The Knight and the Lying Servant
Once upon a time, at the edge of an old forest where cool waters ran, there lived a noble knight whose heart beat with justice. At this knight's side there was a young servant who charmed everyone with his sweet tongue but had made a habit of twisting the truth. The people of the palace and the villagers believed the exaggerated tales the servant told, and never held back from praising his courage. The knight, however, knew this trick of his loyal friend and patiently tried to guide him onto the right path. One day the king summoned the brave men before him to defeat a huge dragon that had appeared in the most dangerous forest of the kingdom. The knight put on his mighty armour and set out for the stormy mountains together with his servant.
When they reached the dark cave in the heart of the forest, the servant hid behind a huge plane tree out of fear. After a merciless struggle, the brave knight defeated the monster with his sharp sword. Once his fear had passed, the lying servant pushed ahead of the knight, ran to the palace and claimed that he had brought down the monster all alone. While the king with great joy offered golden cups to the servant, the knight stood silently behind and waited for the moment of truth. The servant enlarged his lie, saying, "If it had not been for my sword, my master would have perished before this wild creature." To test the servant's courage, the king gave him the task of guarding the last dragon egg in the cave.
At midnight, at the slightest crackle rising from the forest, the servant's knees gave way, and he knelt down helplessly and began to weep. Before the nobles of the palace, the knight drew the servant's sword from its scabbard and showed that there was not a single scratch on the sword. The servant, whose lie had come to light as clear as day, bowed his head in shame and had to confess the truth. The king rewarded the knight, the true hero, for his honesty and his humility. Thus the emptiness of false praise vanished before the unshakeable light of truth. As our elders say, a liar's candle burns only until nightfall.