One field... two land documents... both men claim it as their own. When poor farmer Appanna and the encroaching landlord Naidu bring their dispute over a mango tree to court, Naidu produces two laborers as false witnesses. To uncover the truth, Tenali Ramakrishna sets an ingenious trap — telling a small lie of his own, and watching who repeats it.
01
The Dispute in Court
The Royal Court
The King sat upon his throne as Appanna and Naidu stood before him in the crowded court.
🌾 Appanna
"Your Majesty... I own five acres of land. But Naidu has been encroaching on it, little by little. Now he has taken even the plot where our family's most beloved mango tree stands. Here, Your Majesty — the original document for our land."
Appanna holds out his patta document toward the King.
🧔 Naidu
"Your Majesty... everything Appanna says is a lie. That land is mine. Here — I too have the original document. And moreover, it is these two men who harvest that mango tree's fruit every single year."
Naidu gestures toward his two laborers standing behind him.
👷 Laborers
"Yes, Your Majesty. We are the ones who harvest the mangoes every year."
The King examines both documents carefully, brow furrowed — but finds no clear answer.
👑 King
"Both documents are equally old... it is difficult to decide who is telling the truth."
Then Tenali Ramakrishna stepped forward.
🪶 Tenali Rama
"Your Majesty... give me just one day. I will go and inspect the field myself."
👑 King
"Very well, Ramakrishna."
02
Inspecting the Field
Evening, Alone at the Field
Ramakrishna arrived at the field alone and walked up to the mango tree. He examined the boundary stones and their distance from the tree, studied the branches, the trunk, the soil around it — and a knowing smile crossed his face.
03
The Bandaged Hand, the Warning
Court, Next Day
Ramakrishna entered the court with a white bandage wrapped around his hand.
👑 King
"Ramakrishna... what is that bandage on your hand?"
🪶 Tenali Rama (calmly)
"Yesterday, while inspecting the field, honeybees near the mango tree stung me, Your Majesty. Just a small injury."
Naidu and his two laborers exchange uneasy glances.
The King rose, and his voice thundered through the court.
👑 King (sternly)
"Today the truth must come out. Whoever is found giving false testimony will receive one hundred lashes. Remember this!"
Both laborers exchanged frightened, nervous looks.
04
Questioning Naidu's Laborers
Ramakrishna turned toward Naidu first.
🪶 Tenali Rama
"How much harvest does this mango tree yield every year?"
🧔 Naidu (proudly)
"It fills three large sacks. We eat them, sell them, send them to relatives. If you'd like some too, I'll send a sack to your house!"
Naidu laughed mockingly, and his followers in the court laughed along with him.
🪶 Tenali Rama (smiling, unruffled)
"Certainly, Naidu... but first, let us learn a little more about your tree."
Ramakrishna turned to face the two laborers.
🪶 Tenali Rama
"Do you both harvest this tree's mangoes every year? When did you last harvest it?"
👷 Laborer 2 (glibly)
"Just two days ago."
🪶 Tenali Rama
"Was there any trouble while climbing the tree?"
👷 Laborer 2 (eagerly)
"Oh, Your Majesty! The honeybees troubled us a great deal. We covered our whole bodies with cloth and climbed. Even then, some bees stung us."
👷 Laborer 1 (slowly)
"Yes, Your Majesty... they stung us too."
🪶 Tenali Rama
"Where is the hive located?"
👷 Laborer 2
"On the right side of the tree."
👷 Laborer 1
"Yes... on the right side."
05
Questioning Appanna
Ramakrishna now turned to Appanna.
🪶 Tenali Rama
"Appanna... do you have any laborers?"
🌾 Appanna
"No, Your Majesty. My family and I harvest the mangoes ourselves."
🪶 Tenali Rama
"Then have you had any trouble with honeybees?"
🌾 Appanna (confused)
"What honeybees, Your Majesty?"
🪶 Tenali Rama
"The honeybees on your mango tree."
🌾 Appanna (firmly)
"Your Majesty... I have watched that tree since my childhood. I have harvested its fruit so many times. I have never once seen a honeybee hive on that tree."
👑 King (surprised)
"What? There are no honeybees at all?"
🌾 Appanna
"Yes, Your Majesty."
06
The Reveal — Who Told the First Lie
🧔 Naidu (rattled)
"How is that possible, Your Majesty? My laborers clearly said otherwise. That tree has a large honeybee hive. They are the ones who harvest it every year."
The King turned to Tenali, waiting for an answer.
👑 King
"Ramakrishna... what is the actual truth?"
Every eye in the court fixed on Tenali. He spoke gravely.
🪶 Tenali Rama
"Your Majesty... do you know who was the very first person to lie in this court today?"
👑 King
"Who?"
🪶 Tenali Rama (steadily)
"It was me, Your Majesty."
The entire court reacted in shock as Tenali began unwrapping the bandage from his hand.
🪶 Tenali Rama
"What I said yesterday, that honeybees stung me, was a lie. While inspecting the tree, a branch merely scratched me. In truth, that mango tree has no honeybee hive at all."
His hand, unmarked, no sting visible at all. Fear spread visibly across both laborers' faces.
07
The Trap Springs Shut
Ramakrishna turned to face the coolies directly.
🪶 Tenali Rama
"The moment I said the bees stung me, both of you said 'they stung us too.' When I asked where the hive was, both of you said 'on the right side.' How could you describe seeing a hive that never existed?"
Both coolies fell silent, unable to answer.
🪶 Tenali Rama (turning to Naidu)
"Even these laborers' claim that they harvested the tree's fruit is a lie. They came here to testify with the very lie you taught them."
👑 King (rising in anger)
"Tell the truth! If you lie, one hundred lashes await you!"
Trembling, Coolie2 fell at the King's feet.
👷 Laborer 2 (pleading)
"Forgive us, Your Majesty! We lied exactly as Naidu instructed us to."
👷 Laborer 1
"He told us to give false testimony about the mango tree, Your Majesty."
08
The Verdict and Resolution
The King turned his full anger on Naidu.
👑 King
"Naidu! Encroaching on a farmer's land is itself a grave crime. On top of that, you brought false witnesses to deceive this very royal court."
Naidu bowed his head low.
🧔 Naidu (with remorse)
"Your Majesty... forgive me. I have done wrong. Snatching away the land of a farmer who feeds us all is an unforgivable crime. Carry out my punishment."
👑 King
"One hundred lashes for Naidu, and for the laborers who gave false testimony. The two acres of land that Naidu encroached upon must be returned to Appanna at once."
Royal guards stepped forward to carry out the King's orders. Appanna looked at Ramakrishna with tears of gratitude.
🌾 Appanna
"Thank you for saving my land, Ramakrishna."
🪶 Tenali Rama (with a warm smile)
"I did not save your land, Appanna... the truth saved itself."
Moral of the Story🌳
No matter how many witnesses support a lie, it cannot stand for long before the truth. One who tries to seize another's rights out of greed is eventually exposed by his own lies.
💡 Life Lesson
Catching a lie sometimes needs no force at all — just a clever trap. Those coached in deception repeat the exact same words, because they never lived the truth — they only memorized the lie.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the moral of this story?
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No matter how many witnesses support a lie, it cannot outlast the truth. Anyone who tries to seize another's rights out of greed is eventually exposed by their own lies.
What was the dispute between Appanna and Naidu?
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Both men produced separate land documents claiming ownership of the same plot with the mango tree. Naidu brought two laborers as false witnesses, claiming they harvested the tree's fruit every year.
How did Tenali Ramakrishna resolve the dispute?
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He lied about being stung by bees and wore a bandage. When Naidu's laborers echoed the exact same lie word for word, it proved they had never actually visited the tree — because it had no beehive at all.
Is this story suitable for children?
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Yes, this story suits children aged 8 and above well, teaching a clever lesson about honesty and how sharp questioning reveals the truth.
