'The room where my wife sleeps
Was broken into by a thief last night
The motive was her molestation and rape
I have caught and bound the thief',
The brahmin said,
'Now tell me O king,
What punishment should I inflict?'
Ratanrao, the king, replied
In one single word,
'Death'.
The king's servants brought the news
'The thief was the young prince
He was caught last night
And executed this morning;
We have brought the brahmin in chains
What punishment should we inflict?'
Ratanrao, the king, replied
In one single word,
'Release'.
Translation of the poem 'Rajbichar' from the collection Katha by Rabindranath Tagore. The original in Bengali script may be viewed at
