Prowess and Power

Gropat and Sripat were not only farmers but also close relatives, their fields adjacent to each other. One day, while working in their fields, they had a disagreement and could not reach a compromise. A scuffle ensued, and Gopal fell into a ditch and injured himself. Furious, he exclaimed, “You need not have pushed me down! With injuries all over, I won’t be able to do any work for some days. I never expected this from you, Sripat! Anyway, I’m not going to leave the matter at that. I shall take it up with the village chief. Let me see what he’ll do to you.”

Gopal went straight to the village chief to report the quarrel and explain how he got injured. Unfortunately, he was unaware that the village chief was corrupt and would demand a bribe for a favorable decision. The chief pulled out a coin from his pocket and placed it on the table next to his chair. He said, “Fifty.”

Gopal was bewildered for a moment, but he soon realized that the village chief cleverly avoided mentioning any bribe while making his expectations clear. Feeling disgusted, he simply turned around and left. When he met Sripat again, he said, “You only exhibited your physical strength. The village chief showed the power he has by virtue of his position. Come on, let us talk it out and find a solution.”