The Clever Prince

A certain king had two sons. The elder prince was smart and brave, while the younger one was seen as a coward.

One day, the younger prince approached the king with a question. “I have heard that large palaces have secret passages leading to places of safety. What about our palace?”

“Our palace also has such passages!” replied the king.

The prince, eager to see one, pressed further. Intrigued, the king asked, “But why are you so keen to see it?”

“Well,” the prince explained, “if our palace is ever attacked by an enemy, I could slip away to safety if I know the passage! Is that not clever of me?”

The king then stood up and removed a false cover from a wall to reveal a secret passage. The prince, filled with curiosity, entered and advanced a few steps.

Suddenly, the king shouted, “My boy! Be a little cleverer and continue to advance. You will reach a cave in a distant hill. Live there forever in peace! A coward like you does not deserve to live in the palace!” With that, he shut the opening of the passage, leaving his son to contemplate his actions.