The real cause

   
                                        The real cause


A wise king was ruling the country in a just manner. But his country could not proper to his expectation. One day he called a meeting of the officers to discuss many matters relating to the state. During the discussions, he asked the officers, " We have levied just tax on the people. It is quite a large amount. Even then the treasury is not full. And we are not able to do constructive projects for the benefit of our people. What can be the real cause for this ? Could any one you please tell ?
All the officers assembled there looked at each other. A wise and sincere officer sought permission from the king to answer this. He took a big block of ice and putting it into the hands of an officer sitting at the back said , 'You kindly pass on this to all officers and then to the king.'
Passing on from one hand to another, the big block of ice, when it reached the hands of the king, it was of the size of a pea. Then the wise officer said to the king, " Your Highness , the tax has also the fate when it reaches the royal treasury."
The king got the answer for his question and understood the real cause that due to corrupt officers in between, a large portion of the tax collected from the people never reaches the royal treasury.