Straightening the Dog’s Tail: Raman’s Clever Approach

It is often said, “The bend of a dog’s tail won’t straighten, even if kept in a tube for a thousand years.” However, Tenali Raman, with his wit and wisdom, found a way to achieve what seemed impossible.

One day, King Krishnadevarayar exhibited ten pups in his court and announced a challenge: “Straighten the tails of these pups. Whoever succeeds within three months will receive 100 gold sovereigns!”

Many eager contestants took the challenge. Each devised their own method to straighten the pups’ bent tails:

• One tied a heavy stone to the tail, hoping the weight would straighten it.
• Another placed the tail in a metal tube to force it into a straight position.
• A third hired a masseur to massage the tail daily.
• Yet another applied expensive medicines to soften and align the tail.
• One even resorted to mantras and elaborate poojas, believing divine intervention could help.
• Another attempted to feed the pup a rich diet of milk, butter, and ghee, hoping a healthy pup would have a naturally straight tail.

Each method was costly and labor-intensive, but none bore fruit. Meanwhile, Tenali Raman quietly took his pup home, tied it in one place, and gave it just enough food to survive.

After three months, the contestants presented their pups in the royal court. Nine pups wagged their tails energetically—each tail stubbornly bent as ever. But when Raman brought his pup forward, the court gasped in surprise: its tail was perfectly straight!

Upon closer inspection, the king discovered the truth. The pup was so weak from underfeeding that it couldn’t wag its tail anymore. The once-bent tail now hung straight, unable to move. The king burst into laughter and awarded Raman the 100 gold sovereigns, marveling at his ingenuity.

Raman explained, “Constant famine and hardship can bend even the most rigid of behaviors, just as it has straightened this pup’s tail.”

Moral of the Story:
Sometimes, persistence and unique strategies succeed where brute force and excessive effort fail. Clever thinking often triumphs over conventional methods.