King Krishnadevaraya had two magnificent Persian cats, gifted to him by a visiting merchant. The cats were beautiful — but greedy. Every morning, before the royal kitchen could serve the king's breakfast, those two cats would leap onto the table and gobble up all the fish and milk. The cooks were in despair.
The king tried everything. Guards were posted. Bells were hung. A tall fence was built around the kitchen. Yet somehow, those clever cats always found a way in. Finally, the king summoned his wisest minister — the great Tenali Raman.
"Tenali," said the king with a weary sigh, "rid me of these two troublesome cats — but harm them not, for they were a royal gift."
Tenali Raman bowed and smiled. "Leave it to me, Your Majesty. The cats will trouble you no longer by tomorrow morning."
That evening, Tenali carried two large bowls of hot milk to where the cats slept. Not boiling — just hot enough to sting. The cats woke up and rushed to the bowls. They took one eager sip each and jumped back, yowling in surprise.
For the next three mornings, Tenali placed fresh bowls of milk on the kitchen table — but every time the cats approached, they remembered the stinging heat and backed away, meowing anxiously. They refused to touch anything in the kitchen. The king's breakfast was safe at last.
"Tenali," laughed the king, "you neither punished nor chased them — yet they obey perfectly. How did you do it?"
Tenali smiled and said, "Wisdom is not about force, Your Majesty. A single lesson, well taught, lasts a lifetime."
— The end. —