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Once upon a time there lived a very wise king. He was so wise the rulers of other coun- tries came to him for counsel. The king's son was also very wise and sat beside his father during all of his deliberations.

One day the king's son died, leaving a small child, Buddhivir. The son's wife was so overcome with sadness that she too died a few days later. Now Buddhivir was an orphan, and his grandparents, the king and queen, raised him with loving kindness.

The years passed and the king became quite ill. He knew he would soon die, so he called for his grandson Buddhivir, who was only twelve at the time. The young prince sat beside him, listening as he spoke, "My child, soon I will die. Before I go, I would like to leave you with three rules. These will make you successful in life. Always remember them: Make friends with well-bred people. Marry a girl from a well-bred family. Work for a well-bred king.

The king died, and the old queen named Buddhivir prince regent until the age of sixteen. When Buddhivir turned sixteen, the queen said to him, "Oh, my grandson, it is time you became king.

Young Buddhivir said, "Oh, grandmother, let me first explore the truth of the rules my grandfather told me."

"They are simple instructions, my child," said the old queen. "You need only remember them, and they will help you."

"But what happens if I do not remember them or if I neglect them?"

"Then you will fail in life."

"What does it mean to fail?" the young prince asked.

"I do not know," said his grandmother, "for your father and grandfather were so wise they never failed. Our country has never known failure."

"Grandmother, I want to be successful, but I must be prepared for failure. I must test my grandfather's rules."

"How will you test them?" asked the old queen.

"By experimenting."

"Oh no, my dear, that is too dangerous."

"Oh grandmother, do not worry. I will survive with the wisdom inherited from my father and my grandfather. Please do not stop me. You will only make me a coward and cast doubt on the good name of my forefathers."

"My child, let the tradition of bravery continue in this dynasty. I have no doubt you will succeed. Go and do honor to the names of your predecessors. Good luck."

Young King Buddhivir set off for a poor country where the king was known to be rude, tyrannical, and mean. He went straight before the court and introduced himself as a prince who had come to discover certain truths about life. He asked the king for a job so he could earn his bread while he experimented.

The king laughed and said, "What skills do you have? Princes are brought up to do nothing. You will probably only spoil things if I give you a job of any importance. Oh well, you can look after the peacock farm, but, mind you, if one of them dies, you will be killed." Buddhivir accepted the position and went off to tend the peacocks.

He soon wanted to test his grandfather's advice further, so he looked for someone to be his best friend, someone he could join in performing the ritual for becoming mit.

In Buddhivir's neighborhood there lived a tailor master, who was proud, greedy, illiterate, and selfish. In order to test his grand- father's rules, Buddhivir proposed a ritual friendship with him. The tailor master agreed to the friendship only if Buddhivir would give him a diamond ring. Buddhivir said he would, then he asked for the tailor's help in finding him a wife.

The tailor agreed only if he received a diamond necklace in addition. Buddhivir consented.

The next day the tailor introduced Buddhivir to a girl from his own family. The young man quickly saw that the girl was ill-bred.

Days passed and the people of the kingdom remained selfish, greedy, and mean. Now Buddhivir decided it was time to experi- ment more seriously. He went secretly to the market and bought a big chicken, which he killed and plucked. When he came home, he gave the chicken to his wife and said, "Now prepare a big feast."His wife was delighted and said, "What bird is this? Without any feath- ers, I cannot tell."

"Shhh," cautioned Buddhivir. "Speak softly. It is a peacock from the king's farm. If you tell anyone, I shall be put to death."

"My goodness," said his wife. "It's been almost a year since I have eaten meat. Oh, beloved husband, you are so wise and good to steal a peacock from the king's farm. I myself have thought of it many times, but now you have done it. Thank goodness."

"Yes, my beloved wife, but don't tell a soul. That night the two feasted.

The next morning, Buddhivir's wife went to the watering place, picking her teeth. The wife of the tailor master came up to her, saying, "Mitini, what did you eat last night that you are picking your teeth?"

"Ah, it is a secret, but I must at least boast of my husband's bravery. I can say this to my own ritual friend, assured that it will not reach a third party."

"Oh, my mitini, trust me. I swear I will tell no other woman."

"Then give my your ear and I will whisper the truth."

Boasting of her husband's wisdom and bravery, Buddhivir's wife told her friend what they had eaten the night before. Her friend also praised Buddhivir's wisdom and bravery and vowed to speak of it to no other woman in the community. The moment the tailor master's wife arrived home, she scolded her husband for not being as wise as his mit.

"Oh, him!"said the tailor master. "He is a cheat!"

"Did he not give you the diamond ring and the necklace?"

"No. I won those for myself."

"I am so jealous that my mitini boasted of her husband's brav- ery,"said the tailor master's wife. "I could not bear it."

"Don't be so agitated, my lady. I am going straight before the king and report to him that my mit has stolen his peacock."

"Oh, don't do that, for the king will surely kill your friend in punishment."

"Who cares?"said the tailor master. "The king will reward me for the information."

"You are right," said the tailor master's wife. "I did not think of that."

"Now you see how smart I am, don't you?" asked the tailor master.

"And do you see how much smarter I am than my mitini?"his wife asked. "I swore to keep the matter secret and to tell no other woman in the community. But that way I was free to tell a man. If I were not so smart, you wouldn't have the opportunity to go before the king."

The next morning the tailor master went straight before the king and reported that Buddhivir had stolen a peacock. The king was furious and ordered that Buddhivir be hanged. When Buddhivir was brought before the king, he pleaded on his own behalf, "Oh, king, let one of your courtiers count the peacocks in your farm. If a single one is missing, I will hang myself."

Promptly the king sent one of his courtiers to count the peacocks, but he found none missing. When he reported this to the king, the king was furious and ordered the tailor master hung for a liar. The tailor master pleaded with the king, saying it was not his fault, but his wife's, who had lied to him. The king then ordered that his wife, too, be hanged.

When the tailor master's wife came before the king, she con- fessed it was her mitini, Buddhivir's wife, who had lied to her. The king then gave an order to hang Buddhivir's wife. When she ap- peared before the king, she accused her husband of lying. "He is the main criminal,"she said, pointing her finger at him.

The king then put Buddhivir's name back on the list of those to be hanged.

When Buddhivir came before the king, he said, "Oh, king, why should anyone be hanged when there are no peacocks missing?"

Still the king was unsatisfied. He considered the root of all the trouble to be the foreigner standing before him, so he ordered his soldiers to throw Buddhivir out of the kingdom and to kill him if he returned. Further, he ordered his courtiers to remove the tongues of the two wives and the tailor master, since they had all lied.

Buddhivir's life was saved, and he understood why one should not deal with ill-bred people. He thought he should now try an experiment with well-bred people to more fully understand his grandfather's rules. He did not return to his country but went on to another, which was known to be prosperous, cultured, and civilized.

When he arrived at the court, he introduced himself as Prince Buddhivir and said he was on a quest to discover certain truths about life. He asked if the king would provide him with a job, so he could earn his bread as he experimented.

The king was happy to meet Buddhivir and said, "You appear to be a well-bred young man. Will you share with us whatever you learn from your experiment? Since you are the crown prince's age, I will employ you as his guardian."

Buddhivir gladly accepted the position and found the crown prince to be diligent and wise. The young man recognized Buddhivir's wisdom, as well, and, without hesitation, followed his advice. Since Buddhivir had helped his own grandfather govern his country, he was also able to help the crown prince.

Close to where Buddhivir lived was a humble businessman, polite, friendly, generous, and educated. Buddhivir wanted to have a ritual friendship with him as part of his experiment, so he performed the ritual for being mit.

The businessman was delighted with his new friendship and presented Buddhivir with diamond rings, a gold necklace, and a house to live in. Graciously Buddhivir accepted the presents, then asked his friend's help in finding him a wife. The businessman told Buddhivir of a friend who was a general in the military who had a splendid daughter.

"It will be a good match,"he said. Buddhivir agreed and the businessman went off to arrange for the marriage ceremony.

Days passed and life went on pleasantly. But one day when Buddhivir and the crown prince were out hunting, Buddhivir asked the prince if he would help him perform a very serious experiment. "Without question," said the crown prince.

"I would like you to remain in a secret place for a while, until I come for you. In addition, I would like all of your ornaments and your valuable clothing as well."

"You may have them,"said the crown prince.

Buddhivir then took the prince to his friend the businessman, who agreed to hide him and keep the matter secret.

Later that day, Buddhivir went into the forest and killed a deer. He dipped the prince's clothing and ornaments in the deer's blood. When he returned home, he showed his wife the bloody clothing and ornaments, saying, "Oh, my dear wife, a terrible thing has happened. By accident, when we were hunting, I killed the crown prince.There is no doubt that the king will kill me. I must go before him and seek my punishment."

"Oh, my husband, you must be surely grieving for the crown prince and eager for the king's punishment. But stay a while. Let me ask my father's advice."

"There is no need of that,"Buddhivir moaned. "I am guilty and must be punished."

"But you did not do it deliberately. It was an accident. There is hope that the king will forgive you. You will have to have patience and let my father handle this. The king is very wise and my father a good counselor. Have patience."

Buddhivir's wife then picked up the crown prince's bloody clothing and ornaments and set off for her father's house. When she arrived, she showed him the bloody garments and told him all that had happened. Then she broke down crying, entreating her father to save her husband or she would kill herself.

Her father quickly took up the bloody garments and went before the king. The king, seeing the general looking so sad, asked him what the trouble was.

"Oh king, I am in a dilemma. Please help me find a way out." "Tell me everything," said the king.

"Oh king, my son-in-law was hunting a deer and accidentally killed a person of great stature. Now he wants to surrender himself to the law. He is ready to accept a sentence of death."

"I know that your son-in-law is honest, wise, humble, and brave and would not kill without reason. I trust him if he says it was an accident. It proves his greatness that he is willing to take his punish- ment. But tell me, whom did he kill?"

"Oh king, it was the crown prince. Here are your son's clothing and ornaments."

The king was shocked and immediately ordered his soldiers to bring Buddhivir before him. Buddhivir's wife stood by his side.

"Oh Buddhivir, what have you done?"cried the king. "How did you kill my son, who was the dearest in all the world to me? Tell me. You were appointed to guard him, but you killed him. How should I punish you?"

"Oh king, I would have killed myself on the spot, but I had to bring you the news. Now I am ready for any punishment. Please kill me, for I cannot live any longer with my grief."

"Have mercy, oh king!" cried Buddhivir's wife.

"Have mercy!" cried the general.

The king, wiping the tears from his cheeks, spoke softly,"Oh Buddhivir, I would not like to lose another son. I forgive you and accept you as my crown prince."

The king embraced Buddhivir, and all the courtiers exclaimed, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"

Buddhivir's wife called out, "Long live the king!"

The general shouted, "Long live the king!"

"Oh king, you are indeed great, "said Buddhivir, "and you will be known far and wide as the wisest and kindest person in the world. Now if you would allow it, let me present you with a most precious gift."

The king sighed. "I have lost what is most precious. However, I do not wish to offend you, so I will accept what you offer."

"Oh king, let me go to my friend the businessman, and I will come back with your present. The king allowed Buddhivir to go to his friend. In no time, Buddhivir was back in the court, hauling a cart in which something lay hidden under a large cloth. "What is this?" asked the king.

Buddhivir uncovered the present, and the king stepped back in amazement. All of his courtiers gasped. The crown prince stood before them! The king rushed to embrace him.

Buddhivir said, "I am sorry, oh king, to have caused you such grief. I did this to test my grandfather's rules. I have now learned some truths about life and should like to return home. I told you I was a prince, but now I am king and must go home to rule my country."

"Oh noble King Buddhivir, you are like a son to me, so it is difficult to say good-bye. But I understand it is time for you to leave. Before you go, please share with us all you have learned."

Bhuddivir then repeated the words of his grandfather: Make friends with well-bred people. Marry a girl from a well-bred family. Work for a well-bred king.

All the courtiers were pleased with Buddhivir's words, and the king, the crown prince, the businessman, and the general all praised his wisdom. Then they said good-bye.

Buddhivir returned to his country, his beloved wife at his side. He ruled his people with wisdom, and they were happy under his reign.

[1]mit-male friends forever, almost a member of the family
[2]mitini-best female friend