156. The Potter and the King
A clumsy potter fell on some pots and cut his head, leaving a deep scar across his forehead.
When the king called for volunteer soldiers, the potter decided he'd prefer to be a soldier than a potter.
Seeing the scar, the king thought he must be a valiant warrior and made him a lieutenant.
Later, however, the army's general asked the potter how he got that scar.
"I fell down and cut my head," said the potter honestly.
The general laughed. "You better go home now," he said, "before you get hurt even more badly pretending to be a soldier."
Inspired by: The Panchatantra, translated by Arthur Ryder.
Notes: It is in Book 4, Story 4. In the original story, it's the king who actually discovers the truth about the potter, but it was easier to create this short version by having the king be fooled while the general discerned the truth.
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