Story 3: The Teacher and the Prince

One of the learned men was tutoring a prince, beating him without mercy and punishing him beyond all reason. Once, the boy, unable to bear it, complained to his father and pulled his shirt off his aching body. The father's heart was stirred. He said to the teacher: You do not treat the sons of ordinary subjects with as much cruelty and reproach as you do my son. What is the reason? The teacher replied: The reason is that words must be spoken with thought and deeds performed becomingly, by everyone in general and by kings in particular. For whatever their hands and tongues do is repeated on every lip, while the words and actions of common people carry no such weight. If a poor man does a hundred improper things, his friends will not notice even one of them. But if a king utters a single jest, they carry it from region to region. So it is right that the tutor of a prince strive harder to refine the character of these noble children, whom God has raised with fine nurture, than he would for the common folk. Whoever is not disciplined in childhood will find no success in adulthood. Bend a green branch however you wish, but once dry it will only straighten by fire. The scholar's sound reasoning and his well put answer pleased the king. He gave him a robe of honor and rich gifts, and raised him to a high position.