One of the scholars was teaching a prince and would strike him without hesitation and scold him harshly. Eventually, the prince, unable to endure it any longer, complained to his father, revealing his bruised and wounded body. The king’s heart was deeply disturbed.
He summoned the teacher and asked, "Why is it that you don’t subject the children of common people to such extreme harshness and rebukes? What is the reason for treating my son this way?"
The teacher replied, "The reason is that one must speak thoughtfully and act righteously, as all people in general, and kings in particular, are watched closely. Anything they say or do is inevitably repeated among the people, while the words and actions of ordinary people hold little significance.
If a hundred improper acts are done by a poor man,
His friends will scarcely notice a single one.
But if a king utters a single jest,
It will spread from one region to another.
Therefore, it is necessary for a teacher of a royal child to put even more effort into cultivating the virtues of princes, as God has blessed them with special potential, than in teaching the common people.
For if a child is not disciplined in youth,
He will find no success in adulthood.
While a green stick can be bent as you wish,
Once dry, it will only straighten in fire.
The king found the scholar's wisdom and his reply in line with his own judgment. So he rewarded the teacher with gifts and elevated him to a higher rank."
