Once the Emperor's fool Tenali Raman entered the throne room of the palace. At that moment, the Emperor and his advisors were enjoying the amazing handiness of a visiting magician.
"Nobody can compete with me in my profession," said the magician arrogantly after the performance. "I can bet you a thousand gold coins that I has no equal here."
"If you wish I can do with my eye closed what you will never do with open eyes," proposed Tenali Raman loudly. "If you win the competition, you will get a thousand gold coins. If you lose, the money will be mine."
"You, shorty!" cried the infuriated magician. "All right, show us what you can do with your eyes closed that I cannot do with open eyes." And he curled his moustache with a haughty smile.
Raman sat down on the floor, dipped two handfuls of sand, closed his eyes and emptied the sand out of his hands. Then he raised himself and said.
"And now try to do this with open eyes!"
The Emperor and courtiers burst out laughing and the magician had to recognize defeat. And Tenali Raman became one thousand gold coins richer.

Electronic text: Moshkov Library