Sajahan teaches his officer a lesson

Once Sajahan went out on an expedition with some soldiers in his army. All of a sudden, a man came up to him crying, “Your Majesty, your Majesty, I have a complaint to make against one of your officers.”

The Emperor asked, “Is he here? Who is it?”

The man pointed to one of the officers and said, “Yes, he is here, sitting on that horse. I work for him, but for the last four months he has not paid me. I assure you, your Majesty, I work very, very hard.”

Sajahan asked the officer if this were true. The officer remained silent and then with his head bowed, he admitted that it was.

Sajahan ordered the officer to get off his horse. Then he turned to the servant and said, “Now, you get on the horse. You ride with the others in my army who are coming with me on this expedition. Wherever I go, you follow me on this horse.”

The Emperor turned to the officer and said, “You have to run and follow the expedition wherever we go. This is my command.”

The officer started running, following Sajahan wherever he rode. Soon he started panting, and after a short time he cried out, “I am dying, I am dying, I am dying!”

The Emperor stopped his horse and said to him, “You deserve to die. I give you money because you serve me. This innocent man serves you day in and day out. How is it that you don’t pay him? You must pay him his back salary right now.”

The officer said, “I am more than ready, but I don’t have money with me now.”

The Emperor said, “Then take money from me.”

The officer took the money and gave it to his servant. Then Sajahan said, “As you know, I never give loans. Whenever I give something, it is always as a gift. But promise me that from now on you will always pay this man. If you break your promise, I will give him your post and make you his lifelong servant.”