The Three Dolls
This Tenali Rama short story is about an essential skill of observation.
One day in the court of King Krishnadevaraya, a merchant from a faraway land had a test for the courtiers of Vijayanagara.
“I have heard about the brilliance of your court, your majesty! I have a test for your court!” he told the king.
Intrigued, the king allowed the merchant to continue. “Here are three dolls that I made. They all seem to look the same, but each is different from the other. I will be back in thirty days for your answer!”
The king called on all his ministers and asked them to find the difference between the dolls. Days went by and no one had an answer.
Krishnadevaraya called upon his trusted vikatakavi to find the difference. Even Tenali Rama was stumped. He took the king’s permission to take the dolls home with him.
He continued to observe and find out what could the differences be. He tried everything he could. But soon, it was the day of the merchant’s arrival.
When everyone had settled down in the king’s court, Tenali Raman spoke: “I have found the difference between the dolls. One of the dolls is good, the other is mediocre, and the third is bad!”
Everyone was surprised. How could that be?
“How do you know this for sure! Show us?” asked the king.
Tenali Rama showed a tiny hole in the ear of each doll and then he inserted a thin wire through each of their ears.
For the first doll, the wire went through the ear and came out of the mouth. For the second doll, the wire went the first ear and came out of the other ear. For the third doll, the wire went through the ear and appear out but it had gone to the heart.
“The first doll is bad because it represents people who cannot keep a secret. The second doll is mediocre as it represents people who are simpletons and cannot understand what is said to them. The third doll is good and it represents people who can keep secrets!” explained Tenali Rama
Everyone was impressed.
“But, there can be another explanation too! The first doll is good because it can represent people who seek knowledge and share it with others. The second doll is mediocre like the people who cannot understand what they are taught. The third doll is bad as it represents those who seek knowledge but do not share with others!”
