The Sensible Enemy

A prince, a merchant’s son and a scholar’s son travelled to Climbing Mountain. Each found a precious gem and wrapped it carefully for the journey home.

A fourth traveller saw the gems and joined them with a selfish plan to steal them later.

Near a forest village, an old bird cried out whenever the travellers passed. The village chief believed the bird was warning him about hidden treasure.

The chief searched their packs but found nothing. Still, he demanded a harsher search the following morning and kept the four guests in a guarded rest house.

During the night, the fourth traveller felt ashamed. The three friends had shared food and treated him kindly. He decided that protecting them mattered more than his old plan.

At dawn he stepped forward. “Search my pouch and belongings first,” he said. “If they contain nothing, do not punish the others merely because of a guess.”

His pouch was empty. The chief realized that suspicion without fair evidence could harm innocent travellers. He released them and apologized.

The fourth traveller confessed his earlier intention to the three friends. Because he had changed course and protected them, they allowed him to travel onward with them—carefully, and with trust to be earned.