What is the story of Akbar and Birbal like?

Akbar regarded Birbal as an important part of his court. Birbal's role was not only to give advice but also to amuse Akbar with his clever stories and solutions. Their relationship was based on mutual respect, with Akbar relying on Birbal's wisdom to make better decisions in various matters.

Well, Birbal was a very intelligent courtier in Akbar's court. Akbar often tested Birbal's intelligence. One time, Akbar wanted to see if Birbal could really understand the minds of people. So he put a fish in a bowl and asked different courtiers what the fish was thinking. When it was Birbal's turn, he said the fish was missing its home which was the river. His answer was so unique and wise compared to others' silly guesses.

Perhaps the story where Akbar asks Birbal to define a fool. Birbal says a fool is someone who doesn't listen to good advice. Akbar then tests this by asking different people in the court for advice on a matter he already knew the answer to. Those who didn't listen to Birbal's advice were then considered fools, which shows Birbal's influence on Akbar's thinking.

There was a time when Akbar was feeling very sad. He called Birbal and said he wanted to see something that could make him laugh immediately. Birbal left and came back after some time with a man who was wearing a strange - looking hat made of pots and pans. The man was also making funny faces. Akbar couldn't help but laugh out loud at this sight. This shows Birbal's ability to understand Akbar's needs and come up with a quick solution.

The 'akbar birbal cock story' may have significance in terms of cultural and historical values. It gives us an insight into the life and times of Akbar's court. If the cock was a part of a story, perhaps it was used to symbolize something in that context. For example, it could symbolize a commoner or a simple aspect of life that still managed to get the attention of the emperor. And Birbal's handling of the situation related to it would show how the court dealt with all levels of matters, big or small.

A third story in Marathi tradition is about Akbar testing Birbal's wisdom regarding the most precious thing. Akbar assembled his courtiers and asked what was the most precious thing in the world. Courtiers gave various answers like gold, diamonds etc. But Birbal said 'Wisdom is the most precious thing'. Akbar was intrigued and asked why. Birbal said that with wisdom one can acquire all other things like gold and diamonds, but without wisdom, even if one has all the wealth, they may lose it due to bad decisions. This story highlights Birbal's profound understanding of values.

Another moral is the value of wisdom over brute strength or simple facts. In many stories, Birbal uses his wisdom to solve problems that seem impossible at first. For example, when he was asked to find the most precious thing, his answer was not a material object but the intangible concept of friendship which is of great value. It teaches us to look beyond the obvious and find deeper meanings.

I like the story where Akbar asks Birbal to draw a line which makes the shorter line longer without touching it. Birbal simply drew a longer line next to it, making the first one seem shorter in comparison. It shows Birbal's quick thinking and cleverness in a really humorous way.

Once, Akbar got angry with his courtiers for some minor mistake. He wanted to punish them severely. Birbal came forward and said, 'Your Majesty, if you cut the branches of the tree (the courtiers), the tree (the kingdom) will not be able to grow properly. Forgive them and guide them instead.' Akbar, after thinking for a while, followed Birbal's advice and the courtiers were very grateful to Birbal for saving them.

The most famous one might be the story about weighing the elephant. Akbar got an elephant as a gift and wanted to know its weight. His wise men were clueless. But Birbal had a brilliant idea. He got a boat, made the elephant stand in it and marked the water level. Then he removed the elephant and filled the boat with stones until the water reached the same mark. Then they weighed the stones and that was the weight of the elephant.