It was the afternoon, and Emperor Akbar was contemplating something in his court. Suddenly, he remembered a saying that Birbal had once shared with him. The saying went something like this – “To lie down after eating and to run away after beating are signs of a clever person.”
The emperor thought, “It’s afternoon, and surely Birbal must be preparing to rest after lunch. Let’s prove him wrong today.” With this in mind, he ordered a servant to convey a message to Birbal, requesting his presence in the court immediately.
Birbal, who was just about to rest after his meal, quickly understood the emperor’s intention behind the message. He told the servant, “Wait for a moment. I will change into fresh clothes and accompany you.”
Inside, Birbal chose a tight-fitting pair of trousers. As the trousers were tight, he had to lie down on the bed to put them on. Pretending to take some time to change, he lay on the bed for a while and then proceeded to the court with the servant.
In the court, Emperor Akbar was observing Birbal’s arrival. He asked, “Why, Birbal, did you lie down after eating today or not?” Birbal replied, “Yes, Your Majesty. I did lie down for a while.” Hearing this, the emperor became furious. He questioned Birbal, “Does that mean you defied my order? Why didn’t you come before me immediately? For this, I will punish you.”
Birbal promptly responded, “Your Majesty, it’s true that I rested for a while, but I did not disregard your order. If you doubt me, you can ask the servant about it. However, it’s a different matter that I had to lie down on the bed to put on this tight pair of trousers.”
Upon hearing Birbal’s explanation, Emperor Akbar couldn’t help but burst into laughter. He dismissed Birbal from the court with a smile.
The moral of the story is that by considering the circumstances and taking a step thoughtfully, we can avoid many difficulties.
