The Mystery of the Changing Taste
The Nawab of Golconda was out on a hunting expedition. His lieutenants had led him into a forest at the frontier of his state that the Sultan had never visited before. However, the lieutenants had failed to note that there was no water readily available in that forest. By noon, the Nawab felt thirsty.
Searching for Water
The members of his party scattered, desperately looking for water. One of them climbed a hillock to survey the area and spotted a kingfisher a furlong away. This sight gave him hope that water might be nearby.
A Fortuitous Encounter
Upon hearing the report, the Nawab advanced in the direction of the kingfisher. Soon, he came across a beautiful orchard. He entered it and was warmly received by a hermit.
The Healing Lake
The orchard was situated on the bank of a small lake. The Nawab’s bodyguards fetched water from the lake, quenching the Nawab’s thirst.
A Pomegranate Surprise
The Nawab admired the orchard, his gaze landing on a pomegranate tree laden with large, exquisite fruits. He had never seen pomegranates of such exceptional quality.
A Thoughtful Offering
The hermit wasted no time in plucking a ripe pomegranate. He crushed it and offered the juice to his royal guest, who relished every drop and thanked his host heartily.
Questioning Tax Law
As soon as the Nawab set down the empty vessel, he remembered the law of his land that required orchard growers to pay a special tax to the government. He wondered if the hermit was fulfilling this obligation.
Different Tastes
Meanwhile, the hermit had crushed another pomegranate, offering the juice to the Nawab for the second time. The Nawab took a sip but remarked, “How is it, O hermit, that this juice does not taste as delicious as the juice I had earlier? Did you not pluck the fruit from the same tree?”
The Hermit’s Insight
“Both fruits came from the same tree. But it is natural for two different persons to find the taste different!” the hermit replied.
Realization of Change
“Your words puzzle me, O hermit. There are no two different persons; I drank both times!” observed the Nawab, surprised.
A Lesson Learned
“My lord! You alone can determine whether you were the same person when you drank the juice for the second time. You should know if you had not been in a different state of mind,” the hermit explained.
A Transformative Decision
Understanding the hint, the Nawab realized that when he first drank the juice, he was filled with pure gratitude. By the time he drank again, his mind was clouded by worldly concerns. He was not the same person.
A Change of Heart
The Nawab smiled and thanked the hermit for the valuable lesson he had received. Upon returning to his capital, the first thing he did was change the law of taxation, abolishing the requirement for people to pay taxes on growing fruits. More importantly, he transformed himself, consistently responding to kind words and thoughts from others with generous gestures of his own.