One day, it so happened that Tenali Raman displeased king Krishnadeva Raya, so the king asked one of his men to slay him and bring him his head. Tenali was very upset with this.
He went to his wife and asked him how to save himself. His wife said, “It is a difficult situation but let me try. Rest is your luck.” And she told him how to act.
Tenali, however, could persuade the man to take him alive to the court. The king was very furious seeing Tenali alive in his court. He asked the soldier, “Didn’t I tell you to bring Tenali’s head to the Court, not Tenali himself?” Tenali Raman said politely, “It is not his fault, Your Highness. I asked him to do so. You know whenever you want anything done, I don’t trust anybody else lest it should be badly done. So I thought to do it myself. So I decided to bring my head myself on my shoulder. My head is here, Your Highness.” Krishnadeva was so pleased with this defence that he allowed Tenali to keep his head on his shoulder.
