Birbal's Cooking

On a cold winter day Akbar and Birbal went for a walk along the lake.  While walking Birbal started to wonder if a man would do anything for money. He said about this to Akbar. Akbar thoughtfully put his finger into the lake and immediately removed it because the water was very cold.

Akbar said,

“I don’t think a man would spend an entire night in the cold water of this lake, not even for big money.”

Birbal thought for a few minutes and said,  

“I am sure I can find such a person who would do it for money.”

Akbar then challenged Birbal to find such a person and also said that if someone would stay in that lake all through the night, he would reward the person with a thousand gold coins. 

Birbal searched far and wide.  He found a poor man who was desperate for money.  He accepted the challenge. 

Next day night the poor man entered the lake.   Akbar posted some guards near him to make sure that he stayed in the water all night.

The next morning the guards took the poor man to Akbar. Akbar asked the poor man how he managed to spent the night in the lake. The poor man innocently replied,

"Oh King. There was a street lamp near the lake and I kept my attention fixed on the lamp.  In that way i kept my attention was away from the cold". 

Immediately Akbar said that there would be no reward and it was because the poor man had survived the night in the lake with help of the warmth of the street lamp.

The poor man was shocked.  He immediately went to Birbal as he had brought the challenge to the poor man.

The next day, Birbal did not go to court. The king became worried about Birbal and sent a messenger to his home. 

The messenger came back said that Birbal was cooking Kichadi and would come as soon as his Kichadi was cooked. The king waited for hours but Birbal did not come. 

Finally the king decided to go to Birbal’s house and see what actually he was upto.

He found Birbal sitting on the floor near some burning twigs.  A bowl filled with Kichadi was hanging five feet above the fire. The king and his attendants burst in laughter seeing Birbal's style of cooking.

Akbar asked to Birbal 

“How will the Kichadi cook if it so far away from the fire?”

Birbal was just waiting for this question.  He immediately answered,

“The same way as the poor man received heat from a street lamp that was so far away from the lake.”

Akbar understood his mistake and  gave the reward to the poor man who had deserved it.