What are some of the most famous Akbar and Birbal stories?

A well - known story is when Akbar asked Birbal to count the stars in the sky. Birbal replied that he would do so if Akbar could first provide him with a large piece of paper as big as the sky to write down the count. This showed his ability to turn a difficult question back on the asker in a humorous way.

A well - known story is about a haunted well. People said a ghost lived in it. Akbar sent Birbal. Birbal dropped a stone in the well and then said that the 'ghost' must have run away because of the noise. In fact, he just showed that there was no real ghost but just superstition.

One famous story is when Akbar asked Birbal to build a palace in the air. Birbal didn't seem fazed. He told the king that it would be done but he needed some time. After a while, he told Akbar that the palace was ready but only people who had no greed in their hearts could see it. Akbar, realizing his own greed at times, understood Birbal's point.

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.

Another very famous story is when Akbar challenges Birbal to spend all the money he gives in one day but also bring back all the items bought at the end of the day. Birbal buys candles with the money. At night, he lights up the whole city with the candles. People are so happy that they give him many gifts. He returns to Akbar with the gifts which he claims are the items bought with the money. This story is popular as it shows Birbal's resourcefulness.

One well - known story is when Akbar asked Birbal to measure the length of a river. Birbal took a stick and made a mark on it at the water level at one bank. Then he walked to the other bank and again made a mark on the stick where the water reached. He said the length between the two marks was the length of the river. Akbar was impressed by this simple yet smart solution.

Probably the story where Akbar drew a line on the floor and asked Birbal to make it shorter without erasing any part of it. Birbal simply drew a longer line beside it, making the first line seem shorter.

A well - known story is about Akbar and Birbal going for a walk in the garden. Akbar asked Birbal what made a man truly happy. Birbal told a story of a poor man who was content with his simple life. He said that true happiness doesn't come from wealth but from within. This story was often told as a bedtime story as it had a moral lesson. The story was so engaging that it made Akbar think deeply and also made it a great story to end the day with.

Well, there's a story where Akbar asked Birbal to draw a line on the floor and make it shorter without erasing it. Birbal simply drew a longer line next to it. This shows Birbal's cleverness. It was a simple yet brilliant solution to Akbar's tricky question.

One more popular story is about Akbar and Birbal's discussion on honesty. Akbar said that all men were liars. Birbal said that he could prove him wrong. He told Akbar that he would go underwater and stay there for as long as he could hold his breath. And when he came out, he would either tell the truth or a lie. Birbal went underwater, and when he came out, he said that he saw the most beautiful mermaids underwater. Akbar said that was a lie. Birbal then said that if he was lying, then not all men were liars as Akbar had claimed.