The commander led his men. They laid siege to the fort. They kept watch, round the clock. None could get away from the fort.
“The defenders need food and water. They may have some food and water in stock. But that won’t last long. The fort will fall soon,” said the commander to his close associates.
The siege continued. Even after a month, there was no sign of panic on the part of the defenders. The commander, however, remained cool. “Victory will be ours,” he said confidently.
That night, he rode away to the neighbouring town. He reached a house, set on the outskirts of the small town. He knocked. Someone asked, “Who is there?” The Commander introduced himself. The door opened. “Come in,” said the host, not showing much enthusiasm on seeing the guest.
“You don’t seem to be happy to see me,” the commander stared at the host.
“You know the reason. I was once an official at the fort. I have retired. I have settled down here, far from the fort. If the news that I have met you reaches the defenders, will be a dead man, he sounded scared.
“Well, I won’t stay even a minute more than is necessary. I have helped you with funds several times when you were working at the fort. I never asked you for any favour. Now I want it. Tell me, is there a secret tunnel to the fort?” The commander waited for an answer.
“I … Well …” the host stammered.
“Tell me. Or I will send to your master the documents to prove that you have taken bribe from me. That will be the end of you.”
The host reluctantly gave the information. The commander rode away, telling himself, “A greased mouth can never say NO.”
The next day, after dusk, he led a few soldiers to the mouth of the tunnel. He directed them to sneak in and take the men who were at the main gate. The men at the gate were taken by surprise. The drawbridge came down. The attacking army swarmed in. Soon, the fort fell.
Summary
The provided text describes a military siege where a commander attempts to capture a fort. Initially, the commander uses a traditional siege strategy, expecting the defenders to run out of supplies. However, when this approach proves ineffective, he seeks an alternative method for victory. The commander blackmails a former fort official to reveal the existence of a secret tunnel, which he then uses to infiltrate the fort and surprise the defenders, ultimately leading to the fort’s capture.
A Greased Mouth cannot say “NO”
Meaning: One who has taken bribes cannot refuse any request of his patron.
Alternative: A man who sells himself is a slave forever.
II. Quiz
Instructions: Answer each question in 2-3 sentences. (Click on Page 2 for Answer Key)
- What was the initial strategy of the commander to take the fort? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- How did the defenders’ behaviour during the siege puzzle the commander?_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- Why was the host initially unwilling to help the commander? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- What leverage did the commander use to force the host to reveal information?_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- What crucial piece of information did the commander seek from the host? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- How did the commander describe the host’s eventual compliance? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- What was the first action taken by the soldiers who entered the tunnel? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- How did the main attacking army gain entry into the fort? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- What does the phrase “A greased mouth can never say NO” imply about the host? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- What does this story suggest about the importance of internal intelligence in warfare? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Quiz Answer Key
- The commander’s initial strategy was a prolonged siege, aiming to cut off the fort’s food and water supplies. He believed that without these necessities, the defenders would eventually be forced to surrender due to starvation and thirst.
- The defenders’ lack of panic or distress, even after a month of siege, puzzled the commander. This behaviour suggested they had an unexpected supply source, which contradicted his assumption that their provisions would soon run out.
- The host was unwilling to help the commander because he feared for his life. As a former official of the fort, he knew that if the defenders discovered he had met with the enemy commander, he would be killed.
- The commander leveraged the host’s past corruption, threatening to send documents proving he had taken bribes to his former masters at the fort. This threat of public exposure and severe punishment forced the host to cooperate.
- The crucial piece of information the commander sought was whether there was a secret tunnel leading into the fort. He suspected an unknown supply route was sustaining the defenders, and a tunnel would explain their prolonged resistance.
- The commander described the host’s compliance by telling himself, “A greased mouth can never say NO.” This implies that the host was easily manipulable due to his past financial compromises, making him vulnerable to coercion.
- The first action taken by the soldiers who entered the tunnel was to sneak in and surprise the men guarding the main gate. Their objective was to neutralize these defenders to facilitate the next stage of the attack.
- The main attacking army gained entry into the fort after the drawbridge was lowered. This was made possible by the small group of soldiers who infiltrated via the secret tunnel and overpowered the guards at the main gate.
- The phrase “A greased mouth can never say NO” implies that the host was compromised by his past acceptance of bribes. His financial corruption made him vulnerable to the commander’s threats, essentially preventing him from refusing the commander’s demand.
- This story suggests that internal intelligence is paramount in warfare, especially during stalemates. The secret tunnel information, obtained through coercion, was the decisive factor that allowed the commander to break the siege and achieve victory, highlighting that knowledge can be more powerful than brute force.