THE MAN WHO NEVER LIED
Once upon a time, there lived a wise man named Mamad, known far and wide for never telling a lie. People from even distant lands spoke of him. When the king heard of Mamad, he summoned him to the palace.
The king asked, "Mamad, is it true that you've never lied?"
"Yes, it's true, " Mamad replied.
"And you never will lie?" the king asked.
"I'm certain of that," Mamad answered.
Several days later, the king called Mamad again. A large crowd gathered as the king prepared to go hunting. Holding his horse by its mane, with his left foot in the stirrup, the king gave Mamad an order.
"Go to my summer palace, tell the queen I'll join her for lunch, and ask her to prepare a grand feast. We will have lunch together."
Mamad bowed and went to the queen. Meanwhile, the king chuckled, thinking, "We won't go hunting now, and Mamad will lie to the queen. Tomorrow, we'll have a laugh."
But Mamad went to the palace and said, "Perhaps you should prepare a grand feast for lunch tomorrow, or maybe you shouldn't. Perhaps the king will come by the noon, or perhaps he won't."
"Will he come or not?" asked the queen.
"I don't know." said Mamad, "I know if he puts his right foot in the stirrup or his left foot on the ground."
Everyone waited for the king, who came the next day and told the queen, "The wise Mamad, who never lies, lied to you yesterday."
The queen explained what Mamad had said. Hearing this, the queen realised that a truly wise man never lies.
