The Right to Advise
Little Mischief
The little prince was no more naughty than a witty child should be! He played pranks on the ministers and the courtiers—and even on the king himself. But they all grinned and endured his antics, for they all loved him dearly.
A Visit to the Hermit
Close by the palace lived a hermit near a shrine, about a mile away. The king and queen visited him from time to time, and the prince accompanied them. The king and queen prostrated themselves before the hermit, and when he spoke, the prince listened with rapt attention.
Unexpected Illness
However, back at the palace, the prince reverted to his old self—frolicking like a kitten and laughing like a gurgling torrent. Everyone was saddened when such a jolly prince fell ill. He stopped laughing and talking; his eyes dimmed, and his voice became feeble.
Physicians’ Assurance
Great physicians examined him with utmost care. They reassured the worried king and queen, saying, “There is nothing to worry about. Our medicine should cure him in a fortnight; all he has to do is refrain from sweets.” But sweets were all the prince wanted to eat. His sick palate relished nothing else.
A Plea for Help
The king and queen pleaded with the child to give up sweets, but he refused to listen. The ministers and courtiers implored him to forget sweets for just a few days, but he wouldn’t even look at them. “Maybe if the hermit asks the boy to go without sweets, he would comply,” the queen whispered to the king.
The Hermit’s Advice
“Yes, that is quite possible,” agreed the king. He rushed to the hermit’s hut himself and requested him to give the necessary advice to the boy. “Will the boy’s condition deteriorate if you wait for a few days?” asked the hermit. “No, the physicians say there is no such fear,” replied the king.
Three More Days
“Then, please meet me three days later,” said the hermit. The king returned to the palace, hopeful. On the fourth day, he met the hermit again. “Allow me three more days, and I will surely do as you wish,” said the hermit.
The Prince’s Transformation
The king was surprised, but he went back. Three days later, the king and queen went to meet the hermit again. The ailing prince was carried there in a palanquin along with his mother. The hermit welcomed them, and the sick prince looked delighted in the hermit’s presence.
Compliance with the Request
“My boy, I have a request to make. Will you comply with it?” the hermit asked the prince. “I will, O great soul!” replied the prince. “You must refrain from taking sweets for a fortnight,” said the hermit. “I will, O great soul,” promised the prince.
Recovery and Revelation
Everyone was happy. True to his word, the prince gave up sweets and fully recovered in a fortnight. One day, the king met the hermit alone and asked, “I have not been able to understand why you waited six days before giving this small advice to the prince.”
A Lesson Learned
The hermit smiled and said, “O king, I was in the habit of taking sweets myself. After you asked me to advise the prince to give them up, I first gave up sweets myself. But after three days, I found that even without sweets, I still had an attachment to them. During the next three days, I worked hard to overcome that attachment. Only then did I earn the right to advise the prince.”
The king felt overwhelmed by the hermit’s reply.