The Earless

In a small village, there lived a young man known throughout the land for his quick wit and clever tongue. Though he was born without ears - which earned him the name “the Earless” - he possessed something far more valuable: a mind sharp as a blade and the ability to turn any situation to his advantage through ingenious wordplay and brilliant reasoning.

The Accusation

One day, the Earless found himself in serious trouble. A wealthy merchant in the village accused him of stealing a bag of gold coins that had mysteriously disappeared from the merchant’s shop. Though the young man was completely innocent, the merchant was influential and had convinced many villagers of his guilt.

“That clever tongue of his is nothing but a tool for deception!” the merchant declared angrily. “Who else but the Earless could have planned such a cunning theft?”

The matter was brought before the village judge, a stern man known for his strict interpretation of the law. The Earless faced the possibility of severe punishment if found guilty.

The Judge’s Challenge

The judge, who had heard tales of the young man’s remarkable wit, decided to test him with a series of riddles and challenges. “If you can answer my questions with truth and cleverness,” the judge announced, “I will consider your case more carefully. But if you fail, you will face the full penalty of the law.”

The Earless accepted the challenge gladly, knowing that his quick mind was his greatest weapon against false accusations.

The First Riddle

“Tell me,” the judge began, “what is the fastest thing in the world?”

The Earless thought for only a moment before answering with a confident smile. “Your Honor, the fastest thing in the world is thought. For thought can travel from here to the farthest star in less than an instant, faster than any bird can fly or any horse can run.”

The judge nodded approvingly. “A wise answer. Now tell me, what is the sweetest thing in the world?”

The Second Answer

“The sweetest thing in the world,” the Earless replied without hesitation, “is sleep. For when a person is truly weary, nothing tastes sweeter than peaceful rest. The hungry man finds food sweet, the thirsty man finds water sweet, but the exhausted man finds sleep sweetest of all.”

Murmurs of appreciation rippled through the courtroom. The judge’s stern expression began to soften slightly.

“Your answers show wisdom beyond your years,” the judge admitted. “But now I have a more difficult question. What is the richest thing in the world?”

The Third Wisdom

The Earless looked around the courtroom, seeing the merchant’s expensive clothes, the judge’s fine robes, and the golden ornaments that decorated the room. Then he smiled and gave his answer.

“The richest thing in the world, Your Honor, is the earth itself. For the earth gives us all our food, all our water, all our shelter, and all our gold. Without the earth’s riches, no merchant could trade, no king could rule, and no man could live. Every treasure that exists comes from the generous earth.”

The judge was clearly impressed, but he had one final, trick question prepared.

“Very good,” he said. “But tell me this: what is the most valuable thing that a man can possess?”

The Final Test

This question was more challenging than the others, and the Earless knew it. He could see the merchant leaning forward eagerly, hoping for a wrong answer that would seal the young man’s fate. The entire courtroom waited in silence.

After a long moment of thought, the Earless spoke with quiet confidence:

“The most valuable thing a man can possess, Your Honor, is a good name. Gold can be stolen, houses can burn, clothes can wear out, and even kingdoms can fall. But a man’s good reputation, built through honest deeds and truthful words, is a treasure that no thief can steal and no fire can destroy. It opens doors that gold cannot open and earns trust that money cannot buy.”

The Merchant’s Trap

The judge was about to pronounce his verdict when the merchant jumped to his feet. “All very clever,” he sneered, “but cleverness with words doesn’t prove innocence! I demand that this thief face trial by ordeal!”

In those days, trial by ordeal was sometimes used when evidence was unclear. The accused would be required to perform a dangerous task, and their survival or success was considered proof of their innocence or guilt.

“Very well,” the judge agreed reluctantly. “What ordeal do you propose?”

The merchant’s eyes gleamed with malice. “Let him reach into a pot of boiling oil to retrieve a gold coin. If he is innocent, he will not be harmed. If he is guilty, he will be burned as punishment for his crime.”

The Clever Solution

The Earless knew this was a trap - the merchant hoped to see him injured regardless of his innocence. But his quick mind immediately found a solution.

“I accept the ordeal gladly,” he announced, “but I request one small modification in the interest of fairness.”

“What modification?” the judge asked.

“Since the merchant is so confident in this test’s ability to reveal truth,” the Earless said with a sly smile, “let him demonstrate his own honesty first. Let him reach into the boiling oil to prove that he has told the truth about his missing gold.”

The merchant’s face went pale. “That’s… that’s not how trial by ordeal works!” he stammered.

“But surely,” the Earless continued smoothly, “if you are telling the truth about your missing gold, you would have nothing to fear from the test. Unless, perhaps, there is something about this theft that you have not told us?”

The Truth Revealed

The merchant’s nervous behavior did not go unnoticed by the judge. “This is an interesting point,” the judge said thoughtfully. “If the ordeal reveals truth, then the accuser should be as willing as the accused to submit to it.”

Under pressure and fearing exposure, the merchant finally broke down. “Wait!” he cried. “I… I may have been mistaken about the theft!”

Through careful questioning, the truth finally emerged. The merchant had lost the gold in a gambling game but was too ashamed to admit it. Rather than face his creditors’ anger, he had decided to blame the Earless, thinking the young man’s lack of powerful friends would make him an easy target.

Justice Served

The judge was furious at this deception. “You have wasted this court’s time with false accusations and attempted to see an innocent man punished for your own failings!” he declared.

The merchant was fined heavily for false accusation and ordered to make a public apology. The money from his fine was given to the Earless as compensation for the trouble he had endured.

The Reward of Wit

As the Earless left the courthouse, the judge called him back. “Young man,” he said, “your answers today showed great wisdom. Have you ever considered studying law? I could use an assistant with your quick mind and sense of justice.”

The Earless bowed gratefully. “Your Honor, I would be honored to learn from your wisdom.”

A New Beginning

And so the Earless found himself with a new career and a bright future. He studied diligently under the judge’s guidance and eventually became known as one of the fairest and cleverest legal minds in the region.

Years later, when people spoke of the Earless, they no longer mentioned his missing ears. Instead, they told stories of his brilliant mind, his fair judgments, and his ability to find truth through clever questioning and careful thought.

The Lesson Learned

The young man’s story spread throughout the land, teaching all who heard it valuable lessons. People learned that quick thinking and honest wit were more valuable than physical perfection, that false accusations often revealed more about the accuser than the accused, and that justice could be found through wisdom and careful reasoning.

The merchant, for his part, eventually learned to face his problems honestly rather than blame others for his troubles. He became a better man through his shame and worked hard to rebuild his reputation in the community.

The Legacy of Cleverness

The tale of the Earless became a favorite story told to children and adults alike. It reminded everyone that disabilities need not define a person’s worth, that intelligence and character were the truest measures of value, and that those who would harm the innocent through deception would often find their schemes turned back upon themselves.

And in the courthouse where the Earless had proven his innocence through wit and wisdom, his portrait was hung as a reminder to all who sought justice: that truth, like gold, has a way of rising to the surface when tested by the fire of honest inquiry, and that a clever mind guided by good intentions is one of the most powerful forces for justice in the world.