Once upon a time there was a king who liked to hear tall tales. So he proclaimed: “Whoever tells the king the best lie will get a golden apple.”

So people came from all over the kingdom and told the king tall tales. But he didn't like any of them. “That's not a tall tale”, he said each time, ‘it could be true’.

The minister and the king's advisors also told tall tales, but they didn't get the golden apple.

Once, an old beggar came into the palace with a large pot.

“What do you want?” asked the king.

The beggar bowed and said: “You owe me a pot of gold.”

“That's not true! You're lying!” shouted the king.

“If that's a lie, then give me the golden apple,” said the beggar.

The king didn't want that and quickly said, “No, no, you told the truth.”

“If I have told the truth, then fill my pot with gold .”

Then the king realized that the old man had tricked him. He gave him the golden apple and the beggar walked away happily.

From that day on, the king preferred to hear the truth rather than lies.

Fassung Djamila Jaenike, nach: L. Surmelian, Armenische Märchen, Frankfurt a. M. 1968, unter dem Titel: Der Lügner. Übersetzung ins Englische Lysander Jaenike © Mutabor