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.

Birbal, The Wise Minister

Akbar's queen was very fond of her dear brother Suleman Khan. She wanted the prestigious post of Wazir (Chief Minister) in the court of Akbar, for her brother. But the  post was occupied by Birbal. The Queen knew very well that Birbal was a brilliant courtier and was Akbar’s friend as well.  Still, she decided to talk to the king for her brother.  In the evening, when Akbar returned to the palace, the Queen said,
“Oh King, I have an idea.  My brother is a very able person. Being your relative his is your well wisher also.  So why don't you give prestigious post of Chief Minister to him?"

  Akbar was surprised and said, 

“Oh Queen, Chief Minister’s post requires extraordinary intelligence and great administrative experiences. Your brother is new to this field. Apart from that there in no negative reason to remove Birbal.” 

The Queen was adamantly replied, 

“Oh King, if there is no reason, find some excuse for his removal. Give him some work he will not be able to do.  With that reason he can be removed from the post."

Puzzled King asked the Queen, 

“Then tell me some job for him which he will not be able to do.”

The Queen thought for some time and then said, 

“Oh King, tomorrow evening while walking in the palace garden, you ask Birbal to call me from my palace. I will not come out at all. And then there will be at least one reason for his removal.”

Akbar agreed. The Queen was very sure that Birbal would certainly fail this time, as he could not force her to appear in the palace garden.

On the next day when Akbar was strolling in the garden, Birbal accompanied him as usual. Akbar pretended to be disturbed. Birbal asked Akbar the reason for his worry. Akbar said, “Birbal, the Queen is displeased with me and refuses to talk. You know how much I love her here. This disturbs me a lot."

Birbal thought for sometime and agreed to go and bring the Queen and left from there.  He went straight to the Queen's in the palace.  As per plan the Queen was waiting for his arrival. Birbal said, 

“Oh Queen,  the King is in the palace garden. He wants you there –!“ 

Just as Birbal was completing his sentence a messenger entered the chamber and whisphered something in Birbal's ear.  The Queen could her a few of the words the messenger whispered.  They were,

“……..very beautiful………No ………no! no need to come……..!”

The messenger then left.  Birbal remained silent for a few minutes and then turned towards the Queen and said,

“Oh Queen, sorry for the trouble, now you are no more required there.”

Birbal went away and left the Queen very puzzled.  She became very curious about the messengers whisper and Birbals return without her.  The Queen felt that there was some beautiful women who had come to the garden and that was the reason behind Birbal stopping her coming to the garden.  The Queen was badly disturbed and suspicious. She kept  thinking about this matter for a long time. At last unable to resist her curiosity, she rushed towards the garden. 

When she reached there, she found Akbar alone. Seeing her there, the King asked, 

“Oh no my dear, you said that you would see to it that Birbal failed this time. But it seems that the situation is in the favour of Birbal in this test."

The Queen realised that she had been fooled by Birbal and was ashamed. Once again Birbal had succeeded. She accepted Birbal's wisdom. She also told the King that she would never again force him to remove Birbal from his post as he is the most suitable person for it.”

The Emperor smiled and praised for Birbal in his heart.

About Akbar & Birbal

Akbar Birbal stories are one the most popular stories among people of all age groups. These stories are full of humor and intelligence. These Stories of Akbar and Birbal also give us messages of virtues and moral values. These stories are immensely popular amongst the kids. Many literature volumes have been found to contain Akbar Birbal stories. In other words, such stories are an integral part of rich India's heritage.

The stories of Akbar and Birbal are inspired from historically beautiful relationship shared by a king and his minister.  Akbar was one of the most famous kings in the history of India. He is credited to start several new rules and brought love, peace and equality among the people of the nation. Birbal was not only a close friend of the Emperor but also handled administrative and military responsibilities. He was considered as a very intelligent person who possessed abundance of intelligence. He was a member of inner council of nine advisors also known as Nav Ratna. Birbal was a man of wisdom and also a great poet. Let us read some great stories about this unusual pair.