The Man Who Never Lied

Long ago, there lived a wise man. His name was Mamad. He was very well read and he even knew all of the animals' languages. The local people lived alongside the animals, and Mamad was always there to step in whenever wild creatures like elephants tried to seize a territory that belonged to the humans.

More importantly, everyone knew Mamad as the man who never lied. No matter what, he always told the truth. One day, stories of the man who never lied travelled all the way to the royal court and reached the ears of the king himself, who was a ruler of a vast African territory. The king wished to meet this man as soon as possible and sent for him at once.

As soon as the giant wooden door to the king’s chamber opened and Mamad entered, the king asked him eagerly: “Is it true that you have never told a lie in your life?”
“Yes, it’s true,” replied Mamad without hesitation.
“And are you sure you won’t ever tell a single lie before your life is over?”
“Yes, my king, I’m sure I won’t.”

The king smirked quietly and invited Mamad to stay with him in the palace as a guest for a few days. Mamad agreed, and the servants showed him to a guest room. As soon as the door shut behind him, the king began to plot to outwit this man who was so sure he would never tell a lie in his life.

A few days later, a large crowd gathered in front of the palace. The noise caught the wise man’s attention, and he looked out the window to see what was happening.

The king was getting ready for a big hunt, and when he saw Mamad in the window, he…