Let’s revisit OSHO’s much cherished story!
One fine morning, a king decided to turn his entire kingdom moral. He banned it for anyone to say something that was untrue. All the wise men of the region agreed and in their attempt to make this the strongest norm ever passed, they advised the king to execute who ever would decide to utter an untruth. He/She would be hanged in the marketplace for everyone to watch the fate of a liar.
While all of this commotion was going on in the courtroom, the fool was listening. “I will see you all tomorrow at the gate, in the morning”, he said once the discussion ended.
One of the wise men said, “What do you mean?”
“At the gate, tomorrow morning”, said the fool. “Keep the gallows ready for I am going to say an untruth”, he said to the king.
“Have you gone insane?”, said the king.
“I have always been mad. Tomorrow, I shall see you all at the gate and make myself the first one to be hanged for saying something that is false”, the fool replied.
It was a straight challenge. The gallows were made ready and the gates were opened. The fool entered, riding his donkey.
The king said, “So what are you going to say now?” He was quite irritated for he had been forced to wake up early for this entire sight.
And the fool said, “I am going to die in the gallows.”
Now he had created a problem. If you killed him, you’d actually prove his words to be true (then why was he killed in the first place?). If you let him live, what he said would be untrue (demanding that he be executed as per the new norm).
All the wise men and the king were in a conundrum.
The fool laughed. “You all were trying to ban immorality? Who can even do that? After all, everything is needed in proportion.”
“Each great king has had a fool in his court because wise men, when put together in the same space, tend to walk towards the extreme. And we all need a fool to distract them from doing that. To keep a balance one should sometimes forget all about dignity, one should sometimes bend in company, laugh like a fool, be like a child – be human”, said the fool as walked out of the gate with his beloved donkey.
One fine morning, a king decided to turn his entire kingdom moral. He banned it for anyone to say something that was untrue. All the wise men of the region agreed and in their attempt to make this the strongest norm ever passed, they advised the king to execute who ever would decide to utter an untruth. He/She would be hanged in the marketplace for everyone to watch the fate of a liar.
While all of this commotion was going on in the courtroom, the fool was listening. “I will see you all tomorrow at the gate, in the morning”, he said once the discussion ended.
One of the wise men said, “What do you mean?”
“At the gate, tomorrow morning”, said the fool. “Keep the gallows ready for I am going to say an untruth”, he said to the king.
“Have you gone insane?”, said the king.
“I have always been mad. Tomorrow, I shall see you all at the gate and make myself the first one to be hanged for saying something that is false”, the fool replied.
It was a straight challenge. The gallows were made ready and the gates were opened. The fool entered, riding his donkey.
The king said, “So what are you going to say now?” He was quite irritated for he had been forced to wake up early for this entire sight.
And the fool said, “I am going to die in the gallows.”
Now he had created a problem. If you killed him, you’d actually prove his words to be true (then why was he killed in the first place?). If you let him live, what he said would be untrue (demanding that he be executed as per the new norm).
All the wise men and the king were in a conundrum.
The fool laughed. “You all were trying to ban immorality? Who can even do that? After all, everything is needed in proportion.”
“Each great king has had a fool in his court because wise men, when put together in the same space, tend to walk towards the extreme. And we all need a fool to distract them from doing that. To keep a balance one should sometimes forget all about dignity, one should sometimes bend in company, laugh like a fool, be like a child – be human”, said the fool as walked out of the gate with his beloved donkey.
