181. Tenalirama and the Magician



A magician arrived, boasting of powers greater than any member of King Krishnadevaraya's court.
"You must defeat him, Tenalirama!" begged the king.
Tenalirama confronted the magician. "You cannot do with your eyes open what I can do with my eyes shut!" the jester proclaimed.
"Of course I can!" countered the magician.
Tenalirama took a sack of chili-powder, shut his eyes, and put chili-powder on both eyelids. He then counted to one hundred, smiling.
Next, Tenalirama washed the powder off carefully and handed the sack to the magician.
The magician ran away without so much as a word.
Tenalirama had won!

Inspired byThe Wit of Tenali Raman by Devika Rangachari
Notes: This story is on p. 51 of the book.



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