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 th ... read more

Birbal Denies Rumor One day a man stopped Birbal in the street and began narrating his woes to him. "I've walked twenty miles to see you," he told Birbal finally, "and all along the way people kept saying you were the most generous man in the country." Birbal knew the man was going to ask him for money. "Are you going back the same way?" he asked. "Yes," said the man. "Will you do me a favor?" "Certainly," said the man. "What do you want me to do?" "Please deny the rumor of my generosity," said Birbal, walking away.

Cooking The Khichdi On a cold winter day Akbar and Birbal took a walk along the lake. A thought came to Birbal that a man would do anything for money. He expressed his feelings to Akbar. Akbar then put his finger into the lake and immediately removed it because he shivered with cold. Akbar said “I don’t think a man would spend an entire night in the cold water of this lake for money.” Birbal replied “I am sure I can find such a person.” Akbar then challenged Birbal into finding such a person and said that he would reward the person with a thousand gold coins. Birbal searched far and ... read more

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 ... read more

Back to Square One As usual a lot of people were present in Akbar's durbar. A famous astrologer had come from a far away country. He was talking about the Solar System and the Earth's shape. At one point Akbar said, "If the earth is round, and if one travel strait towards one direction, he will come back to the same spot from where he has started the journey." "Theoretically it is correct", said the astrologer. "Why not in real life?", asked the king. "One has to cross oceans, mountains and forests to keep the path straight." the astrologer said. "Sail through the oceans, make tunne ... read more