Chan was a potter. He lived in a village. He was making pots and selling them in the village fare. He was earning his livelihood thereby.
Chan was in a habit of drinking liquor. One day as he was drunken he fell down on a broken pot. The sharp edge of the broken pot pierced his forehead and he started bleeding. Somehow Chan didn’t care much for his wound. He left it to heal. Thought it had healed, it had left a big scar on his forehead.
Few months passed. It didn’t rain in the village. There was famine in the country. The potter could not run his business. So he left his village and went to a distant town. There lived a king. Chan got himself employed in the king’s service.
Few days passed. There was pleasure in the town. Everybody was happy. One day the king noticed the big scar on the forehead of the potter, Chan. He thought to himself that Chan must be a brave man and the scar was most probably the result of his face to face fight with some soldier in a battle.
The king decided to place Chan in a high position. Chan was made an army general. A few months passed. A war happened to broke. The king decided to appoint the potter the chief of the army. He summoned him to the palace, Chan rushed to the court.
“General, what’s your name ? How did you get this scar on your fore head. I am really proud of you ? What was the name of the battle you fought in ?” the king asked.
Chan was in dilema.
“Your Majesty” replied Chan, “I am only a potter by profession. Once I fell down on a broken pot in a drunken state and that’s how I got wounded. I am not any soldier to fight in a battle.”
Hearning this, the king was very much dejected and ordered his servants to throw him out of the army.
Chan asked excuse and requested the king to keep in royal service and he would prove his worth in the army.
The king got angry and ordered his servants to drive him out of the kingdom.
When a position is offered, one has to try to retain it.
MORAL: If you speak the truth sometimes it may go against you. Speak truth, but think once.