The Fool's Decree
What was the strange decree the king and his minister passed in their kingdom?
The decree was to change night to day and day to night
Why did the guru decide to leave the kingdom?
The guru realized the kingdom was a kingdom of fools and that it was dangerous to stay there. He knew they could be in trouble at any time.
What happened to the thief during the night?
He was killed when a wall of the house collapsed on him.
Who did the dancing girl blame for distracting the bricklayer?
She blamed the goldsmith who had promised to make her jewelry but kept delaying, forcing her to walk up and down the street.
What is the central conflict or problem in the story?
The central problem is the irrationality and foolishness of the kingdom's ruler and its people, which creates a constant danger for anyone who is not a fool.
What would happen to anyone who disobeyed the decree?
They would be punished by death.
Why did the disciple decide to stay behind?
The disciple was tempted by the cheap food and wanted to eat as much as he wanted without worrying about the cost.
Who did the thief's brother blame for the thief's death?
He blamed the owner of the house, a rich merchant, saying the wall was poorly built.
What was the goldsmith's excuse for the delay?
He said he was busy with a rich merchant's order for wedding jewelry.
What is the main moral lesson of the story?
The main lesson is that wisdom and reason are more valuable than wealth or temporary comfort, and one should not stay in a place where foolishness reigns.
What did the people of the kingdom do to follow the decree?
They slept during the day and worked at night, including doing things like farming and business.
What did the disciple eat to get fat?
He ate his fill of bananas, ghee, rice, and wheat, all of which were very cheap.
Who did the merchant blame for the wall collapsing?
He blamed the bricklayer who had built the wall, claiming he had built a weak wall.
Why did the king decide the rich merchant was the one to be punished, even though he was the victim's brother?
The king concluded that the merchant's father was the one who had hired the goldsmith and had built the weak wall. Since the merchant inherited his father's wealth, he also inherited his "sins," making him liable for punishment.
How does the guru's wisdom save the disciple's life?
The guru uses his wisdom to outsmart the king, pretending to offer the king a great reward in the next life, which appeals to the king's greed and foolishness.
Why did the guru and his disciple find the kingdom so strange?
Everything was cheap and cost a single duddu, whether it was a bunch of bananas or a measure of rice.
What did the guru predict would happen to the disciple if he stayed?
He warned that he would get into serious trouble and that the fools would not listen to reason.
Who did the bricklayer blame, and why?
The bricklayer blamed a dancing girl who was constantly distracting him with her tinkling anklets while he was trying to build the wall.
Why did the king decide not to execute the merchant?
The king's advisors realized the merchant was too thin to fit the stake, so they needed to find someone who would fit it perfectly.
What does the story suggest about the relationship between power and foolishness?
The story suggests that when power is in the hands of a fool, it becomes a tool for chaos and injustice rather than for good governance.
What philosophical insight does the guru's immediate decision to leave the kingdom reveal about the nature of foolishness?
It shows that foolishness is not just silly; it is dangerous and unpredictable, and one cannot apply logic or reason to it. The guru recognized that staying there was a fatal risk.
What is the symbolic meaning of the disciple becoming fat in the kingdom of fools?
His physical fattening symbolizes his moral and intellectual laziness, as he indulges in a seemingly easy life without considering the long-term dangers of being surrounded by ignorance.
What satirical point does the chain of blame in the thief's case make about the kingdom's justice system?
It satirizes a justice system that is arbitrary and illogical, where blame is passed down to whoever is seen as weaker or more easily accused, rather than on the basis of actual guilt.
The king's decision to execute the rich merchant based on his inherited sins is a subversion of what common legal principle?
It is a subversion of the principle of individual responsibility, where a person is punished for their own actions, not for those of their ancestors.
The story is often told as a folk tale. What is a key characteristic of folk tales that is present here?
It uses simple characters (the wise guru, the foolish king, the greedy disciple) and a clear, straightforward plot to deliver a strong moral lesson that can be easily understood and remembered.