Krishnadevaraya built a beautiful mansion. He arranged for the painting of  the walls of the mansion with appropriate pictures. After the completion of the  entire painting works, the painter intimated the fact to the king.

One day,  Krishnadevaraya accompanied by his ministers and others went to the mansion. He  was going through several parts of that house, and was admired by the  workmanship of the painter and other artisans.Tenalirama noticed a picture which  was painted sideways. Immediately he expressed to the king," Your Highness! This  picture displays the limbs of only one side. Where are those of the other side?"  In reply to this, the king said sarcastically,"You must imagine it all. Don't  you know this?" Tenalirama with apparent sincerity said, "Yes my lord! now, I  understand it. After a long time,Tenalirama told Krishnadevaraya," My Lord! from  the day we visited your new mansion, I have developed enthusiasm in painting and  I have started practicing it, also. I have become an expert in it now and I will  be pleased if you could witness some of my beautiful executions." "Indeed!"  exclaimed the king.The king then entrusted to him the entire responsibility of painting the  walls of a mansion.

He instructed Tenalirama to remove the old faded paintings  and in its place to paint new ones. Tenalirama then rubbed away all the  beautiful original paintings. He painted a nail in one place, a finger in  another place, a hand in a third; thus, in his own way he filled the whole house  with his paintings and completely spoiled its look. He then went to  Krishnadevaraya and said: "I have finished all my paintings.You please make a  visit to see them all." The King taking it to be true, visits the building  accompanied by several people. On seeing the pictures, he commented, "What!  Tenalirama! I dont' see any beautiful paintings. Instead, I see only odd limbs  and fragments." Tenalirama said: "You must imagine all the other portions to  exist on the other side. It seems you have forgotten that obvious thing?" On  hearing Tenalirama's reply, the king felt that the same words which he uttered  long back was reverberating back on his ears. Even though the king felt very  angry with Tenalirama for spoiling the whole building, he left the place without  reacting.