One day, an old man came to a King’s court accompanied by his two blind sons. He said, “Your Highness! I have suffered huge losses in business. I would be highly obliged if you could lend me one thousand gold coins. I will leave my sons with you as guarantee. My sons are blind but they are gifted. My elder son is an expert judge of horses. And my younger son can test any kind of jewel.”
The King was amazed but he took the old man’s word. He gave him one thousand gold coins he had asked for.
Days went by. One day, a horse trader came to the court to sell an arabian horse to the King. The King asked the blind son to check the horse. The blind son started examining the horse by touching and smelling it. This made the horse trader furious. He exclaimed, “How can a blind man examine a horse?” But the blind son calmly said to the King, “Your Majesty! Please do not buy this horse. It might hurt you when you ride it.”
The King thought for a minute and said, “Let a horse expert ride this horse.” So, an expert rider sat on the horse. But no sooner did he sit than the horse threw him off its back. The horse trader exclaimed, “The horse never behaves like that with me!” The blind son replied, “The fact is that this horse does not harm any milkman. Weren’t you a milkman previously?” The horse trader gasped and asked, “How did you know that I was a milkman?” The blind son replied, “I found this out by smelling your horse.”
After a few days, a jeweller came to the King’s court with precious diamonds. The King liked a diamond. He gave it to the blind son to examine it.
The blind son rubbed it between his palms several times. Then he said to the King, “Sir, the diamond is priceless but it will be inauspicious for the one who wears it.” The King asked, “Why do you say so?” The blind son replied, “Your Majesty! This diamond has taken the lives of at least two members of the jeweller’s family.” The jeweller felt ashamed and asked the King to forgive him.
A few days later, the old man came back. He repaid the coins he had borrowed. Then he asked the King for his sons. The blind sons came and as the three were about to leave, the King asked the old man, “I have seen your sons’ talent. What is yours?” The old man replied, “I can tell the reality of a man.” The King asked, “Who am I?” “You are the son of a thief,” replied the old man.
The King was angry. He ordered the beheading of the old man and his two sons.
As the story ended, Baital asked King Vikramaditya, “Was the King justified in ordering the execution? Speak up or I will break your head into pieces.” King Vikramaditya replied, “No. The act was unjustifiable. The King really was the son of a thief. But the old man is to be blamed too. He should have realized what he was saying.” Baital said, “Your judgement is praiseworthy but because you have spoken, I am going.” Saying so, Baital flew away.
