Once upon a time, Emperor Akbar was present in the royal court with his prince. Every gaze in the court was fixed on the prince, and everyone was praising him as the most beautiful child in the world. Acknowledging this, Emperor Akbar also smiled and agreed that his prince was indeed the most beautiful.
Curious about Birbal’s opinion, Akbar asked him for his thoughts on the matter.
Birbal: Your Majesty, the prince is beautiful, but in my opinion, he is not the most beautiful child in the world.
Akbar: What do you mean, Birbal? Are you saying that my son is not beautiful?
Birbal: No, Your Majesty, that’s not what I meant. I meant that while our prince is beautiful, there may be other beautiful children in the world.
Akbar: So, are you suggesting that our prince is not the most beautiful in the world?
Birbal: No, Your Majesty, my point is not that. Our prince is indeed beautiful, but there might be other beautiful children in the world as well.
Akbar: So, you mean to say that there is a child more beautiful than my son?
Birbal: Yes, Your Majesty, there could be.
Akbar, intrigued by Birbal’s statement, ordered him to find a child more beautiful than the prince. After a few days, Birbal returned to the royal court.
Birbal: Your Majesty, I have found a child more beautiful than the prince.
Akbar: If you have found the child, why haven’t you brought him to the court?
Birbal: I cannot bring him to the court, but I can take you to him.
Akbar: Why can’t you bring him to the court?
Birbal: You will understand when you go there.
Akbar: Fine, then we will go tomorrow morning to see the child.
The next day, Akbar and Birbal, in disguise, went to see the child. Birbal took Akbar to a small hut where a child was playing with mud.
Birbal: Your Majesty, there is the most beautiful child.
Akbar: Your courage to call a child living in a shabby hut the most beautiful surprises me.
The child, hearing Akbar’s words, started crying loudly. The mother came out and scolded Akbar, saying, “How can you call my child ugly? My child is the most beautiful in the world. If you say that again, I will break your bones. Leave now and never show your faces here again.”
After this, Akbar fell silent.
Birbal: Your Majesty, now you understand.
Akbar: Yes, I understand now.
Birbal: The point is, no matter how a child looks, for parents, their child is the most beautiful in the world.
Akbar: Birbal, you are right. Every parent sees their child as the most beautiful.
Birbal: Your Majesty, I only wish that you give good education to the prince without being swayed by flattery.
Akbar: Birbal, once again you have won our hearts.
Lesson from the story: One should never be arrogant about anything because arrogance is bound to break someday.
