TMI Z49.11.1. Wall in construction collapses.
The story is given in explanation of this proverb:
A town full of darkness (or injustice)
ruled over by a careless ruler,
where vegetables and sweetmeats
sell at one and the same rate.
(Descriptive of an unjust ruler).
The Saint, His Disciple, and the Fallen Wall
Once a saint and his disciple while sojourning in various countries and cities happened to arrive in the aforesaid town. The saint, who knew the ins and outs of it, did not wish to stay there, but his disciple being tempted and allured by the sweetmeats which were sold very cheap there said to the saint "O guru (spiritual guide) permit me to stay here for some time." The saint did not comply with his request, but said that it would not be safe for him to protract his residence in such a place as that, and the sooner they got out of it the better. But the imprudent disciple again eagerly asked permission from his guru to allow him to live there for a short time. Thus the saint was at last obliged to leave his disciple there, with great reluctance, and said to him, "Whenever you happen to get into any trouble remember me; I shall help you."
After some time a goat was killed there by the fall of a wall. The owner of the goat sent a complaint against the owner of the wall to the king, who ordered the latter to be hanged for having built such katcha (imperfect) walls, but the accused man pleaded his innocence, and said that the fault lay in the mason who had built it.
The ruler on this representation changed his mind and ordered the mason to be executed in his stead. The mason also in his turn denied his guilt, and reproached the labourer who supplied him with mortar.
On this the man who had supplied mortar for the wall was doomed to death, but the labourer set forth his innocence and blamed the bhisti (water-bearer) for pouring too much water into the mortar and making it too soft for use.
On this the sentence of death devolved on the bhisti who also cleared himself of the guilt and implicated the kotawal (police officer) who had driven his pony rapidly by him, and so frightened him that he happened to throw more water in the mortar than was required.
At this the kotawal was sentenced to be executed, and as he had nothing to say in his defence he was brought to the scaffold to receive his doom.
The noose of the cord was found too big for the head of the kotawal. The matter was reported to the king, who ordered that a fat man (whose head and neck were adapted to the noose) should be selected and executed instead.
The servants of the king after great search found out the kind of man they wanted in the disciple of the saint, who had become fat by eating cheap sweetmeats, and he was arrested and brought to the scaffold, where he remembered his guru the saint, who made his appearance instantly and volunteered to be hanged in lieu of his disciple, but the latter (wishing to save his guru from death) insisted on undergoing the sentence himself. Each persisted in dying for the other and there was a quarrel between them as to who should be hanged.
This matter was also reported to the king who sent for both the fakirs (the saint and his disciple) and enquired why one wished to die for the other. The saint said to the king, "O just king, a heavenly vehicle was at hand to take to Paradise the soul of the man who should die this blissful death. Since I have performed various religious acts and have led a long life of penance I alone merit it and no other."
On this the king, who coveted the heavenly vehicle for himself, volunteered to die, and was accordingly hanged.
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