Once upon a time, there was a popular king called Nanda. His people respected him for his learning and valour. He had a prime minister called Vararuchi who was well versed in diplomacy and statecraft. Vararuchi’s wife was one day annoyed with her husband and kept away from him. Extremely fond of his wife, the prime minister tried to please her. It was no use. He did not know what to do to regain her affection.

He pleaded with her, "Tell me what can I do to make you happy."

The wife at last opened her mouth and said, "Shave your head cleanly and prostrate before me if you want to regain my love."

The prime minister complied with her wish and succeeded in winning back her favour.

The king’s wife also played the same drama of shunning his company. Nanda tried every trick he knew to win her affection without success. When everything failed, the king fell on her feet and prayed her, "My darling, I cannot live without you even for a while. Tell me what should I do to win back your love?"

The queen said, "I will be happy if you pretend to be a horse, agree to be bridled and to let me ride you. While racing you must neigh like a horse. Is this acceptable to you?"

"Yes," said the king and did, as his wife demanded.

Next day, the king saw his prime minister with a shaven head and asked him, "Vararuchi, why did you have your head shaved on a day when tonsure is forbidden."

Vararuchi replied, "O king, is there anything that a woman does not demand and a man does not readily concede? He would do anything, shave his head or neigh like a horse."

Moral
Don’t lose control over your tongue.