Shahpesh was a Persian king. He ordered Khipil, the royal builder to construct a palace for him. Khipil was lazy, talkative and work shirking. He employed a large number of masons, labourer and slaves but did not complete the palace even four years passed. King was profoundly shocked to see the unfinished walls, roofless rooms and dry fountains. He decided to punish Khipil to teach him a lesson and set an example for others.
He thought a novel scheme for punishment. He admired Khipil's work and devotion and ordered him to show the palace. Shahpesh asked Khipil to walk before him as a mark of honour.
Khipil stopped walking and said that there was a gap before him. But he was ordered to move ahead so fell down into the pond and was badly injured, and then the guards of the king got him out.
After that Shahpesh asked him to show the hall of his court and the Royal chair. The chair was not yet constructed. Shahpesh ordered Khipil to sit in the marble chair. So Khipil pretended that the chair was there and bent his body in the position of sitting in a chair. He had to remain in that position till noon. The guards of the king were ready to shoot Khipil if he moved.
At noon Shahpesh appeared again. He asked Khipil to show him the royal gardens and pluck a tuft of flowers. There were no flowers anywhere. So Khipil plucked some thorny nettles. King asked him to tell about their smell. Khipil began smelling them and his nose was badly injured. He felt a terrible itching on his nose but Shahpesh ordered him not to rub it. The king also sent the bunch of flowers to Khipil's wife as a love gift from Khipil. She felt insulted and got angry.
Then Shahpesh made Khipil to stand with stretched arms keeping a pomegranate in each hand for seven days and seven nights. He was also kept thirsty for three days and three nights. He asked him to drink the water of dry fountains.
The exemplary punishment of Khipil opened the eyes of the people. They became alert and dutiful and the country began progressing.
He thought a novel scheme for punishment. He admired Khipil's work and devotion and ordered him to show the palace. Shahpesh asked Khipil to walk before him as a mark of honour.
Khipil stopped walking and said that there was a gap before him. But he was ordered to move ahead so fell down into the pond and was badly injured, and then the guards of the king got him out.
After that Shahpesh asked him to show the hall of his court and the Royal chair. The chair was not yet constructed. Shahpesh ordered Khipil to sit in the marble chair. So Khipil pretended that the chair was there and bent his body in the position of sitting in a chair. He had to remain in that position till noon. The guards of the king were ready to shoot Khipil if he moved.
At noon Shahpesh appeared again. He asked Khipil to show him the royal gardens and pluck a tuft of flowers. There were no flowers anywhere. So Khipil plucked some thorny nettles. King asked him to tell about their smell. Khipil began smelling them and his nose was badly injured. He felt a terrible itching on his nose but Shahpesh ordered him not to rub it. The king also sent the bunch of flowers to Khipil's wife as a love gift from Khipil. She felt insulted and got angry.
Then Shahpesh made Khipil to stand with stretched arms keeping a pomegranate in each hand for seven days and seven nights. He was also kept thirsty for three days and three nights. He asked him to drink the water of dry fountains.
The exemplary punishment of Khipil opened the eyes of the people. They became alert and dutiful and the country began progressing.