More of Birbal
The Faithful and the Faithless
Once, Akbar the Great turned to Birbal and asked, “Birbal, can you show me a faithful creature and a faithless one?” Birbal contemplated for a moment and assured the king that he would present both varieties in the court the following day.
Birbal had long wished to ridicule his son-in-law, who was a mean and selfish man. The king’s request provided him with an excellent opportunity. The next day, he brought his son-in-law along with his dog to the court. Presenting the dog, he said, “Sire, here is the faithful creature I promised to show you. It eats what I give it and runs after me in gratitude.”
Akbar inquired, “But where is the faithless creature?” Birbal replied, “The faithless creature is here too. I give him everything he asks for, yet he is always grumbling and heaping insults upon me.”
Without hesitation, Akbar ordered, “Then let my soldiers behead him. You will be well rid of a faithless creature.” To this, Birbal promptly responded, “Sire, you and I are both sons-in-law. We too have taken everything from our fathers-in-law and grumbled for more.” The king laughed heartily at this witty remark.
The Great Question
At another time, Birbal asked Akbar, “Sire, why does the sun always set in the west?” Akbar playfully replied, “You should go and ask a fool to answer this question.” Birbal retorted, “That is why I am asking you, Sire!” The king, far from being offended, chuckled at Birbal’s quick wit.
The Response to Sarcasm
Among the courtiers, Abul Fazl was not particularly friendly with Birbal. One day, he decided to belittle the court’s wit, stating, “Birbal, the king is considering appointing you as the controller of all the dogs in the land. What do you think?” Birbal retorted, “Good. Let him appoint me. At least I will enjoy controlling you first.” Akbar found this response hilarious, and from that day forward, Abul Fazl refrained from using sarcasm against Birbal.
A Test of Loyalty
Once, a relative of Birbal fell foul of the Great King and was sentenced to death. When Akbar approached the scaffold and saw Birbal standing there, he preemptively declared, “Birbal, I know what you are going to say. Whatever you say, I will do the opposite.”
Birbal feigned surprise and said, “But Sire, I was only going to suggest that you must not free this relative of mine. Hang him well and properly.” The king was so taken aback by Birbal’s wit that he immediately released the offender and rewarded Birbal for his cleverness.
A Gift of Land
Once, Akbar informed Birbal that he would gift him some land. However, whenever Birbal reminded the king about it, Akbar feigned surprise and raised and lowered his head, much like a camel. One day, while watching a parade of his best camels, Akbar asked, “Why is it that these camels raise and lower their heads?”
Birbal innocently replied, “Well, Sire, they must have promised to gift some land to their dependents. Each time, they shrug their shoulders to dismiss their dependants’ pleas.” Amused by this clever explanation, Akbar promptly wrote out the deed for some land and presented it to Birbal.
The Legend of Mermaids
Mermaids are imaginary female creatures that once captivated the imagination of sailors. Long ago, seamen who travelled the world returned with vivid tales of these aquatic beings, leading many to believe in their existence. The truth is that mermaids never existed; their legend likely originated from observations of sea mammals called dugongs, which are often seen resting on rocks while cradling their young in their flippers. In his imagination, a seaman may have envisioned a human mother nursing her baby, thus giving birth to tales of mermaids.
The Cuttlefish’s Defense
Another intriguing sea creature is the cuttlefish, known for its ability to expel ink. This creature possesses two long and eight short tentacles, which it uses to catch food like shrimps and prawns. When threatened by enemies, the cuttlefish releases an inky cloud, providing cover for its escape.