The City of Fools — A Lesson in Wisdom

Once upon a time, a wise traveler was journeying through different lands in search of knowledge and experience. One day, he arrived at a strange town surrounded by beautiful trees and happy people. Everything looked peaceful and joyful, but soon he discovered something unusual — *the people of the town were extremely foolish*.

Curious, he entered the town square and saw a group of men drawing water from a well. But instead of taking the water to their houses, they were throwing it on the ground. Some were even trying to pour it on rooftops using ropes.

The traveler asked, “Why are you throwing water on the ground like that?”

One man replied, “We want to clean the dust off the roof. So we’re pouring water on the ground, hoping it will go up.”

The traveler laughed and said, “Why don’t you just take the water directly to the roof?”

Everyone was amazed. “Wow!” they shouted. “No one has ever thought of that before. You are very wise! You must become our minister!”

Despite his hesitation, the traveler was forced by the joyful crowd to accept the title of “Minister of Wisdom.” As the new minister, he decided to learn more about this strange city. He asked the people, “What are some other problems you face?”

They replied, “We have a big problem during public punishments. When someone is sentenced to death, we’re never sure if his shadow is the right size.”

The traveler was confused. “What do you mean?”

They said, “Sometimes the person’s shadow is too long or too short, and we don’t know whether to hang him or not. So we keep changing the time of execution.”

The traveler shook his head and said, “Why are you judging by shadows? Punish the criminal, not the shadow!”

Once again, the people clapped. “Incredible! So much wisdom!”

One day, a poor man accidentally entered the king’s private garden to collect fruit for his family. The guards arrested him and brought him before the king. The king, without much thought, ordered, “Hang him tomorrow morning for trespassing!”

The next morning, a large crowd gathered in the town square to witness the hanging. The executioner tied the man and looked at his shadow. But alas! The shadow was too long!

The executioner stopped. “We can’t hang him! His shadow is too long!”

A heated argument began. Some said he should be hanged later. Others said maybe someone else should be hanged instead.The traveler-turned-minister stepped in and said, “Enough! If you are so confused, then perhaps I should be hanged instead!”

The crowd clapped again. “Yes, what a wise idea!”

Now the traveler was in real trouble. He realized he had been trying to bring logic to people who couldn’t understand it. He had tried to fix the city’s foolishness, but now he was about to lose his own life for it.

That night, he quietly escaped the city, running as fast as he could, vowing never to return again.

He looked back and whispered to himself:

*“Never live among fools, no matter how kind they seem. Foolishness can be dangerous, and wisdom has no place where it is not valued.”*

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*Moral of the Story:*

- *Wisdom is useless in the company of fools.*
- *Being surrounded by kind but foolish people can be dangerous.*
- *A fool may celebrate your intelligence — until it turns against you.*
- *Sometimes, the best decision is to walk away.*

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This story is a timeless reminder that common sense and logic are not appreciated by all. Where foolishness is considered wisdom, even the wisest person can become a victim.