The Boy Who Sold Wisdom

Wit, Humour, and Irony in "The Boy Who Sold Wisdom"

The story “The Boy Who Sold Wisdom” is a Gujarati folktale - rich in wit, gentle humour, and irony. It presents a poor but clever Brahman boy who uses his intelligence to create a business in an unusual way. While the world mocks him for his strange idea, his wisdom slowly turns the tide in his favour. Through clever dialogue, humorous situations, and ironic twists, the story entertains while delivering important lessons about value, intelligence, and truth.

1. A Funny Business Idea

The central comic element of the story is the boy’s unusual business: selling wisdom in a market filled with material goods. While other merchants sell physical things like cloth, jewellery, fruits, and vegetables, the Brahman boy sets up a shop with a sign:

"Wisdom for Sale. Reasonable prices!"

This idea makes people laugh. As the narrator says:

“They crowded around and laughed at him.”

The humour lies in how seriously the boy takes this strange idea, and how calmly he treats it as a proper trade. What seems foolish at first turns out to be extremely smart—a great example of humour with depth.

2. A Clever Reply to an Angry Merchant

When the merchant angrily demands the nickel back, thinking the wisdom is worthless, the boy answers:

“If you don’t want my goods, you can return it. Give me back my wisdom, and you can have your money back.”

But when the merchant throws back only the paper, the boy adds sharply:

“You’ve only returned the paper, not the wisdom.”

The humour here lies in wordplay and logic. The Brahman boy turns the merchant’s logic on its head, and the gathered crowd laughs at the merchant's foolishness. This witty scene shows the boy’s cleverness and his ability to outthink adults.

3. Pretending to Be Mad: Humour and Wit Combined

When the merchant’s son lands in trouble and faces a death threat from two rival queens, the Brahman boy offers a brilliant plan:

“Behave as if you understand nothing they say.”

The next day, in court, the merchant’s son babbles and utters nonsense, causing confusion:

“He merely babbled and uttered nonsense syllables till the king lost his patience and drove him out of the courtroom.”

This is one of the funniest scenes in the story. The son escapes punishment by acting like a fool—a humorous but brilliant trick. It’s a perfect example of how wit and wisdom can wear the mask of madness.

4. Selling Simple Advice for a Fortune

The Brahman boy later sells a single sentence to the king for one lakh rupees:

“Think deeply before you do anything.”

The humour lies in the simplicity of the advice compared to the enormous price. The king is so pleased, he has it embroidered on pillows and engraved on plates. But the true wit is revealed when the advice saves the king’s life from a poisoning attempt. This moment combines humour with wisdom and a clever twist of irony.

5. The Fool Turns Wise, and the Wise Become Fools

The irony deepens when the same advice that was mocked earlier becomes life-saving. The merchant’s son, once mocked for spending a nickel, and the Brahman boy, once laughed at by the public, now become respected. The merchant signs a document never to use the boy’s advice, but later begs him for more.

This reversal of roles shows situational irony: the fool becomes wise, and the wise appear foolish.

6. The Cheat Turns Out to Be the Hero

The merchant once said:

“You are a cheat. Return the nickel or I’ll call the police!”

But the so-called “cheat” eventually becomes a minister, while the powerful people—the doctor, minister, and queen—are punished. The one who was ridiculed and threatened now becomes the most honoured and trusted man in the kingdom. The irony could not be greater.

7. The Moral in Humour and Irony

The story ends on a satisfying and humorous note. The doctor confesses out of guilt, the queen and minister are exposed, and the boy is rewarded with wealth and status. What began as a joke ends in triumph. The story proves that:

“True wisdom often comes in unexpected ways.”

Summing up:

“The Boy Who Sold Wisdom” is a masterpiece of wit, humour, and irony. It shows how a sharp mind, a calm tongue, and clever thinking can win in a world full of noise and power. The boy's quiet wisdom and smart responses provide not just laughter, but also deep life lessons. Through unexpected twists and ironic reversals, the story reminds us that sometimes, the wisest words are the simplest—and the funniest.

2. Evaluation of "The Boy Who Sold Wisdom" as a Folktale

Introduction:

A folktale is a traditional story passed down orally from one generation to another. These stories often teach moral lessons, reflect cultural values, and feature clever heroes, wise sayings, simple language, and magical or exaggerated events. They are not focused on realism but on universal truths about human nature. “The Boy Who Sold Wisdom” fits many of these characteristics. It is simple in narration, filled with wit, irony, and wisdom, and ends with a strong moral. The story teaches that true intelligence and careful thought can defeat wealth, power, and even danger.

1. A Clever but Poor Hero – A Common Trait of Folktales

Folktales often feature a young, poor, but clever hero. In this story, the Brahman boy has no money, no powerful family, and no possessions, yet he uses his wisdom as his only tool for survival.

“He set up a tiny shop with a signboard: ‘Wisdom for Sale. Reasonable Prices.’”

Just like in many folk stories from around the world, the clever boy becomes successful by using his intelligence rather than strength or wealth.

2. Simple Language and Memorable Dialogue

The language of the story is clear, simple, and easy to follow, just like in most folktales meant to be told aloud. The dialogues are short, witty, and often repeat the key idea—making it easy to remember.

“You’ve only returned the paper, not the wisdom.”

This kind of sharp, meaningful dialogue is common in folk literature, where the spoken word carries the story and the lesson.

3. A Strong Moral at the End

Folktales usually end with a lesson or moral that the audience can carry with them. The lesson in this story is captured in the line:

“Think deeply before you do anything.”

This advice, which seems ordinary at first, turns out to be life-saving for the king. The folktale uses the plot to show that true wisdom is more valuable than wealth or status.

4. Repeated Patterns and Humorous Events

Like many folktales, the story has repeated patterns: the boy sells advice, people laugh at him, but his advice proves useful every time. These repetitions make the story engaging and easy to retell.

Also, humour is an important feature of folk stories. For example:

“He merely babbled and uttered nonsense syllables.”

This scene, where the merchant’s son pretends to be mad, adds comedy while also showing how wisdom can appear foolish to others.

5. Justice and Poetic Ending

Folktales usually end with justice being served—good rewarded and evil punished. This story does the same. The king escapes the plot, the wicked are exposed, and the boy is rewarded:

“The Brahman boy was richly rewarded and made a minister.”

This poetic justice—where the one who was mocked becomes a minister—adds to the folktale charm.

6. Exaggeration for Effect

Another typical feature of folktales is exaggeration to make a point. Here, the king pays one lakh rupees for a single line of advice! This may not be realistic, but it helps show how powerful that advice becomes later. Such exaggeration adds drama and importance to the tale.

Conclusion: A True Modern Folktale

“The Boy Who Sold Wisdom” can be seen as a modern Indian folktale. It has a clever hero, simple storytelling, repeated patterns, humour, exaggeration, poetic justice, and a strong moral. Though it is written in a modern setting, the style and structure follow the tradition of oral storytelling. The story reminds us that wisdom, when used wisely, can protect, uplift, and even rule—a timeless lesson in a delightful tale.