The Dwarf
In ancient times there was a scholar. He had a son who was a very short person. So he was called 'Dwarf'. At an early age, he went to university and studied archery under a teacher and attained mastery in that science. Having completed his education, Dwarf set out to earn a living as an archer. With his aim in view, he travelled to many lands and saw many kings, told them that he was an expert archer, and offered to serve under them. But, seeing his short stature, no one took him seriously and Dwarf could not get a job. He was at a loss as to how he could make a living or put his talent to any use. One day while he was passing through the weaver's street of a certain village, he saw a stalwart man sitting at his loom and weaving. Dwarf approached the weaver and asked him, "Friend, may I know your name?" "They call me Gale," the weaver replied. The name suited him. "You are so tall, so well built and you have such a resounding name!" Dwarf said. "Why do you waste your time in weaving? You ought to do better." "What can I do?" Gale replied. "This is the only thing I know how to do." "Come with me," Dwarf said, "and I'll show you a way of living decently."
Gale was glad. He agreed to follow Dwarf. They journeyed for a few days and reached a kingdom. "Go to the King," Dwarf told Gale. "Tell him that you are an expert archer, and offer your services to him. The King will notice how tall and well built you are, and will give you employment." "But I do not know any archery!" Gale protested. "That does not matter. I am an expert archer. Make me your aid. I will be at hand whenever you need me," Dwarf said. So Gale went and saw the King, told him that he was an expert archer, and was promptly employed as the King's Archer on a salary of a thousand gold coins a fortnight. The dwarf got employed as an aide to Gale. Both began to live comfortably on Gale's earnings. After a time, a certain tiger began to haunt the highway that led to the capital city and pounced upon wayfarers. There was panic among the people and the King had to do something about it. The King sent for Gale the Archer, and said, "O Gale, there is a tiger in such and such part of the highway, menacing travelers. Go at once and kill it!" Gale agreed to kill the tiger, took leave of the King, and came home. "Now I am in a fix," he told Dwarf. "How am I going to kill the tiger? Help me out."
"Listen to me carefully," Dwarf said. "You will not be able to kill the tiger unaided. On leaving the city, gather two thousand villagers and take them to the tiger's haunt. When you hear the tiger roar, get into some bush and hide yourself there. The villagers will kill the tiger. Make sure that the tiger is dead and come out of our hiding place with a length of creeper in your hand. On seeing the dead tiger, get angry and shout, "Who has killed the tiger? I intended to tether it with this creeper and show it to the King! If I wanted to kill it I could have done it myself without the assistance of the whole lot of you! Now tell me who was the scoundrel that killed the tiger so that I can get him beheaded!" The villagers will be frightened. They will deny that they had anything to do with the killing of the tiger. Then you can come back to the city and claim that you killed it yourself, without the fear of anyone contradicting you!" Gale followed the instructions of his aide to the last letter. While the villagers killed the tiger, he hid in a bush. He then came out with a long creeper after the tiger was dead.
He made a lot of fuss about the death of the beast and scared the villagers. The frightened villagers slipped away to their homes. Then Gale returned to the city pompously, saw the King, and said to him, "Sir, the highway is once again safe for the pedestrians!" The King was mightily pleased with Gale's valor. Gale's glory spread all around and compliments were showered upon him continuously. Soon the fool really began to believe in his own valor and began to treat his aide with contempt. Dwarf observed this change that had come over the weaver, but he ignored it. Sometime later, an enemy king marched his armies on the kingdom. His envoys brought word from him asking the King, "Will you surrender or fight?" The King sent for Gale, and said to him, "Take the necessary forces and conquer the enemy!"
Gale was put into battle array. He was dressed in armor, given a bow and arrows, sat upon an elephant, and sent to the battleground. The dwarf knew that Gale was in danger. He too armed himself with bow and arrows, and sat behind Gale, on the elephant. The elephant marched to the battleground surrounded by cavalry and infantry. Gale began to shake with fear as soon as he saw the orderly lines of the enemy soldiers before him. Sweat began to pour out of him profusely, while his hands and feet went numb with cold. He made an attempt to slip off the elephant, and escape. Had not dwarf stopped this attempt and tied him up securely to the elephant, Gale would have been trodden to death under the hooves of the horses. Now Dwarf took command of the situation on his own initiative. He spurred the elephant on into the enemy ranks, raining arrows on the enemy all the while. No one could halt him and he made straight for the enemy King, scattering the enemy forces. Soon the enemy king was wounded, defeated, and taken prisoner. As soon as the Dwarf returned victorious from the battleground the King knew that he was the real archer. He at once made him the King's Archer in Gale's place. The dwarf gave Gale a good number of gifts and sent him away.
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