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51
to my questions?" The merchant said, "You will get answers to your questions presently. My youngest daughter-in-law will. answer them". The King asked him, "Are you not answering the questions ?" The merchant replied, "I do not answer such simple and easy questions. Sometimes my sons answer such questions; and sometimes my daughters-in-law answer them". THE KING'S WITS RETURN TO HIM
DISCOURSE 52
The King looked towards his Chief Minister. The Chief Minister was looking at the merchant. Meanwhile, the merchant's youngest daughter-in-law entered the Court. All began to look at her. She came into the Court carrying a pot of milk in one hand; and a bundle of green grass in the other. She saluted the King; and placed the pail of milk before the King. She placed the bundle of green grass before the Chief Minister. The King saw all this with wonder and said, "Lady! What is this you have done? What do you want to say?"
"Your Highness! First you be gracious enough to assure me and the members of my family that we need not fear your anger; then I will say, what I want to say", said the young lady. The King at once said, "All of you can be fearless. You need not fear anything. Come, tell me what you wish to say". The young lady felt secure now; and began thus: "Your Highness ! This pail of milk is meant for you because you are like a child. Milk is given to children and when they drink milk their minds develop; and...." The King angrily spoke in the middle interrupting her; "Do you deem me a child? Do you mean to say that my mind is undeveloped ?" Fearlessly the young lady said, "Your Highness! If you were not like a child, you would not have acted upon the suggestion of the Chief Minister. Only when your mind develops and becomes pure, would you not think of grabbing the wealth of your friends".
"But why have you placed grass before the Chief Minister?" The King asked her.
The young lady replied at once, "Because he is like an ox. If he is not an ox; and if he does not possess the mind of an ox, why did he give you such wrong advice? Why did he advise
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