The Officer Became Speechless On Lord Mountbatten's Reply

In England, there was an interview for the selection of the naval authorities. There was palpitation in the heart of all the participants regarding the questions to be asked. Stress could be easily read on everyone's face except for one participant. He was sitting with a sense of quietness, and a glimpse of sheer confidence and determination was clearly visible on his face. Soon the interviewee called his name for the interview. He entered the interview room and greeting the interviewees he sat on the chair. The interviewer asked many tricky and enigmatical questions to the participant, and he composedly answered them all.

In the end, an interviewer asked him, "What would you do if a storm hits the sea?" He said, "I'll put the anchor." The interviewer asked him, "What will you do if one more storm hits the sea?" He said, "I'll put one more anchor." The interviewer asked the same question again, and the participant gave the same reply again. The officer smiled and asked him, "Young man! Where will you get so many anchors from?" The young man replied immediately without any hesitation, "Sir, from the same place from where you will bring so many storms." The interviewer got amazed at his reply and selected that participant. This young man later became the first governor-general of independent India his name was Lord Mountbatten.

Moral: Quick wittiness and self confidence are prerequisites for success in interviews. If an individual is sure about his capabilities, then he can pass even the most difficult tests.

An Impecunious Portrayer Won Napoleon's Heart

Emperor Napoleon of France was a patron of art and paid immense honor to scholars and artists. Whenever such people would come to his court, they would receive considerable respect and honor. Napoleon's ministers would also follow these rules meticulously. Once Napoleon's court was held, and he was meeting people from various streams of art. Amongst them was a portrait painter who was extremely poor. Napoleon did not take much notice of him. When he entered the court, seeing his dirty clothes Napoleon and his ministers gave him no importance and ordered him to sit apart.

After a while, the portraitist was called on to show his talent, and he made an excellent portrait. Seeing his exquisite portraiture Napoleon got so impressed that he walked to that man and shook hands with him. Giving, him adequate honor Napoleon came to see him out. The portrait painter got marveled at this change of behavior. He asked Napoleon, "When I came in your court, everyone looked down upon me. No one gave me any respect and ordered me to sit away from everyone else, and now you have come to see me out. May I know the reason for this?" Napoleon said, "The respect displayed at someone's arrival primarily depends on that person's physical appearance and apparels, but the respect given at the time of departure is due to that persons virtues and talents."

Moral: Clothing can provide you only physical attractiveness. The true accomplishments are knowledge and talent. Therefore, person's final estimation should be based on qualifications and conduct.

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Taught Civility With Incivility

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was an extremely simple, humble and a civilised human being. Everyone had immense reverence for him. There is an incident of the time when Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was a teacher in a Sanskrit college. Once he went to the President College to meet the English Professor Mr. Caire. When Vidyasagar entered in Professor Caire's cabin then instead of welcoming Vidyasagar, Caire kept sitting on his chair with his legs on the table. Vidyasagar found it extremely repulsive, but he brooked that insult and returned after the requisite discussion.

A few days later Caire came to Vidyasagar's college for some work. When Vidyasagar saw Caire he put his feet with slippers on the table and kept sitting on the chair. He didn't even ask Caire to sit down. Caire gave a written complaint to the secretary of education council Dr Muat about Vidyasagar's behavior. Both Dr Muat and Caire went to Vidyasagar to question him about his misbehavior. Vidyasagar replied, "We Indians learn the European manners from the British. When I went to meet Professor Caire he was sitting in this manner, I assumed it as a European etiquette and followed it. I did not intend to offend him." Hearing this Caire felt ashamed and he apologized to Vidyasagar.

Moral: Many a times in order to teach civility to the uncultured we have to follow the path of "Tit for tat" which is as beneficial as bitter medicine.