The Case of the Missing Gold 

Once, in the city of Sravasti, ruled by King Prasenajit, a destitute Brahman arrived in search of a livelihood. Through good fortune, he found favor with the wealthy merchants of the city, who provided him with food, clothing, and a good deal of money. The Brahman, having accumulated a thousand gold pieces, secretly buried the treasure in a secluded spot in the woods, visiting it daily to ensure its safety.

One day, to his utter dismay, the Brahman discovered that his treasure had been stolen. Overcome with sorrow, he rushed back to the city, lamenting loudly and informing everyone of his loss. With no one to share his grief, the Brahman decided to end his life by drowning himself in the river.

At that very moment, King Prasenajit, returning from his bath, encountered the Brahman and inquired about his distress. The Brahman narrated his tale of woe, and the king, determined to restore justice, assured him that his gold would be returned. The king asked if there was any distinctive mark at the spot where the gold had been buried. The Brahman mentioned a wild cucumber plant that had grown over the treasure.

The king, curious, wondered how anyone could have known about the gold hidden beneath the plant, especially since the Brahman had not revealed it to a soul. He devised a clever plan to catch the thief. The king feigned illness and requested his minister to summon all the doctors in the city to the palace.

One by one, the doctors were brought before the king, who inquired about their recent patients and the medicines they had prescribed. One doctor mentioned that he had recently given the juice of a wild cucumber plant to the wealthy merchant Matri-dutt. The king, intrigued, questioned the doctor about the plant, to which the doctor replied that his servant had found it after an extensive search in the woods.

The king then called for the servant and asked what he had done with the gold he had discovered under the plant. Trembling with fear, the servant confessed that he had hidden the gold in his house. The king ordered the servant to return the gold to the Brahman, thereby resolving the matter.

Later, the king explained his deduction to his minister. He had realized that the wild cucumber plant could only be of interest to a doctor, as it had medicinal properties. By calling all the doctors, he easily identified the one who had taken the plant and, by extension, the thief.

The moral of this story encompasses several important lessons: 

1. Justice and Wisdom: The story highlights the importance of wisdom and strategic thinking in administering justice. King Prasenajit's clever deduction led to the resolution of the Brahman's problem.

2. Honesty and Integrity: The thief's fear of the king's inquiry demonstrates that dishonesty ultimately leads to exposure and consequences.

3. Compassion and Fairness: King Prasenajit's determination to restore the Brahman's stolen gold underscores the value of compassion and fairness in leadership.