Years ago, when kings used to send messages along with puzzles to each other, there was a messenger from a king who, during the winter season, arrived one day at the court of Emperor Akbar of the Mughal Empire. He had brought with him a cage containing a lioness for a puzzle. The king had also sent a message along with the puzzle. The message stated whether there was anyone in the Mughal Empire who could take out the lioness from the cage without touching the lioness. It further mentioned that only one person would get a chance to attempt this task.
Akbar became quite perplexed. He thought that if they couldn’t take out the lioness from the cage without touching her, the reputation of the Mughal Empire would be tarnished. Everyone in the court was engrossed in thinking about how it could be possible.
 When Akbar asked if anyone had a solution, no one answered. Frustrated, Akbar immediately sent for his wise minister Birbal, who was unfortunately not present in the court due to some official work outside the kingdom.
Throughout the night, Akbar pondered over how the puzzle could be solved. The next day, the court was convened again, but Birbal’s chair remained vacant, making Akbar even more despondent. The emperor ordered his attendants to bring Birbal back to the court. Meanwhile, the attempts to solve the puzzle continued, but all in vain.
By the time night fell, Birbal had returned to the kingdom. Seeing Akbar’s distress, Birbal asked, “What is the matter, Your Majesty? Why do you seem so troubled?” Akbar explained everything, showing him the lioness in the cage and the accompanying puzzle.
Birbal thought for a moment and then suggested that they needed two molten iron rods and a tong. Akbar immediately arranged for the iron rods and the tong. As soon as Birbal got the molten iron rod, he touched it to the cage without touching the lioness, and the lioness, thinking it was hot, started melting. As she melted, Birbal skillfully molded her into a wax lioness and placed it next to the cage.
Akbar was delighted, and he asked Birbal, “How did you figure this out?” Birbal humbly replied, “Your Majesty, I just needed to closely observe the lioness. When I learned about the puzzle, I suspected that the lioness might be made of wax. The king did not specify how to take the lioness out, so I used the hot iron rod to melt her and reform her outside the cage.”
The news of Birbal’s intelligence spread throughout the court, and everyone praised him. The king of the neighboring kingdom, who had sent the lioness, returned to his kingdom, impressed by Birbal’s ingenuity. It is said that from that day onwards, kings stopped sending such puzzles.
Moral of the Wax Lioness Story:
Intelligence can make everything possible. Instead of relying on force, one should use their intellect to find solutions. Every problem can be solved with a thoughtful approach.
