Vakchaturya: Clever Speech

The power of words to solve problems

Two tales showcasing the power of clever speech. The Mirror shows how Tenali finds the precise gap in the king's words to turn a royal ban into a moment of laughter, while The Three Questions demonstrates how wise answers can satisfy even impossible demands.

The Mirror

One day, King Krishnadevaraya was in a foul mood. A court performance had gone wrong, a minister had irritated him, and small things kept going badly. By afternoon, his patience had snapped.

Tenali walked into the court at exactly the wrong moment.

"Out!" the king thundered. "I am tired of your jests and your face! I do not wish to see you again!"

The courtiers froze. The king's anger was real. Tenali bowed quietly and left.

The next morning, the king was calmer. He sat in court going through petitions when he noticed a figure standing just outside the main doorway. Something was held up between the figure's face and the king.

A mirror.

The figure stepped forward. It was Tenali - holding a large bronze mirror so that the king, looking toward him, could only see his own reflection staring back.

"What is the meaning of this?" the king demanded.

"Maharaja," Tenali said calmly from behind the mirror, "yesterday you said you did not wish to see me again. I have honored your command. You are not seeing me. You are seeing yourself."

The court went utterly silent.

Then the king laughed - a real laugh, from deep in his chest.

"Tenali," he said, "you have found a way to be present without disobeying me. And you have held up a mirror so I can see my own face. Perhaps... I needed to."

He waved Tenali forward. "Put the mirror down. I have changed my mind."

Tenali lowered the mirror and bowed. "Maharaja, a wise king's anger, like a summer storm, passes quickly. I simply waited for the sun."

The trick, explained:

The king said: "I do not wish to see YOU again."

Tenali heard: "I do not wish to see your FACE."