Wisdom, Courage, and the Secrets of the Kingdom | Votra Inc.
Once upon a time, there was a young king, around 25 years old, who inherited the throne from his father. Unmarried and with a mind hungry for knowledge, he often asked strange questions that few dared to answer. Among the loyal servants in his palace was an old advisor, a general with graying hair, who had faithfully served his father.
One autumn evening, the king and the general were sitting by the fireplace. A pot of water was boiling over the fire, making the characteristic kllu-kllu sound, while occasionally, a drop of water would fall onto the embers, releasing steam and a faint sizzling noise.
Suddenly, the king asked the general:
— “What does the pot say?”
The general laughed, thinking it was a joke. But the king insisted:
— “What does the pot say?”
The general was puzzled.
— “The pot? It doesn’t say anything!”
— “You’re wrong!” – said the king. – “It says something, and I want you to find out! Otherwise, you don’t deserve your position beside me, and I will have you beheaded!”
The general was shocked. He didn’t know how to respond, so he asked for permission to leave.
— “You have three days,” said the king. – “If you don’t find the answer, you will die!”
The Search for the Answer
Distressed, the general left the palace. In the courtyard, he ran into the royal gardener, an old but wise man.
— “Why do you look so troubled?” – the gardener asked.
The general explained the whole situation.
— “This is not an ordinary question,” said the gardener. – “But in a distant village, there is a young woman known for her wisdom. If anyone can help you, it’s her!”
Without wasting time, the general mounted his horse and set off to find the wise girl. When he arrived at the village, he met a farmer plowing his field with oxen.
— “Do you have a fire to light my cigarette?” – the general asked, trying to start a conversation.
— “We have fire and tobacco!” – the farmer replied warmly.
The general let his horse graze and sat with the farmer, smoking the strong village tobacco.
— “Is there an inn here where I can stay for the night?” – he asked.
— “There is no inn,” said the farmer. – “But don’t worry, we have a guesthouse for friends and travelers.”
The general gladly accepted. On their way to the farmer’s house, he asked two strange questions:
— “Will you lift me, or shall I lift you?”
The farmer hesitated. “I am carrying a plow, and he has an empty horse… What does he mean by that?” He remained silent.
A little further, passing by the village cemetery, the general asked again:
— “That grave there—does the person inside live or has he died?”
The farmer was confused once more. “The grave is fresh… what does this man mean?” Again, he remained silent.
When they arrived at the house, the farmer’s daughter greeted them. She was a young woman with long, jet-black hair like a raven’s feather, and her intelligence was evident in her eyes. She immediately noticed that the general was an important man, but said nothing.
The Revelation of the Secret
During dinner, the farmer told his daughter about the general’s strange questions.
— “He asked me, ‘Will you lift me, or shall I lift you?’ and I didn’t know how to answer!”
— “Father,” the daughter smiled, “he was asking if you wanted to talk or remain silent. Perhaps you both walked the road in silence?”
The farmer nodded.
— “Then he asked, ‘That grave—does the person inside live or has he died?’”
— “He was asking whether the deceased left behind descendants or if their lineage is extinct!”
The farmer was amazed.
Finally, he told her the most important question:
— “He asked me: ‘What does the pot say?’”
The daughter laughed.
— “The pot says: ‘Will you pour water on me to lower my boiling, or will you put out the fire completely?’”
At last, the general understood the depth of the king’s question. Filled with joy, he thanked the farmer and his daughter and returned to the palace.
The King’s Response
When he stood before the king, he spoke with confidence:
— “Your Majesty, I have found the answer! The pot says: ‘Will you pour water on me to lower my boiling, or will you put out the fire completely?’”
The king smiled.
— “Who told you?”
— “I figured it out myself!” – the general responded, blushing.
— “Don’t lie!” – said the king. – “I know this is not your wisdom! Tell me the truth, or I will have you beheaded!”
Forced to admit it, the general told the entire story.
The king laughed and forgave him. But the fable doesn’t end here…
