Bring Me Four People

Bring Me Four People

SS Misri

One day, Emperor Akbar said to Birbal, “Bring me four people: a modest one, a shameless one, a cowardly one, and a brave one.”

The next day, Birbal brought one woman before Akbar

Akbar saw this and remarked, “This is only one person—I asked you to bring four.”

“Well,” Birbal replied, “this woman has all four of the qualities you mentioned. When she stays at her in-laws, she is modest. When she is drunk, she is shameless. When she is alone at night, she is cowardly. And when she is determined to have her way, she is brave.”

Bullock’ milk

(Daund Chu Toeti Di Chhir)

Sham S. Misri

One day Akbar the great king of India asked Birbal’s daughter, “Can a man give birth to a child?” She replied, ”Can a bullock give milk?”

Birbal was Akbar’s great minister. The Muslim ministers hated him and tried to get rid of him. Birbal was often punished on account of what they said.

One day a Muslim minister said to Akbar, ” Will your Majesty please get some bullock’ milk from Birbal.”

Akbar promised that he would give the order, and on the following morning there was the paper signed and sealed by the king. The document was spread out before Birbal, ordering him to procure some bullock’s milk within fifteen days, or else die.

Birbal was overwhelmed with fear and astonishment. The minister’s daughter seeing her father in this wretched state at once devised a scheme. She went straight to the butcher’s shop, and there soaked her wrap, a sheet of cloth, in some blood lying about, and then went and washed it in the part of the river opposite the king’s palace. Akbar observing this enquired the reason of the blood. She replied: “No, I have not murdered any one, but yesterday Birbal had delivered a child in the house.”

Akbar said, “Can a man bear a child?” 

The girl answered: “Can a bullock give milk?”

Birbal was exalted to still greater honour and power on account of this shrewdness of his daughter.

Emptying the Cage

Sham S. Misri

In olden days there was a custom to send gift from one Emperor to another. Once, the Emperor of Burma sent a cage with artificial Tiger statue inside it to Emperor Akbar. The statue was beautifully carved but the cage was locked from all the sides, there was no gate or way to take out the tiger.

As the people of the court were observing and praising the tiger, the messenger from Burma handed over the letter to the emperor Akbar. The Burman Emperor had written that if anyone in the court of Akbar would empty the iron cage without breaking it, he would be rewarded heavily for his intelligence.

It was a challenge for Akbar. So Akbar asked all his courtiers to apply their brain. One day all the courtiers came and observed the cage from all the sides. They were in search of a hidden gate from where the Tiger could be removed. But there was none. They were tired and disappointed. They all reached on the same conclusion that without breaking the cage, it could not be emptied.

Now it was a question of pride for Akbar. He looked hopefully towards Birbal. At this point Birbal got up from his seat and came close to the cage. He observed the tiger keenly then he lifted the cage slightly to ascertain the material used for making the tiger.

Then the wise man asked the servants to bring the fire and long iron shovel. Birbal heated the shovel red hot and placed it inside the cage near the tiger. The heat caused the statue melt. The tiger was of wax. Birbal repeated the action and soon the cage was empty. A big heap of wax was collected on the floor.

Everyone present in the court praised the wisdom of Birbal. Akbar was especially grateful to him as he had saved his honor.

The messenger of Burma presented rich reward to Birbal that were sent by the Burman Emperor.

King Akbar and the Poor Brahmin

Sham S. Misri

It was a  winter morning, King Akbar was strolling along the banks of the River Jumna with his favorite minister, Birbal. The king enjoyed his minister's company for Birbal was a wise and a witty man. The two were often to be seen strolling together, talking at length about anything Akbar desired..
On this particular morning they had hit upon an unusual topic. "It is very strange," said Birbal, "Sir, have you noticed that people will even risk their lives for something they want badly enough."
"I don't agree," said the king.
While he was speaking, he dipped his fingers in the water of the river. It was icy. He quickly pulled his fingers out again. As he did so, an idea came to him.
"I know," he said, "we will put your idea to the test. I will offer five hundred gold coins to anyone who will stand neck deep in this water from sunrise to sunset, but only if that person uses no means of keeping warm."
The story spread far and wide. Many people were poor, and five hundred gold coins was a fortune. But the weather was cold, and the river was even colder. No one wanted to take up the challenge. They all agreed that five hundred gold coins were no use at all if you were dead.
But there was one man who thought it might be worth it. He was a poor Brahmin, so poor that he had no home, and slept outside in all weathers. He was so poor, that some days he did not eat at all. He volunteered.
The king was amazed that there was someone so poor that it was worth accepting such a challenge. The king ordered his guards to take the man down to the river and watch over him. The Brahmin was to use nothing to keep him warm.
At first light the Brahmin emerged from the water, blue with cold, teeth chattering, but alive. He was taken back to the palace, where the king was even more amazed. "How did you manage it?" asked King Akbar, "did you not feel the cold?" "Oh yes," said the Brahmin, "but I could see the lights of the palace, and that kept my spirits up."
"So," declared King Akbar, thumping the arms of his throne, "you used the lights to keep you warm. You have cheated. There is no reward."
Wise Birbal was very unhappy. He knew why the king did not want to give the Brahmin the gold coins, but he felt that King Akbar was being very unjust. He wondered how he could show the king how he felt.
Later that morning, King Akbar realized Birbal was not at court. He sent a messenger to find out what had happened. The messenger returned, saying Birbal would attend court when he had eaten his breakfast.
Time passed. The king became worried and angry by turns. He decided to go and see for himself what was keeping Birbal. When he reached Birbal's house, he was met by a very strange sight. The minister was sitting in his garden, under a large tree. He had lit a small fire, and was feeding it with tiny twigs. "What are you doing?" said King Akbar. "Where is your breakfast?"  "It is in the cooking pot," said Birbal, pointing to a large pot hanging high in the tree. "I am waiting for it to cook."
King Akbar became angry. "But that is ridiculous," he said, "the pot will never get warm so far from the fire." As he spoke the words, he realized what Birbal was trying to tell him. He knew he had been unfair, and unjust. He summoned the Brahmin and apologized, giving him a reward of one thousand gold coins, instead of five hundred.