There was a time when Akbar was curious about what people thought of him. Birbal arranged for a mirror to be placed on the road. People who passed by either adjusted their appearance if they thought they were good - looking or walked quickly if they were not. From this, Birbal told Akbar that people were more concerned about their own looks in front of the king than thinking about the king himself.
In one story, Akbar was angry with Birbal and sent him away. But soon he realized he couldn't do without Birbal's wisdom. He then set a condition for Birbal's return. He said Birbal had to bring a gift that could make him both laugh and cry at the same time. Birbal brought a group of dancers who were all dwarfs. Akbar laughed at their funny appearance but cried because they were physically different and he felt sorry for them.
Well, there's a story where Akbar asked Birbal to draw a line on the floor and make it shorter without erasing it. Birbal simply drew a longer line next to it. This shows Birbal's cleverness. It was a simple yet brilliant solution to Akbar's tricky question.
One really interesting story is when Akbar and Birbal were walking in the garden. Akbar asked Birbal, 'Can you show me a miracle?' Birbal picked up a small pebble and threw it into the pond. He said, 'Look, the pebble made the water rise without any effort.' Akbar laughed at this simple yet clever answer.
A funny story is when Akbar asked Birbal to find a man who was both the smartest and the dumbest in the kingdom. Birbal went and brought a man. Akbar was puzzled. Birbal said, 'This man is the smartest when he keeps his mouth shut, for then no one can tell if he is stupid. And he is the dumbest when he starts to talk, as he often says foolish things.'
In one story, Akbar asked Birbal to count the number of stars in the sky at night. Birbal replied, 'The same number as the hairs on your Majesty's horse.' Akbar was astonished and asked how he could say such a thing. Birbal said, 'Just as it is impossible to count the hairs on your horse, it is also impossible to count the stars in the sky, so I gave a similar answer.' This shows Birbal's quick thinking and ability to handle difficult questions smartly.
A well - known story is about Akbar and Birbal going for a walk in the garden. Akbar asked Birbal what made a man truly happy. Birbal told a story of a poor man who was content with his simple life. He said that true happiness doesn't come from wealth but from within. This story was often told as a bedtime story as it had a moral lesson. The story was so engaging that it made Akbar think deeply and also made it a great story to end the day with.
The story of the ring is also well - known. Akbar lost his precious ring and suspected his servants. Birbal came up with a plan. He announced that the person who stole the ring would have a long nose. All the servants were made to pass in front of a mirror. The thief, fearing that his nose would actually grow long, confessed. Birbal's clever plan saved the day.
One more popular story is about Akbar and Birbal's discussion on honesty. Akbar said that all men were liars. Birbal said that he could prove him wrong. He told Akbar that he would go underwater and stay there for as long as he could hold his breath. And when he came out, he would either tell the truth or a lie. Birbal went underwater, and when he came out, he said that he saw the most beautiful mermaids underwater. Akbar said that was a lie. Birbal then said that if he was lying, then not all men were liars as Akbar had claimed.
A well - known story is when Akbar asked Birbal to count the stars in the sky. Birbal replied that he would do so if Akbar could first provide him with a large piece of paper as big as the sky to write down the count. This showed his ability to turn a difficult question back on the asker in a humorous way.
A well - known story is about a haunted well. People said a ghost lived in it. Akbar sent Birbal. Birbal dropped a stone in the well and then said that the 'ghost' must have run away because of the noise. In fact, he just showed that there was no real ghost but just superstition.
One interesting story is when Akbar asked Birbal to measure the length of a road without using any measuring tools. Birbal thought for a moment and then said, 'Your Majesty, I will count my steps as I walk along the road.' Akbar was impressed by his simple yet effective solution.