One night, Tenali Raman overheard two thieves whispering in the bushes outside his house, planning to rob him. Thinking quickly, he went inside and told his wife loudly, 'There have been many robberies lately. We should hide our jewelry and gold coins in a trunk and drop it into the well for safety.' The thieves were delighted. Soon, they saw Tenali and his wife struggle to carry a heavy wooden chest to the well and drop it in with a loud splash. As soon as the couple went back inside, the thieves hurried to the well. They realized they needed to drain the water to reach the chest. They began drawing water and pouring it into the garden. They worked tirelessly throughout the night. By dawn, the well was nearly empty, and the garden was thoroughly watered. As they finally opened the chest, they found only heavy stones. Tenali Raman walked out and said, 'Thank you, friends, for watering my plants all night. I shall pay you for your labor!' Terrified, the thieves fled and never returned.
Presence of mind and quick wit can help you turn a dangerous situation into a personal advantage.
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Questions about this story
What is the moral of Tenali Raman's Wit Saves the Day?
The moral is that intelligence and a calm mind can solve problems more effectively than force. It teaches that wit can turn an adversary's efforts to your own benefit.
How did Tenali Raman know there were thieves?
Tenali Raman was very observant and overheard the thieves whispering their plan while he was walking in his garden late at night.
What was actually in the chest Tenali dropped in the well?
Instead of gold or jewelry, Tenali Raman filled the heavy wooden trunk with large stones to trick the thieves into thinking it was valuable treasure.
Did the thieves get caught in the story?
In this version, the thieves were not arrested but were so humiliated by Tenali's cleverness and his offer to pay them for 'watering his garden' that they fled the village.
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