Jahangir punishes his son

The Mogul Emperor Jahangir once got a severe complaint against his son. What had happened was this. His eldest son had very happily and proudly ridden his elephant from the palace to a particular place in the kingdom. On the way the prince had seen the wife of a low-class man and had thrown a piece of beetlenut at her in a very amusing way. When the husband came to know that his wife had been insulted by the prince, he went to Jahangir’s court and made a complaint.

Jahangir got furious and made inquiries to find out if what the man had said was true. After some investigation, he learned that the story was correct. Jahangir immediately ordered that the low-class man should ride on the Prince’s elephant from the palace to the same place to which the prince had gone. The Prince’s wife would stand at the same place along the street where the man’s wife had been standing. Then, when the low-class man passed by, he would throw a piece of beetlenut at the princess.

“This will be the only compensation,” the Emperor said.

Everybody said, “How can the Emperor do this? She is the princess and he is just a low-class person.” Everybody was protesting that it would be so humiliating for the princess.

But Jahangir said, “No, my son has to learn that he cannot do this kind of thing. My order is my order. You have to execute it immediately. Otherwise, both my son and his wife will be even more severely punished.”

Finally the low-class man ran out of the palace, crying, “I don’t want them to be punished. I forgive your son.”

Then Jahangir said, “Since he has forgiven my son, I have nothing to say.” The Emperor turned to his son and told him, “He has forgiven you, my son. That is the only reason why I am forgiving you.”