One interesting story is when Akbar asked Birbal to measure the length of a road without using any measuring tools. Birbal thought for a moment and then said, 'Your Majesty, I will count my steps as I walk along the road.' Akbar was impressed by his simple yet effective solution.
One moral is the value of intelligence. Birbal's quick thinking and clever solutions in the face of Akbar's challenges teach us to use our minds effectively. For example, in the story of making the line shorter without touching it, we learn to think creatively to solve problems.
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.
Once, Akbar and Birbal were taking a stroll in the palace gardens. Akbar noticed a group of parrots in a cage. He said to Birbal, 'Birbal, these parrots are so beautiful, but caged. Is it right to keep them like this?' Birbal replied, 'Your Majesty, just as these parrots are caged, many of your subjects feel caged by rules that are too strict or unfair.' Akbar was taken aback. He asked Birbal to suggest a solution. Birbal said, 'Your Majesty, just as we can open the cage and let the parrots fly freely, you can review the laws and make them more just and lenient so that your people can feel free and happy.' Akbar took Birbal's advice and made some changes in the laws, which made his people love him even more.
One famous Akbar Birbal story is about the 'Three Questions'. Akbar asked Birbal three very difficult questions. Birbal cleverly answered them all. For the first question about how many stars were in the sky, Birbal said as many as there were hairs on a sheep, which couldn't be counted. For the second question about how many men and women were in the world, he said there were as many as the number of hairs on two sheep, as it was impossible to distinguish exactly. And for the third question about what Akbar was thinking, Birbal said that Akbar thought he was a great king and that's why he asked such difficult questions. This shows Birbal's great wisdom.
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.
The Akbar and Birbal short stories also imply that wisdom is more powerful than brute force. Birbal didn't use any physical strength or coercion to achieve his goals. Instead, he relied on his intelligence, quick thinking, and understanding of human nature, like when he found the ring by outsmarting the thief.
One of the best Akbar Birbal stories is about the 'wise judgment'. A merchant and a poor man were arguing over a purse. Akbar asked Birbal to solve it. Birbal dipped his hand into the purse and said the merchant who claimed it was new must be lying as his hand got a coin with an old design. This shows Birbal's quick thinking.
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.
There are several authors who have written Akbar Birbal stories in Hindi. It's hard to pinpoint a single one as it varies depending on different collections and publications.