Wisdom story: How to find out who is lying and who is telling the truth

A rich merchant lived in a grand house with many servants. His household was always bustling with activity, but one day, trouble struck. His wife’s beloved necklace vanished from her vault. At first, the merchant thought it was misplaced, but soon, other valuable items began disappearing one by one. The merchant grew deeply troubled. He knew there was a thief among his servants, but with so many of them, identifying the culprit seemed an impossible task. Desperate for a solution, the merchant sought the advice of his wise friend, John. John listened patiently as the merchant described the incidents, nodding thoughtfully. After a moment, he agreed to help. When John arrived at the merchant’s house, he gathered all the servants in one place. He began questioning them, one by one, carefully observing their responses. But each servant denied any wrongdoing, maintaining their innocence.

John pondered for a while and then devised a clever plan. He handed each servant a wooden stick, ensuring that every stick was of the same length. Then, he announced, “These sticks are magical. By tomorrow morning, the stick of the thief will grow by two inches. Bring them back to me, exactly as they are now, and we shall uncover the truth.” The servants took their sticks and went back to their rooms. Throughout the night, the guilty servant lay awake, haunted by fear. If his stick grew longer, he would surely be caught! He hesitated but ultimately decided to cut two inches off his stick, believing this would prevent it from revealing his guilt. The next morning, the servants returned with their sti8cks, standing before John and the merchant. John examined each stick carefully. Then, his eyes settled on one particular servant holding a noticeably shorter stick. “Here is your thief,” John declared, pointing at the guilty servant. The merchant was astonished. “How can you be so sure?” he asked John. John smiled and explained, “Honest men had nothing to fear, so they did not tamper with their sticks. The thief, however, feared that his stick would grow and reveal his crime. In his panic, he cut his stick, making it shorter than the rest.” The guilty servant fell to his knees, confessing his theft. The merchant was relieved to have discovered the culprit and praised John for his wisdom.