King Canute was a great king who had great power and vast knowledge. One of his courtiers always flatters him. One day the man said, “You are the most powerful king. All the other kings obey you. Even nature recognizes your greatness. If you wish you can command the sea to stop and the wind to cease to blow.” On hearing his flattery the king only smiled.
One day he wished to teach the flatterer a good lesson. He took him to the sea side and sat a chair. It was a high tide. He then raised his arm and commanded the sea to stop. But the waves rolled on and wetted the clothes of every one including the king’s. “How is it, my courtier, that the sea does not obey me? It seems that you say about my power is nothing but flattery”, said the king, “It is only God who can say to the sea thus far you can go and no farther.” The courtier hung down his head in shame.
The moral of the story is “a wise man is never flattered”.
One day he wished to teach the flatterer a good lesson. He took him to the sea side and sat a chair. It was a high tide. He then raised his arm and commanded the sea to stop. But the waves rolled on and wetted the clothes of every one including the king’s. “How is it, my courtier, that the sea does not obey me? It seems that you say about my power is nothing but flattery”, said the king, “It is only God who can say to the sea thus far you can go and no farther.” The courtier hung down his head in shame.
The moral of the story is “a wise man is never flattered”.
