Once upon a time, when Emperor Akbar’s influence was spreading across the world, the ruler of Turkistan decided to test Akbar’s intelligence. The Turkistan emperor sent a messenger with a letter to Delhi, along with some soldiers.
In the letter, the Turkistan emperor wrote, “I have heard that there is a tree in India, and by consuming its leaves, one can increase their lifespan. If this is true, kindly send me some leaves of that tree.”
Upon reading the letter, Akbar was perplexed. To overcome this dilemma, Akbar sought Birbal’s assistance. Following Birbal’s advice, Emperor Akbar ordered the capture of the Turkistan soldiers and the messenger. They were kept in confinement for several days. After some time, Akbar and Birbal went to meet them.
When they arrived, Akbar said to the messenger, “Until a couple of bricks from this fort fall, you will not be released. However, arrangements for your food and drink will be taken care of until then.” After stating this, Emperor Akbar and Birbal departed.
When Akbar and Birbal left, the soldiers and the messenger started contemplating how they could escape. They prayed fervently for a way out. Soon, their prayers seemed to be answered. A powerful earthquake struck, causing a part of the fort’s wall to collapse. Witnessing this, the soldiers informed Akbar about the fort’s wall falling.
Upon receiving this news, Akbar remembered his promise and ordered the release of the Turkistan soldiers and the messenger. When they appeared in the court, Emperor Akbar said, “By now, you must have received the reply to the letter I sent you. If you still don’t understand, let me make it clear. You are only a hundred people, and just the sighs of you all caused a part of the fort to crumble. Now, imagine a country where thousands of people are subjected to oppression. Such a country’s ruler is destined for downfall. In our Bharat (India), there is no oppression against the poor. This is the secret of the tree of longevity in our country.”
A few days later, Emperor Akbar sent them back to Turkistan with some money for their travel expenses. After reaching Turkistan, the messenger detailed the entire incident to the Turkistan emperor. Impressed by Akbar and Birbal’s wisdom, the Turkistan emperor praised them in his court.
Lesson from the story:
This story teaches us the importance of living with love for everyone and not subjecting the weak to oppression. Additionally, it emphasizes that a country progresses where the citizens live happily.
