एक बादशाह (सुल्तान)- को सच्चे आदमीकी बड़ी खोज थी। अन्य कर्मचारी राज्य-कर वसूल करके खा जाया करते थे। बादशाहका मन्त्री बड़ा योग्य व्यक्ति था ।
‘आप सारे राज्यमें ढिंढोरा पिटवा दीजिये कि आपको राज्य-कर वसूल करनेवाले एक योग्य अधिकारीकी आवश्यकता है। जब भेंटके लिये लोग आयें, तब उनसे आप नाचनेके लिये कहियेगा ।’ बुद्धिमान् मन्त्री (सम्मतिदाता) ने बादशाहसे निवेदन किया ।
सारे राज्यमें यह बात बिजलीकी तरह फैल गयी कि बादशाहको योग्य कर्मचारीकी आवश्यकता है। आवेदक निश्चित समयपर राजमहलके सामने एकत्र हो गये। बादशाह जिस कमरेमें भेंटके लिये बैठा हुआ था उसमें जानेका रास्ता एक गलियारेसे था, जिसमें इतना अँधेरा था कि हाथ पसारे भी नहीं सूझता था। लोग राजसिंहासनके सामने एकत्र हो गये।
बादशाहने उनमेंसे प्रत्येकको बारी-बारी नाचनेके लिये कहा। लोग झेंप गये और बिना नाचे ही, वे सब, एक व्यक्तिको छोड़कर बाहर चले आये। जो आदमी सिंहासनके सामने खड़ा था वह नाचने लगा ।
‘यह व्यक्ति सच्चा है।’ मन्त्रीने बादशाहको बताया। मन्त्रीने कहा कि ‘मैंने अन्धकारपूर्ण गलियारेमें सोनेके बहुत-से सिक्के बोरे में भरकर रखवा दिये थे। जो बेईमान थे उन्होंने अपनी जेबें मोहरोंसे भर ली थीं। यदि वे नाचते तो उनकी चोरीका रहस्य प्रकट हो जाता।’ बादशाहको सच्चा आदमी मिल गया। रा0 श्री0
An emperor (Sultan) had a great search for a true man. Other employees used to eat after collecting state tax. The king’s minister was a very capable person.
‘You should spread the word throughout the state that you need a capable officer to collect the state tax. When people come for a visit, then you will ask them to dance.’ The wise minister (consultant) requested the king.
The word spread like lightning in the entire state that the emperor needed a qualified employee. The applicants gathered in front of the palace at a fixed time. The way to go to the room where the king was sitting for the meeting was through a corridor, in which it was so dark that even the hand could not be spread. People gathered in front of the throne.
The king asked each of them to dance in turn. People shuddered and without dancing, all of them, leaving one person, came out. The man who was standing in front of the throne started dancing.
‘This person is truthful.’ The minister told the king. The minister said that ‘I had put many gold coins in a sack in the dark corridor. Those who were dishonest had filled their pockets with coins. Had they danced, the secret of their theft would have been revealed.’ The king has found a true man. Ra0 Mr.0
