An Indian Fable and PWC

There is a very nice story which is a part of the Indian fables. Let me narrate the story to the best of my ability.

Once upon a time there lived a King who was very handsome and vain about his looks and clothes. He liked to wear expensive silk and muslin dresses with jewelry embroidered into the clothing. He was a good ruler but being vain and proud was sometimes not too well inclined towards the masses. His preference for expensive clothes and jewelry was well known in his kingdom. In the kingdom there were two very clever robbers who decided to take advantage of the Kings vain attitude. The two of them approached the King by attending his weekly durbar. At the durbar, when it was their turn to speak, they told the King that they had come from Persia and had heard about the Kings liking for quality clothes through travelers and that they were tailors by profession. They said they had the skills and god given gift of preparing the most beautiful and exquisite clothing for royalty. They proceeded to describe the kind of clothes they make and hearing the description, the King was so captivated and taken in that he commissioned their services for stitching clothes for himself with the condition that the design made for him would not be repeated for anyone else. The two robbers agreed readily.

The King asked the robbers what material they would require for starting their job and where they would like to work. The robbers told the King that they would require the best silk and muslin as well threads of gold and silver which would be woven and stitched into robes and for making the dress also a certain quantity of diamonds, rubies and emeralds everyday. They said that their task would take one month to complete and that they would require one large room away from the Palace and so secluded that no prying eyes should be able to see the magic of their art. They also said that they would start work at sunset and quit at sunrise so that no one disturbs them while working. They also told the King that their work would be available for review every Sunday. The King readily agreed to all this. The robbers then told the King that there is one small problem – the King was irritated and said what now. The robbers told the King that theirs was a God given skill and only those people with honesty in their hearts and no ill will to others would be able to actually see the dress they have stitched. They said that those people who were liars and crooks would not be able to see their work of art as that was what the Gods had told them when they were imparted their skills. The King said that all the people in his Kingdom were honest and that should not be a problem. On hearing this, the robbers said they will start their work the next night.

The robbers embarked on their swindle with joy in their eyes – every evening they used to get the finest silk and muslin cloth, rolls of gold and silver thread and jewels as requested. They were served the best food and wine to keep them comfortable. The robbers used to enjoy the Kings hospitality and just before daybreak carry all the cloth, threads and jewels with them to their hide out outside the Kingdoms boundary. They did this for the whole week and when Sunday came, the King came to review what work had been accomplished. He was shocked to see an empty room and the two robbers, but he remembered what the robbers had said that only those who were honest and clean of heart could see the clothes. So he just swallowed his anxiety and proceeded to ask the robbers to display their work. The robbers immediately got up and pretended to go and pick up dresses from the table and started describing the work in such glowing terms that the King really believed that the clothes must be there and there was something wrong with him that he did not believe these men. He went off very satisfied. The next day he told his Ministers about the clothes and described them in the same glowing terms as what the robbers had told him.

Next week, the same story, the robbers enjoyed the King’s hospitality during the night and made off with the goodies just before daybreak. Again on Sunday, when the King came, he saw nothing, but dared not say that he could not see the clothes. Again the robbers described the progress made and how the clothes would look really regal and go with the King’s personality. The King was really impressed and went away satisfied. Again he described to his Ministers in glowing terms about his regal robes, this left the Ministers wanting to see what kind of magical clothes were being created for their Sire. The robbers meanwhile had told the King that he could bring others to see their creation only when the clothes were ready to be worn. The third Sunday again, the King saw nothing and went away happy that his clothes were turning out to be magnificent based on the description provided by the robbers.

On the last Sunday, the clothes were fully ready, and the King came to view them along with his Ministers. The robbers went next to the King pretended to robe him with the clothes and described them in the same glowing terms. The King exclaimed how beautiful they were and so light that he could hardly feel the cloth on his skin. Now the Ministers also did not see any clothes, but dared not voice their thoughts because their King had described his clothes in glowing terms – so they also ended up praising the skills of the two tailors and the beauty of the clothes. All the Ministers and King congratulated the two on their magnificent creation and the King to show his satisfaction gave each a 100 gold coins for their efforts. The robbers were very happy and left with their reward.

The next day the King decided to wear the new clothes and display the same throughout his kingdom by riding in his open chariot ! When the King came out, he was stark naked – but no one dared to voice their thoughts and everybody said how beautiful the clothes looked. As he traversed his kingdom, a little boy shouted “Our King is naked, our King is naked”. That is when the King realized he had been taken for a ride and it took an innocent child to point out his situation.

That is exactly what PWC has tried to do – they have been stripped but are trying to hide their modesty by trying to clothe themselves with Mr. Ramalinga Raju’s letter and various guidance notes issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants!