A rich old merchant at the point of death, whose sole relative was a son who was still a child, entrusted his wealth, a sum of 10,000 Pagodas, to the care of a friend, with the request that he would kindly take care of it until his son should come of age, and then make over to him such portion of the money as he liked. The old man's object was that the trusted should pay himself a reasonable remainder, that is, the bulk of the property should go to his son. Through a feeling of defiency, however he did not specify the amount of remuneration but left in to his friend's sons of justice, and of the fitness of things. The latter, however, proved unworthy of the confidence reposed in him-for when the body on coming of age, claimed his inheritance, he had the hardihood to offer him only 1,000 Pagodas or a tithe of the amount left with him, and he complacently explained that the compact with the deceased was that he should only give the boy "whatever he liked."
Against this audacious piece of injustice, the boy appealed to Mariada Ramanna who, after hearing the Defendant saw what manner of an he had to deal with, turned the tables upon him and put matters right, by decreeing that he was to surrender to the boy the sum of Pagodas 9,000, being the amount "he liked," and to keep for himself the balance of 1,000 pagodas, which he did and was ready to offer the boy as it was, upon the strict letter contract, relied upon by the Defendant himself, he was obliged quietly to submit to this judgement, through so little to his taste.
