In the mighty kingdom of Vijayanagara, King Krishnadevaraya loved many things: music, poetry, and fine feasts. But above all, he loved horses. Strong, swift, and beautiful horses from every land were kept in his royal stables. One afternoon, a royal guard bowed before the king. "Your Majesty," he said, "a trader from Arabia seeks audience. He brings a horse you will not forget". The king's eyes sparkled. "Bring him in!". The trader entered with a tall, shining chestnut horse. Its mane gleamed, its eyes were bright, and it moved like a dancer. The court fell silent. Even the ministers who usually argued about money stared in wonder. The trader bowed smoothly. "Oh great king," he said, "this is one of only three such horses in the world. The other two are still in Arabia. For all three, I ask for 5,000 gold coins". The king's heart skipped. 5,000! But his eyes were fixed on the horse. He imagined it running beside his chariot, outracing every rival. "Treasurer," he said, "give him the coins". No one dared argue. The gold changed hands. The trader smiled. "I will return in six weeks," he said, "with the other two horses. Then your Majesty will have all three". The king beamed. "You are an honest man. I look forward to your return". As the trader walked away, Tenali Raman watched him quietly. His eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. Days passed, then weeks. The king visited the stables every morning, feeding the horse he had named Simha, the lion. But six weeks passed, then eight, then two months. The Arabian trader never came. One evening, the king walked through the palace gardens, troubled. He saw Tenali Raman sitting under a banyan tree, writing on a palm-leaf scroll. "What are you writing?" the king asked. Tenali sighed and handed it over. At the top was written: "The Biggest Fools in the Kingdom of Vijayanagara". The king's eyes flashed. When he saw the first name — King Krishnadevaraya — he turned red with anger. Tenali fell to his knees. "Forgive me, Your Majesty," he said. "But you gave 5,000 gold coins to a stranger for two horses you never saw. He took your money and vanished. Isn't that what a fool does?" The king's anger softened. "Yes," he muttered, "you are right. I was foolish". Tenali said, "If the trader ever returns with the two horses, then I shall erase your name and write his instead. A man who cheats a king is the greatest fool of all". The king burst out laughing. "You wicked jester! You call me a fool to my face, yet you save me from a bigger mistake." He ordered, "From now on, whenever a trader comes with a grand promise, you ask the questions before I open the treasury".

In the mighty kingdom of Vijayanagara, King Krishnadevaraya loved many things: music, poetry, and fine feasts. But above all, he loved horses. Strong, swift, and beautiful horses from every land were kept in his royal stables. One afternoon, a royal guard bowed before the king. "Your Majesty," he said, "a trader from Arabia seeks audience. He brings a horse you will not forget". The king's eyes sparkled. "Bring him in!". The trader entered with a tall, shining chestnut horse. Its mane gleamed, its eyes were bright, and it moved like a dancer. The court fell silent. Even the ministers who usually argued about money stared in wonder. The trader bowed smoothly. "Oh great king," he said, "this is one of only three such horses in the world. The other two are still in Arabia. For all three, I ask for 5,000 gold coins". The king's heart skipped. 5,000! But his eyes were fixed on the horse. He imagined it running beside his chariot, outracing every rival. "Treasurer," he said, "give him the coins". No one dared argue. The gold changed hands. The trader smiled. "I will return in six weeks," he said, "with the other two horses. Then your Majesty will have all three". The king beamed. "You are an honest man. I look forward to your return". As the trader walked away, Tenali Raman watched him quietly. His eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. Days passed, then weeks. The king visited the stables every morning, feeding the horse he had named Simha, the lion. But six weeks passed, then eight, then two months. The Arabian trader never came. One evening, the king walked through the palace gardens, troubled. He saw Tenali Raman sitting under a banyan tree, writing on a palm-leaf scroll. "What are you writing?" the king asked. Tenali sighed and handed it over. At the top was written: "The Biggest Fools in the Kingdom of Vijayanagara". The king's eyes flashed. When he saw the first name — King Krishnadevaraya — he turned red with anger. Tenali fell to his knees. "Forgive me, Your Majesty," he said. "But you gave 5,000 gold coins to a stranger for two horses you never saw. He took your money and vanished. Isn't that what a fool does?" The king's anger softened. "Yes," he muttered, "you are right. I was foolish". Tenali said, "If the trader ever returns with the two horses, then I shall erase your name and write his instead. A man who cheats a king is the greatest fool of all". The king burst out laughing. "You wicked jester! You call me a fool to my face, yet you save me from a bigger mistake." He ordered, "From now on, whenever a trader comes with a grand promise, you ask the questions before I open the treasury".