Folk-lore of the Telugus/Injustice as the result of ignorance
XXIII.
INJUSTICE AS THE RESULT OF IGNORANCE.
At Channapattanam lived an Englishman, who, as he knew no other language than English, kept an interpreter thoroughly conversant with the vernaculars of the country. One day some conjurors came to the gentleman, and, having fixed their bamboo, danced and displayed several feats of agility before him. The gentleman was highly gratified, and sending for his interpreter, told him to give them ten pagodas. The latter took them home, gave them one pagoda and told them to go about their business. As they thought this a poor recompense for their trouble, and suspected that the interpreter had deceived them, they turned to the gentleman, and showing him the pagoda, informed him that his interpreter had given them only this much. As the gentleman was ignorant of their language, he sent for the interpreter and asked him what they were saying. He told him that among the ten pagodas he had given them, they said that that pagoda was a bad one and wanted a better one in exchange for it. The gentleman thereupon became very much enraged and ordered them to be well thrashed and sent away.
They who are ignorant of the vernaculars of the place they inhabit, and believe what others tell them, must necessarily be guilty of injustice.