Foreword:
This fable represents prejudice based on superficial appearance and outward impression. It is wrongly attributed to Aesop, although there is no ancient source to substantiate such claim. Hence, it is not catalogued in the Perry Index. However, it remains a very popular fable and has been in circulation for a long time.
ADVERTISEMENTS
A very wise king, once, was riding outside his castle.
He passed a beautiful house and enquired, "Who lives in that house?"
"One of the richest men of the country lives here", his minister replied, "He is popular for the wonderful feasts he frequently arranges for his rich friends."
"And, what does he do for the poor and the needy?", the king asked.
"Nothing, my lord!", said the minister, "He doesn't allow poor people around his house, or himself."
The wise king turned sad, and remained silent. But, the very next evening, he dressed himself in old and ragged clothes, and went to that beautiful house of the rich man.
Irritated to see a stranger at his front door, in such old and shabby clothes, the rich man asked, "What do you want?"
"It is late, and I am hungry and weary", said the disguised king, "Would you provide some food to eat, and let me stay here for the night?"
"Get away, right now!", said the rich man angrily, "This is not an inn! Be off my property, and be quick about it!"
The disguised king pleaded, but the rich man continued, "If you do not get away from my property right now, I will call my servants to beat you away! I will not have any poor and unimportant people around my house!", and he slammed the door on the disguised king's face.
He turned away sadly, "What I had heard about him was correct. He needs to be taught a lesson!"
The disguised king put on a handsome cloak of silk, trimmed with gold and jewels, over his old and ragged clothes to cover them, and returned to the very house.
As soon as he saw the stranger in the such lavish attire, the rich man sprang to his feet and came to meet him. He thought, "Whoever he is, he must be someone important. Only a grand person would wear such fine clothes!"
"I am new, and a stranger here. I need someplace to spend the night", said the cloaked king, "Could you please tell me, the way to the nearest inn?"
"Inn?", replied the rich man with a smile, "You don't need to go to an inn, when you have already reached my house. Be my guest. Spend the night here, and enjoy my hospitality!"
ADVERTISEMENTS
Taking the cloaked king by the hand, the rich man led him into the house.
He sat him on a lavish seat by the fire, with an offering of water, fruits, and juices.
After exchanging pleasantries, he asked for leave, "Please make yourself comfortable here. I will instruct the cook to prepare some food, and I will return soon."
On his way to the kitchen, he thought, "I shall invite all my friends, too. They will be jealous to see that such an important person has stopped at my house, and not theirs!"
He slipped out of the house to invite a few friends himself, and sent his servants to invite the rest.
After he returned, he headed into the kitchen, "Cook! A great and wealthy nobleman has come to visit me!", he directed the cook, "You must prepare a fine feast. I have invited my friends, too. Make sure to make a lavish dinner."
Soon, the servants dressed themselves up for a grand reception party, and his house filled with the aroma of a grand feast, like never before!
And soon, his friends started pouring in.
Inquisite of an important invitee, being treated specially, they enquired: "Who is that stranger in the golden cloak?"
The rich man announced with pride, "He is the guest of honour, tonight!"
"But, who is he, really?", they asked.
"I don't know yet! We might get to know during dinner", replied the rich man, "This great nobleman visited me in the evening, and by the looks of him, I know he is someone important!"
His friends were not convinced, and assumed he was keeping the identity as a secret to reveal as a surprise at dnnertime.
As the feast was ready to be served, the rich man led the cloaked king to the dining arena, "Come my friend! You are the guest of honour, and you must sit beside me at the table."
And, all his friends followed them.
As they sat at the dinner table, the cloaked king beside the rich man, the servants started serving the food.
The sight of food was as pleasing for the eyes, as the aroma was for the senses. Garnished with fresh vegatables, fruits, and flowers, were served the finest preparations of cereals, fish, meat, and ham, along with freshly baked bread and home made cheese and butter.
The feast was, in every way, grandly arranged.
Everybody waited for the guest of honour to take the first bite and raise a toast, but the cloaked king kept piling up huge servings of everything on his plate, instead of eating. He, then, proceeded to delicately butter a slice of bread.
With all eyes set on him, all guests drooling to begin, the cloaked king put the slice of bread inside the pocket of his cloak, and utterred aloud, "Eat, my dear cloak. Eat well."
Confused, the rich man and his friends, continued to stare at him in silence and amazement.
Without paying any heed to everybody on the table, the cloaked king carefully cut a piece of ham and put it inside the pocket of his cloak, and repeated, "Eat, my dear cloak. Eat well."
"What's this?", jumped the rich man, unable to take it any longer, "What are you doing?"
"Okay!", said the cloaked king, "I'll explain you all."
He stood up, to take off his cloak, and revealed the old and shabby clothes underneath.
"When I knocked at your door with my old and ragged clothes, you turned me away.", the wise king explained, "But, when I came with a fine cloak, you invited me in!"
"Underneath the cloak, I am the same man in the same clothes", he continued, "So, it must be my cloak, and not me, that you invited to your feast. Therefore, I am feeding my cloak!"
It was a fine lesson for the rich man, and all his friends, too. They had been biased by superficial appearance.
He finally revealed his true identity as the king, and left everybody to continue with their feast, only with a renewed outlook.
Moral:
You cannot judge a book by its cover.
Or,
A man is more than just his clothes and appearance.
Summary:
A king, dressed as a beggar, approached a rich man's house for something to eat. He was turned away, and driven out of the property by the rich man. He then changed his clothes, and put a golden cloak, to approach the rich man again. Not realizing that he is the same person, glancing at his clothes, the rich man assumed that he was a rich and influential person. He invited him inside for dinner, and ordered a lavish dinner to be prepared. And to flaunt his visitor, he invited some neighbours and friends, too. At the dinner table, the visitor did not eat. Instead, he rubbed the food on his clothes, to everyone's surprise. He explained, how he was refused as a beggar, and allowed inside after a change of appearance. He affirmed that since it was the clothes that made a difference, the clothes deserved to eat. In this manner, everybody realized their mistake.