The King with Donkey-Ears

Once upon a time, there was a King whose ears were floppy like those of a donkey. He did not want his secret to be revealed; so whenever he went out in public, he covered his ears from the people. The only person who ever saw the King’s ears was his hairdresser. The King always warned the hairdresser, “Promise me that you will never tell anyone that I have ears like a donkey or I will imprison you for the rest of your life.” It was difficult for the hairdresser to keep the secret but he always remembered the King’s warning and so kept the secret to himself for many years. But one morning, when the hairdresser woke up, he felt that he could no longer keep the secret with himself.

The Hairdresser

The hairdresser walked out of the village into the countryside. He found a patch of flat grass and began digging the ground with his hands. Now, when he had made a hole deep enough and was satisfied with his work, he leaned over into the hole and started shouting loudly, “The King has floppy ears like those of a donkey! The King has ears like those of a donkey!” Now, he felt much relieved. Thereafter, he covered the hole back with earth and grass and returned to his home, reassuring himself that he had not betrayed the King’s trust. After many years, a school was built next to the hole. Around the hole was a playground where the children played when they were not attending classes. One day, when the children were playing in the playground, one of the young boys discovered the hole hidden beneath the grass and earth.

The Secret Revealed

The boy speedily cleared the ground and suddenly a loud voice came out from the hole up into the air for all the children to hear, ‘The King has floppy ears like those of a donkey! The King has ears like those of a donkey!’ The children were surprised to hear the hairdresser’s voice echoing in the air, and they started giggling and laughing hearing the secret of the King’s ears. When the children went home, they revealed the King’s secret to their parents. Then, the parents told the secret to others in the family. Each family, then, told the secret to all of their friends. “The King has donkey ears,” they said to one another and laughed. Soon, the whole village knew about the secret of the King’s ears and they all started giggling and laughing. Now, they knew why the King always covered up his ears whenever he was out in public.

The Lesson

Very soon, the news reached the King that everyone in the village knew the secret of the King’s ears. The King sent his guards to the hairdresser’s house. The guards grabbed the hairdresser and dragged him back to the palace. As per the King’s orders, they imprisoned him and told him to spend the rest of his life in prison only. The hairdresser asked the King for forgiveness and requested to let him go. But the King did not pay any heed to his request. The King said, “You promised me not to share my secret but you could not keep it to yourself. I trusted you and you betrayed me. Now, you will spend the rest of your life in prison and it will be a lesson not only for you but also for everyone that one should never reveal someone’s secret.” And so, the hairdresser was imprisoned for life and always regretted sharing the King’s secret.

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