What are the two strange things the Guru and his disciple find in the Kingdom of Fools?
One fine day when the Guru and his disciple visited the kingdom of fools there was no one in the streets. Everyone was found sleeping during daytime. The people had even trained their cattle to sleep throughout the day.
Another bizarre thing the two observed was the same cost for every product. Everything was priced at a duddu i.e. one rupee.
Why does the disciple decide to stay in the Kingdom of Fools? Is it a good idea?
The disciple wanted to stay in the Kingdom of Fools because anything could be bought for a single duddu. All that the disciple wanted was good and cheap food.
The Guru wished to leave but the disciple was tempted to stay there. The Guru even warned him by saying that they were all fools and it wasn’t a good idea to stay there as they could do anything anytime and the situation won't be the same always.
Name all the people who are tried in the king’s court, and give the reasons for their trial.
When the thief was carrying out his loot, the merchant’s wall collapsed and the thief died.
1. The thief’s brother complained to the king that it was the merchant’s fault that he had built a weak wall because of which his brother died.
2. The merchant put the blame on the person who built the wall.
3. The man put the blame on a girl who danced up and down the street when he was building the wall.
4. She further blamed the goldsmith who didn’t complete her order in time and made her walk up and down his house a dozen times.
5. When the goldsmith was called he blamed the rich merchant’s father who made the goldsmith make jewellery for his family first.
Who is the real culprit according to the king? Why does he escape punishment?
According to the king the rich merchant was the real culprit as he had inherited everything from his father- both the sins and riches. Since his father was no more alive it was the rich merchant who would be held guilty.
A new stake was ordered for the execution but the rich merchant was too thin to be executed. This made the king send for a man who would fit in the stake as somebody had to be punished. This helped the man escape the punishment.
What are the guru’s words of wisdom? When does the disciple remember them?
The Guru was a wise person who had warned his disciple that the people of the kingdom were fools and could do anything, anytime.
The disciple remembered his words when he was summoned to fit the stake prepared for someone else who didn’t fit in.
How does the Guru manage to save his disciple's life?
The Guru had magical powers so he sensed that his disciple was in trouble. He reached the place and started an argument with the disciple. He stated that since he was greater than his disciple he should be put to death first. Stunned by the argument, the king asked the guru the reason for such an adamant argument. The guru told the king that whoever died first would serve as the king of the country in the next birth and the second person would serve as the minister when reborn. He further told that they were sick of their lives, hence it would be nice to be reborn as the king and the minister. This troubled the king as he didn’t want anyone else to be the king so he called his minister and planned with him that they would go to the stake themselves. The executioners were strictly ordered to execute the ones who came first. The king and the minister went secretly and were promptly executed by the executioner.
Thus, disciple’s life was saved.