Once, Emperor Akbar took Birbal with him on a hunting expedition. Along with them were a section of the army and some attendants. After a few days of hunting, Akbar decided to return. On the way, he noticed a village and expressed a desire to know more about it.
Turning to Birbal, Akbar asked if he knew anything about the village. “I also have no knowledge about this village, Your Majesty. I have come to this part of your kingdom for the first time. If you want to know about this place, I can inquire,” replied Birbal.
At that moment, Birbal noticed a man nearby. He called him over and asked, “Brother, are you a resident of this village? If yes, please tell me everything about this place. Is everything going well here?”
The man, in the midst of answering, realized that the emperor was present. He assured them that everything was going well in the village.
Akbar then inquired, “What is your name?”
The man replied, “My name is Ganga.”
The emperor continued, “Father’s name?”
The reply came, “Jamuna.”
Akbar humorously remarked, “Then surely your mother’s name must be Saraswati?”
The man said, “No, Your Highness! My mother’s name is Narmada.”
Hearing this exchange, Birbal couldn’t contain his laughter and jokingly said, “Emperor, it is not advisable to proceed further from here. There are many rivers, and since you don’t have a boat, it would be inappropriate to go ahead. To proceed, one must have a boat. Otherwise, there is a risk of drowning, and if you stay here too long, everything might get washed away.”
Upon hearing Birbal’s words, both Akbar and the man burst into laughter.
Taking the jest in good spirits, the man also laughed and went on his way.
Moral of the story:
The story teaches us that it is not necessary to be serious all the time; laughter and humor are essential aspects of life.
