Sunday Parable

King who went in search of ideal fool

by Professor Sunanda MAHENDRA

In the distant past lived a king who used to delight himself in the company of fools. He would invite fools to his palace and shower with all royal luxury. That was, in a way, his merriment. He would ask a foolish question, and a fool would answer foolish. Then he would laugh as much as possible. In this manner he used to spend the time. But he was not contented with them. One day he summoned his royal chieftain: "Can you find out some fools and how can you do that?" "Your Majesty, it is not so easy to gather more and more fools in the palace." "Why?" asked the king.

"It is believed that one who calls others feels that he is the only wise person. As such if you question about the whereabouts of the fools, any person would point out that he is the only person who is not a fool." The king pondered over the matter for some time.

"In that case," said the king, "let's see all the wise men in the kingdom, and make enquiries." "May it be done in the manner you wish, Your Majesty," said the Chieftain of the palace.

Then one day both of them, King and the chieftain went to see the first wise man.The wise man was a scholar. He ushered them to a house of a fool he knew since his childhood. The fool he indicated was cutting a branch of a tree sitting on its edge. Before long the fool fell down, and the poor man was injured.

"So Your Majesty, this is the greatest fool I know of," said the wise man.

"Are there any more fools like this one?" asked the king."No Your Majesty, but I know of a wise man who knows about some more fools."

"Take me to that wise man," ordered the king. No sooner said than done. The second wise man took the king and the chieftain to the house of the fool he knew.

"Look, Great Majesty," said the wise man. The king had a fairly distant glance at a man on a bench. There stood two giant-like men who held clubs in their hands. The two men were about to hit the bald head of the man on the bench. The king who felt that he would be quickly hurt, so cried 'stop'. The two men heard the king's cry and brought down the two clubs onto the head of the man on the bench.

"Do you know what happened?" "Explain." "The fool on the bench has employed two others to drive off mosquitoes who bite his head. Two servants were using clubs to do the job." King observed the strange behaviour and the ultimate result of the flood of blood that reddened his entire body.

"I am so happy to see these fools." said the King.

"But I want to see some more fools," king added. The king was taken to see another fool who was riding a donkey. The king saw the man keeping a bundle of firewood on his head.

"Why is he called fool?" asked the king.

"Look, Great Majesty, instead of having the donkey to carry the bundle of firewood the fool feels that it is too heavy and he carries it on his head." the king laughed and laughed.

"Are there any other fools in the kingdom?" "Our teacher is quite old and he must know about a real fool," they said.

"Take me to him" They took the king and explained their requirement to the teacher of the wisest of the wise. The old wise man who did not take much care of the king's presence just said: "Yes certainly I know of a particular person I feel is the most foolish person in the kingdom. I like to see him," said the king in delight.

"You need not worry about seeing that person in a haste, Your Majesty.I will send him to your royal chamber straight away.

I will just hand over a note which you should read the moment you enter your chamber.But I advise you to insist on one thing." "What's that?" "You should not read the note until you are alone in the royal chamber." King was handed over a note rolled and wrapped neatly. The king thanked the teacher of the wisest of wise and went to the palace.

The king wanted to see what is written in the note. He unwrapped it and read the contents: "Now, please go to the mirror.

The reflection in the mirror is the image of the greatest fool in this kingdom. Perhaps you will get angry. Don't get into that mood. Please look at that image carefully.

You will realise how with great difficulties people live in this kingdom, but you, destined as the king, is going in search of fools.

Please see that the image of the fool in the mirror ought to be the real image of the wise in the kingdom. If you go on looking out for fools you yourself will end up a bloody fool.

But if you associate wise, you would end up the wisest on earth." Needless to say the king who read the contents of the note, and looked at his own image of himself felt angry in the first instance. But he was pacified gradually realising how very foolish he was up till that moment.

(Adapted from a narrative by D. D. N. Weerakone)