|| An Indian folktale from Panchatantra ||
In the town of Ujjain, there once lived a merchant by the name of Nanduka and another merchant by the name of Lakshmana. Lakshmana, who had lost all his wealth, decided to travel abroad to earn some.
In his house there remained a large and heavy iron balance and a set of weights that has been passed on by his ancestors. Iron was of some good value those days!
For fear of robbers, he gave these to Nanduka for safekeeping, and set forth for foreign lands.
After he had travelled abroad, he returned to his homeland having earned enough. He went to Nanduka and asked him back for the balance and weights.
Nanduka replied, “Oh, your scales are no longer here. The mice ate them up.”
Lakshmana understood that shrewd Nanduka was trying to keep the balance and weights for himself. “Shrewdness must be answered by shrewdness”, he thought.
So he said, “Well, Nanduka, if the mice ate them up, then it is through no fault of yours. That must be my bad luck. Now I am home and there is plenty of work to do. Send your boy to help me with some of the chores”
Nanduka, surprised that Lakshmana did not cause trouble, readily agreed and sent his son with him.
Lakshmana took Nanduka’s son to his mother-in-law’s place and left him to be taken care of there.
Then he rushed back to Nanduka’s house alone and agitated.
Nanduka asked him, “Speak up, Lakshmana! Tell me, where is my child who went with you?” Lakshmana said, “Unfortunate thing has happened! He was taken away by a falcon.”
Nanduka cried, “You liar! How in the world can a falcon steal a boy? Give me back my son, or I will take action against you at the king’s court.”
He then thoroughly searched Lakshmana’s house but did not find the boy there.
Lakshmana said, “Oh, you who always speak the truth! A falcon can carry away a boy, if mice can eat a large set of heavy iron scales. If you want your son back, then give me my scales!”
Thus quarreling one with another, they went to the king’s gate, where Nanduka cried out loudly, “A dastardly crime has happened here! This thief has robbed me of my child!”
Hearing this, the judges said to Lakshmana, “Return the child to the father!”
Lakshmana answered, “What can I do? Before my very eyes a falcon carried him away from the bank of the river.”
Hearing this, they said, “You do not tell the truth. How could a falcon be capable of carrying off a twelve-year-old boy?”
Lakshmana answered, laughing, “Ha! Listen to this proverb: When mice can eat a thousand pounds of iron, then a falcon can carry away an elephant, a little boy is nothing”
Then Lakshmana told the whole story about the scales. After hearing this, they had a hearty laugh and reconciled the two with each other.
Nanduka gave back the balance and all the scales intact and Lakshmana sent home Nanduka’s son with sweets.
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