The Wise Potter and the Flying Water Jars

Dev worked as a potter in a dry valley. He made clay jars to hold cool water. Each year, when the dry days ended, the monsoon rhythms brought heavy rains. To celebrate the rains, the villagers held seasonal fairs. Dev was famous at these courtyard gatherings. He was a quick-witted poet who made people laugh with silly jokes.

One hot day, the grand royal court of the King camped near the village. The King’s chief clerk was a very pompous man. This clerk wore a tall silk hat and shiny gold shoes. He marched to the desert well, which was a deep water hole in the sandy soil.

“The King needs water now!” the clerk shouted. “Potter, fill ten of your largest clay jars and bring them to the royal camp!”

Dev filled the clay jars with cool water from the deep desert well. The jars were heavy. The path to the camp was muddy from the first light rain.

“You must run across the slippery path,” the clerk ordered. “We need the water in a hurry. Run as fast as you can!”

Dev shook his head gently. “Sir, the path is wet. If we run with these heavy jars, we will slip. The jars will break, and the precious water will be lost. Let us walk slowly and safely. It is better to arrive whole.”

The clerk puffed out his chest. “I am a grand royal officer! I do not wait! Speed is much more important than safety. Only slow fools walk! Run, or I will tell the King you are lazy!”

Dev smiled. He saw that the clerk would not listen to plain sense. He decided to use a bit of playful jester wisdom.

“Ah, you are so wise, noble clerk!” Dev said. “Speed is indeed the best thing. If we want to be truly fast, we should not walk or run at all. That is too slow for a grand court!”

“What do you mean?” the clerk asked, looking confused.

“We should throw the water jars through the air!” Dev said. “I will stand here at the desert well. You stand far away on the path. I will toss the full jars to you. You can catch them and toss them to the camp! It will take only one second!”

The clerk did not want to look slow. “Of course!” he boasted. “I have strong hands. Throw them to me!”

Dev picked up a large, heavy jar of water. He tossed it through the air. The clerk stood ready, smiling proudly. But the heavy jar was too heavy to catch at high speed. It hit the clerk’s hands and broke. Splash! Cool water and wet clay covered the clerk from his tall silk hat down to his gold shoes.

“Oh dear!” Dev called out. “My throw was too slow! Let us try a bigger jar. The bigger the jar, the faster it flies!”

Before the muddy clerk could speak, Dev lifted an enormous jar.

“Stop! No more!” the clerk cried, waving his wet arms. “Do not throw it! It will smash us both!”

The villagers at the courtyard gathering laughed. The clerk looked at his muddy clothes and sighed. He saw his own foolishness. He realized that rushing caused total loss, while taking care kept things safe.

The villagers helped Dev carry the remaining jars safely on a strong wooden cart. They arrived at the royal camp with plenty of clean water. The King was pleased, and the clerk learned to trust the potter’s careful ways.

Moral: Working safely builds community trust and keeps the whole village secure.