1. Best Flowers
One day Akbar was taking a walk in his Royal gardens with several courtiers. Many flowers were flowering at that time of season. A poet pointed out towards a beautiful flower and said, "Look Jahaanpanaah, how beautiful flower that is? No man can produce such a beautiful thing as this." Birbal was also there. He said, "I don't agree with this, sometimes man can make more beautiful things than this." Akbar said, "Oh no Birbal, you are talking nonsense. This flower is really very beautiful."
After a few days, Birbal presented Akbar a very skilled craftsman from Agra. He presented a beautiful carved marble bouquet of flowers. The Emperor was very happy to see it, and gave him one thousand gold coins.
Just then a boy came and presented the Emperor a beautiful bouquet of real flowers. The Emperor was very happy to see it too, so he gave a silver coin to the boy. Birbal said, "So the carving was more beautiful than the real thing."
Akbar understood that he had fallen in the hands of his witty minister once again.
2. Birbal Problem Solver
Several courtiers were vying to be the Royal Advisor of Emperor Akbar. So one day, when they came to the court, they said to the Emperor, "We want to be your Royal Advisor." Akbar said, "No problem, but you will have to pass the test before you could be my Royal Advisor. And whoever would pass the test will be appointed my Advisor." They agreed.
The King unfastened his waist cloth and lay down on the floor, and asked the candidates to cover him with that cloth from head to toe. Now everybody tried to cover him, but in vain. If one wanted to cover the head, then feet remained uncovered, or if the feet were covered, then his head remained open.
Just then Birbal entered the court, the king asked Birbal also, if he could cover him with that cloth from head to toe. Birbal paused a moment, then asked the Emperor politely, "Huzoor, Could you pull up your knees a little bit?" The King did so, and Birbal could cover him from head to toe with that cloth.
Realizing that they failed the test, the courtiers left the court quietly and then they never thought about being the King's Advisor.
Several courtiers were vying to be the Royal Advisor of Emperor Akbar. So one day, when they came to the court, they said to the Emperor, "We want to be your Royal Advisor." Akbar said, "No problem, but you will have to pass the test before you could be my Royal Advisor. And whoever would pass the test will be appointed my Advisor." They agreed.
The King unfastened his waist cloth and lay down on the floor, and asked the candidates to cover him with that cloth from head to toe. Now everybody tried to cover him, but in vain. If one wanted to cover the head, then feet remained uncovered, or if the feet were covered, then his head remained open.
Just then Birbal entered the court, the king asked Birbal also, if he could cover him with that cloth from head to toe. Birbal paused a moment, then asked the Emperor politely, "Huzoor, Could you pull up your knees a little bit?" The King did so, and Birbal could cover him from head to toe with that cloth.
Realizing that they failed the test, the courtiers left the court quietly and then they never thought about being the King's Advisor.
3.The Foolish Brahmin
Once upon a time a foolish brahmin came to visit Birbal with a strange request. He wanted to be addressed as ‘pandit’. Now, the term ‘pandit’ refers to a man of learning. But unfortunately this poor brahmin was uneducated. Birbal tried to explain the difference to him saying that it was not correct to call an uneducated man a pandit and because of this very reason it would be improper to call him so. But the silly brahmin had his heart set on this title.
So, as usual, Birbal had a brilliant idea. He said that as the brahmin was an uneducated man he should hurl abuses and stones at anyone who dared to address him by the very same title he wanted. Then Birbal called all his servants to himself and ordered them to call this lowly brahmin a pandit. The brahmin was very pleased. But the moment the servants started calling out to him as ‘pandit’ he pretended to be very angry and started to abuse them loudly. Then he picked up a few stones and hurled them in their direction. All as per clever Birbal’s advice.
All this shouting and screaming drew a crowd. When people realised that this brahmin was erupting every time anyone called him ‘pandit’, they all started to tease him. Over the next couple of days, he would constantly hear the refrain ‘pandit’ wherever he went. Very soon the whole town started referring to him as ‘pandit’ much to his delight.
The foolish brahmin never realised why people were calling him in this manner. And was extremely pleased with the result. He thanked Birbal from the very bottom of his foolish heart.
Once upon a time a foolish brahmin came to visit Birbal with a strange request. He wanted to be addressed as ‘pandit’. Now, the term ‘pandit’ refers to a man of learning. But unfortunately this poor brahmin was uneducated. Birbal tried to explain the difference to him saying that it was not correct to call an uneducated man a pandit and because of this very reason it would be improper to call him so. But the silly brahmin had his heart set on this title.
So, as usual, Birbal had a brilliant idea. He said that as the brahmin was an uneducated man he should hurl abuses and stones at anyone who dared to address him by the very same title he wanted. Then Birbal called all his servants to himself and ordered them to call this lowly brahmin a pandit. The brahmin was very pleased. But the moment the servants started calling out to him as ‘pandit’ he pretended to be very angry and started to abuse them loudly. Then he picked up a few stones and hurled them in their direction. All as per clever Birbal’s advice.
All this shouting and screaming drew a crowd. When people realised that this brahmin was erupting every time anyone called him ‘pandit’, they all started to tease him. Over the next couple of days, he would constantly hear the refrain ‘pandit’ wherever he went. Very soon the whole town started referring to him as ‘pandit’ much to his delight.
The foolish brahmin never realised why people were calling him in this manner. And was extremely pleased with the result. He thanked Birbal from the very bottom of his foolish heart.
4.Master or Servant?
Once a guard came rushing from outside and informed Akbar- "Huzoor, One of your Ministers from a bordering town is here and is asking permission to see you."
"Sure, Send him in."
The Minister came in, bowed down to the King and said - "It is good to see you after some time, but today I have come to see you for a small problem. I could not solve it myself, that is why I am here for its solution."
"Yes, Speak, What is your problem? I will do to solve it whatever I can." the King said.
The Minister called two men and asked them to explain their case themselves to the King. One of them greeted the King and said - "Huzoor, My name is Aameer. I am a trader and I own a lot of land. This man claims that I am his servant He also claims that I have stolen his money and disguised myself as him."
The second man stepped forward, greeted the King and said - "Huzoor, In fact my name is Aameer, and I m the trader who owns a lot of land. I went to Afgaanistaan to do some business for six months, so I left my money and this land under his care and supervision. When I returned from there, I found that he has been using my name to do his business. When I challenged him, he started saying to people that he was Aameer and I was his servant."
Akbar got confused. He did not know who was the real
Aameer and who was his servant? He said - "This is really a strange case. It is difficult to decide." Then he looked at his courtiers and said - "Is there anyone among you who can solve this case? I will give a bag of gold coins to the one who will solve this case."
As always Birbal smiled and said - "I can solve it, Jahaanpanaah." He walked to those two men and said to them - "Do you know I can read the mind? You cannot hide the truth from me. Now will you speak the truth yourself or should I tell your minds to all?" They still stood quiet.
Birbal said to them again - "So you won't tell the truth. Lie down on the floor with your face down." Now I will close my eyes, begin to concentrate and will let you know who is speaking the truth and who is telling lie." They did as Birbal said to them. Birbal concentrated for a couple of minutes and then called the guard - "Come here, and cut the head of the servant."
The guard was confused because he did not know who was the servant. As he walked forward, he looked at Birbal helplessly. As the guard came near those people, the first man jumped up and ran to the King's throne and cried - "Forgive me Huzoor. I stole this man's money. I am not Aameer.
Once a guard came rushing from outside and informed Akbar- "Huzoor, One of your Ministers from a bordering town is here and is asking permission to see you."
"Sure, Send him in."
The Minister came in, bowed down to the King and said - "It is good to see you after some time, but today I have come to see you for a small problem. I could not solve it myself, that is why I am here for its solution."
"Yes, Speak, What is your problem? I will do to solve it whatever I can." the King said.
The Minister called two men and asked them to explain their case themselves to the King. One of them greeted the King and said - "Huzoor, My name is Aameer. I am a trader and I own a lot of land. This man claims that I am his servant He also claims that I have stolen his money and disguised myself as him."
The second man stepped forward, greeted the King and said - "Huzoor, In fact my name is Aameer, and I m the trader who owns a lot of land. I went to Afgaanistaan to do some business for six months, so I left my money and this land under his care and supervision. When I returned from there, I found that he has been using my name to do his business. When I challenged him, he started saying to people that he was Aameer and I was his servant."
Akbar got confused. He did not know who was the real
As always Birbal smiled and said - "I can solve it, Jahaanpanaah." He walked to those two men and said to them - "Do you know I can read the mind? You cannot hide the truth from me. Now will you speak the truth yourself or should I tell your minds to all?" They still stood quiet.
Birbal said to them again - "So you won't tell the truth. Lie down on the floor with your face down." Now I will close my eyes, begin to concentrate and will let you know who is speaking the truth and who is telling lie." They did as Birbal said to them. Birbal concentrated for a couple of minutes and then called the guard - "Come here, and cut the head of the servant."
The guard was confused because he did not know who was the servant. As he walked forward, he looked at Birbal helplessly. As the guard came near those people, the first man jumped up and ran to the King's throne and cried - "Forgive me Huzoor. I stole this man's money. I am not Aameer.
5.Tit-Bits
Emperor Akbar’s court was famous for its witty question and answer sessions.
On one of these occasions, the Emperor asked Birbal if there was anything that the sun and the moon could not see. Birbal’s reply was ‘darkness’. Akbar was pleased.
Next, he asked what was the difference between a truth and a lie. To which Birbal replied that it was the distance between the ears and the eyes because what you see with your eyes is true, but what you hear with your ears is generally false. Akbar was satisfied.
Lastly, Emperor Akbar drew a line on the floor and asked Birbal to shorten it without wiping out the ends.
Birbal drew a longer line below the line drawn by Akbar and remarked that though he had not rubbed off the original line he had definitely succeeded in making it shorter.
Emperor Akbar’s court was famous for its witty question and answer sessions.
On one of these occasions, the Emperor asked Birbal if there was anything that the sun and the moon could not see. Birbal’s reply was ‘darkness’. Akbar was pleased.
Next, he asked what was the difference between a truth and a lie. To which Birbal replied that it was the distance between the ears and the eyes because what you see with your eyes is true, but what you hear with your ears is generally false. Akbar was satisfied.
Lastly, Emperor Akbar drew a line on the floor and asked Birbal to shorten it without wiping out the ends.
Birbal drew a longer line below the line drawn by Akbar and remarked that though he had not rubbed off the original line he had definitely succeeded in making it shorter.
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