Once in Bukhara they were catching a thief, but they caught an innocent man. He was dragged to the padishah.
“Hang him!” said the padishah.
“It’s a pity that nothing can be done!” exclaimed the man.
“What do you regret?” they asked him.
“I know something that no one in the world knows except me.”
- What is this?
- I know how to sow gold.
They delayed the execution and ran to the padishah.
“Sir, the man you ordered to hang knows how to sow gold.” The padishah ordered this man to be brought to him.
“If you know how to sow gold, then sow it for me, and I will give you life,” said the padishah.
The condemned man happily agreed. He plowed the land, prepared it for sowing and ordered gold to be brought to him.
Five pounds of gold were brought from the padishah's treasury. The padishah himself came with the vasirs to see how they would sow gold.
“Everything is ready for sowing,” said the man. “Now appoint who will sow.” Only an honest person who has never stolen anything in his life can sow gold. I have never stolen anything, but I have been accused of theft, so I am not suitable for this case.
“Let my chief vazir sow,” said the padishah.
“No, no, sir, I’m not at all suitable for this business!” the Wazir said hastily.
“Then sow you, my supreme judge,” said the padishah.
“I... I... probably won’t come either,” said the judge. The padishah fixed his gaze on the city manager. He blushed and shook his head:
- Sorry, sir, and I’m not fit for this...
“Come here, holy father!” said the padishah to the mullah.
- No, sir, I am a sinner...
Then the padishah went through all the courtiers. Everyone refused to sow gold.
“You will have to sow the gold yourself, sir,” said one of the courtiers.
“I’m afraid that I might ruin things,” said the embarrassed padishah.
- Oh, sir! What is this! - cried the innocently condemned man. - So you don’t have a single honest person in your palace? But I have never stolen a crumb in my entire life, and you ordered me to be executed as a thief.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru