3 Dolls of Life

A sage presented a prince with a set of three small dolls.

The prince was not amused."Am I a girl that you give me dolls?" he asked.

This is a gift for a future king, said the sage. "If you look carefully, you'll see a hole in the ear of each doll." So?The sage handed him a piece of string."Pass it through each doll." he said.

Intrigued, the prince picked up the first doll and put the string into the ear. It came out from the other ear."This is one type of person," said the sage. "Whatever you tell him comes out from the other ear. He doesn't retain anything."

The prince put the string into the second doll.It came out from the mouth. This is the second type of person, said the sage. "Whatever you tell him, he tells everybody else."

The prince picked up the third doll and repeated the process.The string did not reappear from anywhere else. This is the third type of person, said the sage. "Whatever you tell him is locked up within him. It never comes out."

What is the best type of person? asked the prince.None of these.and the sage handed him a fourth doll, in answer.

When the prince put the string into the doll, it came out from the other."This is the first type of person", prince said. "How is it the best type of person?"

Rather than answering the sage said, "Do it again."The prince repeated the process.This time the string came out from the mouth.When asked for third time and prince put the string in, it did not come out at all.

This is the best type of person, said the sage. "To be trustworthy, a person must know when not to listen, when to remain silent and when to speak out."

Moral of the story Wise person knows when to listen and when not to, when to remain silent and when to speak, what to speak and how much to speak. The above story also makes us more conscious about being sensitive to different situations and people. Much has to be accomplished in our daily lives, and we need to interact with others in order to achieve it. We may have to convince others and also get our way. This is what called as diplomacy. Diplomacy in life is cooked through the oven of sensitivity and awareness. Being sensitive and aware of people and situation makes us trustworthy. That is what all of us expect from another human being. Therefore, diplomacy is essential in our personal as well as official dealing with others. One can get messages across more effectively and influence others actions.