Why the Sage Kept Silent
Beside a forest lived a sage. One morning, a traveler approached him and asked, “I wish to go to the village on the other side of the river. Which route is better—the one through the forest or one by the border of the forest?”
The sage remained silent. The traveler repeated his question several times, but the sage did not respond. Frustrated, the traveler shouted, “You fool!” before walking away.
The Mahout’s Guidance
Soon, the traveler met a mahout riding an elephant. “O mahout, can you tell me the right way to the village beyond the hill?” he asked.
“Do you see that narrow track? Follow it. Go straight up by that tall tree on the bank of the river, and you will find the village,” the mahout replied.
“Thank you for the directions! I asked that fool over there several times, but he wouldn’t speak!” the traveler said as he proceeded along the path indicated by the mahout.
The Mahout’s Curiosity
Intrigued, the mahout thought about the sage, known for his wisdom and the many people who sought his advice. What could justify the traveler’s harsh words against such a wise man?
As the mahout reached the sage’s hut, he dismounted and greeted the sage. “Why did you not answer the simple question posed by the traveler earlier?” he asked.
“Never mind that. It is none of your business,” the sage replied.
The mahout persisted, “But why such behavior towards the traveler?”
“The traveler was such a fool that he would not have understood even the simplest direction to the village. Any advice I gave him would only lead to blame later,” the sage explained.
A Surprising Turn of Events
Curious about the traveler’s fate, the mahout turned his elephant around to check if he had followed the directions correctly. Half an hour later, as he approached the tall tree by the riverbank, he heard an angry voice:
“Look here, you fool! What has happened to me because I followed your direction!”
To his
The Traveler’s Plight
“You told me to go up this tree! I climbed it as you advised, but there was no way down! I would have fallen to my death had I not held on to this branch. Can you drive your elephant into the river so I can descend onto your shoulder?” the traveler pleaded.
The mahout knew he could not leave the traveler in such a predicament. He guided his elephant into the river, but as they reached the leaning branch, the elephant, frightened by the current, bolted to the other side. In a split second, the mahout found himself holding onto the traveler’s feet while both dangled precariously over the water.
In Trouble Together
“You are a real fool! Not only do you give wrong advice to others, but you can’t even control your own elephant!” the traveler yelled.
“Yes, my friend, I am a fool,” the mahout agreed sadly.
“Now, let us shout for help,” the traveler suggested.
“The risk in shouting is that passersby may think we are being attacked and choose to ignore us,” the mahout replied.
“Well then, let us sing. Do you know how to sing?” the traveler asked.
“Even if I could sing, I’m hardly in the mood for it,” murmured the mahout.
“Then let me sing,” said the traveler, and he began belting out a terrible tune. The mahout endured the dreadful performance while hanging upside down.
A Foolish End
“Don’t you know etiquette? Isn’t it customary to applaud a good singer?” the traveler demanded after finishing his song. As he tried to clap, he lost his grip and fell into the river, dragging the mahout down with him.
The pair struggled to swim to the shore. Once they caught their breath, the traveler remarked, “This is a strange world where people act so foolishly! I think I’ll go back home.”
The mahout felt like saying, “Yes, it is indeed a strange world for someone as clever as you,” but he lacked the courage to comment. He searched for his elephant, crossed the river at a safer spot, and returned to the sage’s hut. Silently, he prostrated before the sage and then took the path home again.