mix of embarrassment and understanding. He had indeed trusted the trader too easily. However, not willing to concede entirely, he replied, "But Tenali, what if the trader does come back with the horses? What will you say then?"
Tenali Raman, with a twinkle in his eye, responded, "If the trader does come back with the horses, then he would be an even bigger fool for returning after receiving such a large sum of money. In that case, I will gladly replace your name with his on the list!"
The King couldn't help but laugh at Tenali's cleverness. He realized that Tenali Raman had once again used his sharp mind to teach a valuable lesson in a humorous way. The incident served as a reminder that trust should be earned, not given blindly.
The King appreciated Tenali's honest counsel, even if it was delivered in a playful manner. He decided to be more cautious in the future and to verify the credibility of strangers before making any agreements.
As days passed, the story of the trader and the list of fools became a popular tale in the kingdom. People admired Tenali Raman's wisdom and humor, and they learned an important lesson about trust and caution from the story.
King Krishnadevaraya continued to rule wisely, always keeping in mind the lesson he learned from Tenali Raman. He valued Tenali's advice even more and often sought his counsel in matters of the kingdom.
And so, the story of the clever Tenali Raman and the trusting King became a part of Vijayanagara's rich folklore, passed down through generations as a tale of wit, wisdom, and the importance of not blindly trusting strangers.
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