Folktales from India

THE TALE OF THE FOUR FOOLISH PANDITS

There were four Pandits in a village. One was a physician, the second a grammarian, the third a logician, and the fourth an astronomer. The four went to seek employment at the Court of a Rája. When they arrived at his capital, they thought it wise to eat their dinner before they attended the Rája. They decided to make arrangements for their food, and said to the grammarian: “If you will act as cook, your knowledge of grammar will come of use.”

As the physician was skilled in botany, he was asked to purchase the vegetables.

To the logician was entrusted the purchase of the ghí, as his skill in argument would aid him in making a good bargain.

All four accepted the tasks assigned them and set about doing them. When the rice began to boil, a sound came out of the pot like bhad bhad.

The grammarian called out “This is not the correct word. It should be bad-bad.” So he threw a handful of dust into the pot.

The physician said: “I do not like the vegetables in the market. But there is nothing so good for a man as ním leaves.” So he bought a lot of them.

The logician purchased some ghí in a leaf saucer, and as he was going home he began to think: “Does the ghí protect the saucer, or the saucer the ghí?”

To remove his doubts he upset the saucer and spilled the ghí. So, regretting his folly, he came back empty-handed.

The astronomer by his calculations found that the only lucky time for eating was midnight. At midnight the four Pandits sat down to dinner and finding the food spoilt had to go to bed hungry.

Then the astronomer said: — “This is the only lucky hour to call on the Rája.”

They went to the palace and finding the gates closed made their way in through a drain. By this, they dirtied their clothes, so they determined to have a bath. They could find no water, and one said: “The Rája’s wife is as pure as mother Ganges. Let us touch her and we shall be cleansed.” So they went into the room where the Ráni was asleep with the Rája. The four of them jumped on her, and her screams woke her husband. He had them put under guard. The next morning he heard them and finding that they were only fools, laughed, and dismissed them with a present.

They hired a bullock cart to take home what they had got. On the way, the cart began to creak, and the physician said: “I am sure that the wheels are sick.” So, he felt the axle-box, and finding it hot, said: “This is in strong fever. I must cauterize it.”

He applied a hot iron, and the cart and its contents were burnt to ashes. The Rája heard of this, and admiring the skill of the physician, gave them more presents and sent the four fools home in charge of his servants.

Originally published at https://www.efficient-management-apps.de on August 17, 2020.