In the lively kingdom of Vijayanagara, where colorful kites soared high and laughter bounced off the walls, lived a man named Ramaya. Poor Ramaya was known all over town, but not for anything good! People whispered that if you saw his face first thing in the morning, you’d lose your appetite for the whole day! This silly tale made everyone dodge Ramaya like a game of tag!
One sunny morning, King Krishnadevaraya, a wise and playful ruler, wanted to see if the rumor was true. “Bring Ramaya to me!” he ordered, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. Soon, Ramaya was brought to a room near the royal bedroom, where the king couldn’t wait to crack the mystery.
As dawn broke, King Krishnadevaraya tiptoed to Ramaya's room, peeking through the door, eyes wide as a child’s on a treasure hunt. Lunchtime arrived, and a grand feast was served—plates shining like gold, and the air filled with the delicious smell of spices. But just as the king took his first spoonful, a tiny fly buzzed in his soup! “TAKE IT BACK!” he roared, causing the servants to scramble like ants. His stomach grumbled, but suddenly, he felt his appetite vanish! “It’s true! Ramaya is cursed! HANG HIM!” he shouted, sending poor Ramaya to a dark cell, tears welling in his eyes.
But Ramaya’s clever wife didn’t give up. She rushed through the busy streets, calling for help until she found Tenali Raman, the wisest man in the kingdom. “Please save my husband!” she pleaded. With a spark of cleverness, Tenali visited Ramaya in his cell. “Trust me,” he whispered, hatching a brilliant plan.
On execution day, as guards marched Ramaya out, he asked for one last word for the king. The note quickly reached the throne room: "Your Majesty, if my face made you lose a meal, think of this: your face was the first thing your guards saw today. If I’m a curse, what could seeing YOU cost the poor soul who looks at you every morning?"
The king read the note, his face changing colors like a chameleon! From pale to pink, then bright red, he suddenly realized! Glancing at the guards, who were busy staring at the ceiling, he cried, “Release Ramaya at once!”
The prison doors swung open, and Ramaya stepped into the sunlight, free and smiling. The silly rumors vanished like mist, and everyone learned that believing in strange tales could hurt good people. Ramaya thanked his clever friend, while the townsfolk celebrated with laughter, knowing that true wisdom means asking questions before believing everything we hear.