Good Sense at Last
The Neighbors’ Dispute
Gokul and Govind were two neighbors who never tired of quarrelling with each other. Recently, Govind’s cattle trespassed into Gokul’s cornfield and destroyed the crop. In response, Gokul raised a hue and cry, demanding a thousand rupees in compensation. As expected, Govind flatly refused to pay the amount.
Village Intervention
The villagers intervened at Gokul’s request, observing that Gokul hadn’t taken care to protect his field from animals and was, therefore, partly to blame for his own loss. However, they concluded that Govind was certainly guilty of allowing his animals to stray into his neighbor’s field. Ultimately, the villagers decided that Govind must pay five hundred rupees to Gokul.
The Corrupt Headman
Not satisfied with this decision, Govind took his appeal to the headman, who was known to be a corrupt man. After giving the headman a bribe of two hundred and fifty rupees, he announced that the fault lay entirely with Gokul, as his field was unprotected by a fence. Therefore, Govind was not required to pay anything.
Seeking Higher Authority
Refusing to abide by the headman’s decision, Gokul appealed to the Talukdar, an officer with jurisdiction over several villages. After receiving a bribe of two hundred and fifty rupees from Gokul, the Talukdar declared that Gokul was not at fault. He stated that it was not legally binding for farmers to build fences around their fields, thus ordering Govind to pay a thousand rupees to Gokul.
The Cycle of Bribery Continues
In desperation, Govind approached the district’s head officer, a dishonest man, and prayed for a favorable order. The officer said, “If you give me five hundred rupees, you will not need to pay a thousand rupees to Gokul.” Govind, cornered, paid the amount. The officer then upheld the village headman’s decision, ruling that Govind was not to pay any compensation.
The King’s Judgment
Gokul did not accept this judgment passively. He went to the superior officer, bribed him with five hundred rupees, and had the district officer’s judgment altered. Now, Govind was required to pay a thousand rupees to Gokul.
Final Resolution
Finally, Govind went to the king, known as an impartial judge. After hearing both sides, he confirmed that the villagers’ decision was reasonable. He stated that the fault lay with both parties, but ultimately, Govind was to pay five hundred rupees to Gokul.
A Costly Lesson
Govind had to pay the compensation in court. As they returned to their village, the two neighbors had time to discuss the ordeal. To their dismay, they realized that each had wasted seven hundred and fifty rupees on bribes. Together, they sighed and said, “If only we had accepted the judgment of the villagers!”