The King and the Wise Man

The King and the Wise Man

In a faraway kingdom, Shah Ali ruled as king. He loved books, poetry, music, and, above all, a good joke. Ali often held festivals and contests for the people of his capital. Sometimes he asked for the finest poem, sometimes he posed a riddle, and sometimes he invited everyone to invent a story that would make the whole square burst into laughter. One day the shah announced an unusual contest. “Three hundred gold coins,” he said, “will go to the person who asks me a question or says something that forces me to answer: ‘That is impossible!’” The news flew through the city. “Easy enough!” said some. “The shah has trapped himself!” laughed others. But the old people shook their heads. “Do not be so quick. If Ali has planned something, it will not be simple.” On the appointed day, a huge crowd gathered before the palace. Musicians played in the square, guards stood by the throne, and beside them, on a table, gleamed a bag containing three hundred gold coins. The first to step forward was a famous city joker. “Your Majesty!” he cried. “A rider has just arrived and announced that at dawn today the Moon fell from the sky just beyond the city gate!” Everyone held their breath. The shah stroked his beard. “That is possible.” The square roared with laughter. “How can it be possible?” protested the joker. “Perhaps the rider was mistaken. Perhaps he saw a great round lantern. Or perhaps he invented every word from beginning to end. You said that he brought such news, and that is perfectly possible.” The joker climbed down from the platform, embarrassed. Next came the court physician. “Great Shah! A marvel has happened in the palace garden: your old cat laid a golden egg this morning!” The crowd murmured. Ali only nodded. “That is possible.” “But cats do not lay eggs!” “Certainly not. But someone may have placed an egg beside the cat and told you that foolish tale. So it is possible that you heard such a story.” The physician stepped back as well. Third came an astrologer in a long robe embroidered with stars. “From the movement of the heavenly lights, I have learned that soon you will grow goat’s horns, panther’s claws, and will be able to speak only in birds’ whistles.” People were laughing before the shah even answered. Ali said gravely, “That is possible.” “How?” “Perhaps you are very poor at reading the stars.” Laughter rolled across the square. So one day passed, and then another. The cleverest people in the capital came forward one by one. They invented flying camels, rivers of honey, trees that went for walks, and mountains that sang at sunrise. But every time, the shah found a way to say, “That is possible.” On the third day, someone in the crowd called, “Send for Nasr-Eddin. If even he cannot manage it, the gold will stay with the shah.” Nasr-Eddin was a famous wit. He wore no jewels, had no grand procession, and disliked long speeches. He came to the square in plain, slightly worn clothes, dragging two large clay jars behind him. “Peace to your house, Shah Ali,” he said. “May you rule for another hundred years.” “That is possible,” the shah answered at once. “And may the trust of your people in you grow every year.” “That is possible.” “Then you will surely listen to an old story.” “That is possible.” Nasr-Eddin set the two jars before the throne. “Your late father knew my late father well.” The shah narrowed his eyes. “That is possible.” “Before one long military journey, your father urgently needed money.” “That is possible.” “And my father lent him two full jars of gold coins.” The square fell quiet. Nasr-Eddin continued, “Your father gave his word that if he did not return the debt himself, you would do it. Therefore, Your Majesty, please fill these two jars with gold and repay me.” Shah Ali looked at the empty jars. Then at Nasr-Eddin. Then back at the jars. “That is impossible!” he cried. “Your father never had two jars of gold and never lent anything to my father!” For a moment, no one spoke. Then Nasr-Eddin smiled broadly. “I have heard the words I needed, Your Majesty.” The shah froze. The crowd laughed so loudly that pigeons flew from the palace roof. At first Ali frowned. Then he began to laugh too. “You rascal! You forced me to choose: either admit an unbelievable debt or say, ‘That is impossible.’” “Exactly,” replied Nasr-Eddin. “Sometimes the finest riddle is not about inventing something strange. It is simply about putting a person before an honest choice.” The shah ordered the three hundred gold coins to be given to him. “You have won according to the rules,” Ali said. “And rules made by a ruler must apply to the ruler as well.” Nasr-Eddin took the reward, thanked him, and was about to leave when the shah asked, “Why did you bring two jars?” “To make my story more convincing.” “Are they completely empty?” Nasr-Eddin tapped one. Something clinked inside. The shah raised his eyebrows. “And what is that?” “One copper coin,” said the wise man. “In case you decided to repay the debt in instalments.” The whole square burst into laughter again. After that, Shah Ali held many more contests, but he chose the conditions much more carefully. And whenever someone grew too proud of their own cleverness, people remembered Nasr-Eddin’s two empty jars and said, “The hardest thing is not to think of an answer. It is to notice where the question is hiding.”

May this story leave a little light in your heart ✨