The Three Idols
Introduction
Long, long ago, in a certain land, three idols of similar appearance stood in a lonely spot. People believed that these idols possessed oracular wisdom and came in droves seeking answers to their problems.
Prophecies and Their Outcomes
Sometimes, one idol would provide an answer, and the oracle would come to pass. At other times, the prophecy of another idol would fail, while the oracles of the third idol were only partially fulfilled.
The King’s Inquiry
The fame of the idols spread throughout the land, eventually reaching the king’s ears. He summoned the priest and asked, “How surprising! Is it true that the prophecies of the oracles are fulfilled?”
The priest replied, “Your Majesty, one of the idols speaks the truth, another speaks half-truths, and the third tells only lies. However, it is very difficult to pin down each idol’s statements. This is why, for some, the oracles come true, while for others, they fail.”
The Royal Proclamation
The king pondered for a moment and then declared, “We must ascertain which idol speaks the truth, so that we may worship it properly. I announce that whoever can discover the truth will be rewarded with vast lands.”
The royal proclamation spread and the people vied with one another to uncover the truth. Yet, no one succeeded in unravelling the mystery.
The Insight of the Old Farmer
One day, an old farmer came to the temple, determined to find the truth. He approached the first idol and asked, “Lord, does the idol on your right speak the truth?”
The figure replied, “Perhaps!”
Next, he went to the second idol and inquired, “Do you speak the truth?” The idol replied, “Yes.”
Finally, the old man approached the last idol and asked, “Lord, does the idol on your left speak the truth?” The idol instantly responded, “No. That idol lies.”
Revelation to the King
The priest brought the old farmer to the king, and the farmer explained his conclusion. “Sire, the first idol speaks half-truths, the second idol speaks lies, and the third alone speaks the entire truth.”
At first, the king was sceptical and asked the farmer to prove his assertion. The old man stated, “Sire, the first idol answered ‘perhaps’ regarding whether the idol next to it spoke the truth. This indicated that it tailored its answers to suit the situation. The third idol bluntly denied that the second one spoke the truth, revealing that the second idol habitually lies. Since the third idol exposed the truth about the second, I concluded that it alone prophesied correctly.”
The True Oracle
The king was overjoyed to have solved the riddle and rewarded the farmer handsomely. He then built a separate temple for the true deity and arranged for proper worship. From that day forward, the true oracle attracted devotees from across the land, who returned home satisfied with the accurate answers provided by the deity.