A pious Brahmin once received a healthy goat as a gift for a religious ritual. As he walked home with the animal slung over his shoulders, three hungry crooks spotted him and plotted to steal it. They positioned themselves at intervals along his path. The first crook greeted him and asked, 'O holy man, why are you carrying a mangy dog on your shoulders?' The Brahmin ignored him, knowing he carried a goat. A little further, the second crook asked, 'Why does a priest carry a dead calf?' The Brahmin began to doubt his own eyes. Finally, the third crook cried out, 'Woe! Why do you carry a filthy, shapeshifting demon?' Terrified that the goat was actually a malevolent spirit, the Brahmin dropped the animal and fled in horror. The three crooks laughed, caught the goat, and enjoyed a feast.
Do not let the repeated lies of others cloud your own judgment or cause you to doubt the truth before your eyes.
Questions about this story
What is the moral of The Brahmin's Goat?
The story teaches that even a wise person can be deceived if multiple people repeat the same lie. it warns us not to succumb to groupthink or social pressure when we know the truth.
Who wrote the story of The Brahmin's Goat?
This fable is part of the Panchatantra, an ancient Indian collection of animal stories attributed to the scholar Vishnu Sharma, designed to teach political and life lessons.
Why did the Brahmin believe the three crooks?
The Brahmin fell victim to the power of repetition. When three different people told him the same lie at different times, his confidence in his own senses was shaken.
Is The Brahmin's Goat about social proof?
Yes, psychologists often use this story to explain 'social proof' and the 'illusory truth effect,' where people believe false information simply because it is repeated by many.
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Good night.
