Looking in the mirror Be careful, kings only, and not all of them, appreciate that having a jester at court – to tell them bold truth – is a luxury.
Silly common people laugh at your jest but then, treat you for an idiot. Be sparing with making a fool of yourself for the amusement of such!
This reminds me of a story:
The Spanish envoy, Chamberlain Clavijo, offered to Tamerlane a precious chest full of barbarian western presents. Among the daggers with jewelled hilts, Toledo swords, scarlet brocade, unknown Christian saints’ icons and heavy chains of gold, there was a rare device, a superbly polished silver mirror.
With that mirror the Iron Emir looked at his own royal face and did not like what he saw. A tear escaped from his vulture eye and quickly ran across the ravaged battlefield of his face to hide in the fearsome dark beard.
Nasrudin Hodja, the wise fool and favourite jester, prostrated safely at the sultan’s feet, burst into loud crying and laments. Timur was first moved but Hoca went on and on weeping and tearing his hair out for hours until the Emir grew annoyed:
"Don't you go too far, Mullah? What do you think you are doing?"
"Majesty, you only saw your worshipped face for one faltering moment and you had a tear in your eye. Consider us, your humble loving subjects who have to look at your face for hours, everyday, year after year!"
Silly common people laugh at your jest but then, treat you for an idiot. Be sparing with making a fool of yourself for the amusement of such!
This reminds me of a story:
The Spanish envoy, Chamberlain Clavijo, offered to Tamerlane a precious chest full of barbarian western presents. Among the daggers with jewelled hilts, Toledo swords, scarlet brocade, unknown Christian saints’ icons and heavy chains of gold, there was a rare device, a superbly polished silver mirror.
With that mirror the Iron Emir looked at his own royal face and did not like what he saw. A tear escaped from his vulture eye and quickly ran across the ravaged battlefield of his face to hide in the fearsome dark beard.
Nasrudin Hodja, the wise fool and favourite jester, prostrated safely at the sultan’s feet, burst into loud crying and laments. Timur was first moved but Hoca went on and on weeping and tearing his hair out for hours until the Emir grew annoyed:
"Don't you go too far, Mullah? What do you think you are doing?"
"Majesty, you only saw your worshipped face for one faltering moment and you had a tear in your eye. Consider us, your humble loving subjects who have to look at your face for hours, everyday, year after year!"
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