The people of Vijayanagara were worried. Two thieves were wreaking havoc in the Kingdom. Every day, someone was losing their valuables from their house. Wanting an end to the menace, they went to the palace gates of King Krishnadevaraya to complain.

Hearing the commotion, the King asked one of his ministers, “What is going on? Why is there a crowd outside?”

The minister replied, “Your majesty, the people outside want justice from you. They are getting robbed, and the thieves are at large.”

Addressing the chief of guards, the King asked, “Why have you not caught the thieves yet?”

“We have tried, your majesty,” replied the chief. “But the thieves are very clever and always a step ahead of us. They haven’t left us with any clue to their identity. I have many men working on this case, but we cannot find out what their next target is.”

Hearing this, King Krishnadevaraya was irritated. Calling Tenali Raman, he said, “Rama, you listened to what the chief said. What can we do to put an end to the robbery?”

Tenali Raman thought for a few minutes and said, “Your majesty. Give me two days, and you will get your culprits.”

The King was happy. He knew that if anyone could outwit the clever thieves, it was Tenali Raman.

That evening, Tenali Raman was returning from the palace with a group of courtiers. When they walked by the crowded marketplace when Rama said, “It is dark. I need to get home quickly. The King had rewarded me with a bag of gold coins last week, and I have kept it at home. With all the burglary taking place in the Kingdom, it is not safe.”

Sure enough, the thieves came to know about this and decided to target Tenali Raman’s house that night.

Meanwhile, on reaching home, he told his wife loudly, “Did you know there are thieves in our Kingdom? Thieves are stealing from everyone, and soon it might be our turn.”

Frightened, his wife asked, “What do we do?”

“Let us put all our valuables in this metal trunk and throw it inside the well. The thieves will never think of searching the well,” said Rama.

Softly, Rama told his wife, “The thieves are outside our house. I knew they would follow me after hearing about the gold in our house. Fill the trunk with stones and other rubbish, and I will throw it into the well. They will never think of searching our house.”

The thieves were outside listening to the conversation between Rama and his wife. Gleefully, they watched Rama throw the trunk into the well and waited until everyone in the household went off to sleep.

After the house went dark, the thieves looked into the well.

“There is water in the well. Once we remove the water, and we will be able to reach the trunk at the bottom of the well,” said one of the thieves.

All night long, the thieves pulled water from the well and emptied it into the garden. It was dawn by the time they had drained the water. Tired but very happy, they climbed down the well and pulled the trunk out.

“This trunk so very heavy. There must be a lot of gold in it,” said the thieves greedily.

They were shocked when they opened the trunk and saw rocks inside. While they were looking into the trunk, Tenali Raman tapped on their shoulders and said, ” Hello, gentlemen. Were you searching for something?”

Startled on seeing Tenali Raman, the thieves were about to run away when the King’s guards came and caught them.

“Thank you for your help, sir,” said the chief of guards to Tenali Raman.

As the guards led the thieves away, Rama laughingly yelled, “My garden was drying up, and you have watered the entire land overnight. Thank you for your help.”

The King and his subjects were grateful to Tenali Raman for helping them get rid of the thieves.