The Liar
Whether it happened or not, there once lived a king. This king made a proclamation throughout the land:- If anyone can come up with such a tall tale that I say, "That's a lie," I will give them half of my kingdom.
A shepherd comes and says:
- Long live the king! My father had a club so long that it reached the sky and stirred the stars.
- What's so surprising about that? - replies the king. - My grandfather had a pipe, and he would put one end in his mouth and light the other end from the sun.
The shepherd scratched his head and left. A tailor comes and says:
- Forgive me, king, I meant to come earlier, but I was delayed. Yesterday there was a heavy rain, a thunderstorm broke out, and lightning tore the sky apart. So I went to sew it back up.
- You did a good deed, - says the king. - But you didn't sew it well enough - this morning it was drizzling again.
The tailor left empty-handed. A poor peasant enters, carrying a measuring cup under his arm.
- What do you want? - asks the king.
- You owe me a measure of gold, so I've come to collect it.
- A measure of gold? That's a lie! I don't owe you any gold!
- If it's a lie, then give me half of your kingdom!
- No, no, you're telling the truth, - the king tried to wriggle out.
- If I'm telling the truth, then measure out the gold.
More fairy tales
- The Tale of Azaran-Bulbul, the Thousand-Voiced Nightingale
- Akhtamar
- Earned by One's Own Labor
- The Maiden's Heart
- The Miser's Table Companions
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