THE VALIANT CHATEE-MAKER
By
He was no more valiant than the tailor who killed seven at one blow, but a series of mishaps made him the hero of the land. When he came home from work (a chattee-maker is a potter) on a dark evening, he mistook a tiger for his donkey, and rode it home. The rajah heard of his bravery and made him Commander-in-Chief, and through several other accidents he managed single-handedly to rout the enemy. Then, seeing that he had reached his peak, he retired back to his humble existence. The story is an Indian folk tale, reminiscent of many other legends of the wise fool, but with a distinctively oriental current of humor.