Birbal's Journey to Heaven

Emperor Akbar's favorite person was the intelligent Birbal. The court's barber was jealous of Birbal and once plotted to kill him. Akbar once summoned the barber for his services. 

"Your Majesty, last night I met your father, Emperor Humayun, in a dream," said the barber as he was trimming Akbar's beard.

"Okay, what did he tell you?" asked the Emperor, displaying curiosity. 

"Your Majesty, he told me everything is great in Heaven," said the barber. "But he feels that he would be happier if he had a humorous person with him."

Akbar was worried. He had only one person, Birbal, who could complete this task. There was only one way to Heaven, and that was through death. For a second, the Emperor had difficulty sending a person to Heaven in such a way, but when he thought of his father, he made up his mind. 

"I think, Birbal, you show me a lot of love, and you would sacrifice anything for me," said Akbar. 

"Indeed, Your Majesty! You know I can do this," replied Birbal. 

"Then, Birbal, go to Heaven and stay with my father," said Akbar.

Birbal understood that this was someone's plot to kill him. 

"I will do as you say," he politely told the Emperor, "but to prepare myself for going to Heaven, I will need a few days." 

"Okay, I will give you a week for your preparations," said Akbar. 

Birbal returned home and thought about the matter carefully. He found out that the royal barber had given Akbar this idea. The barber had devised this plot to kill Birbal, and apparently, there was no way out. Nevertheless, Birbal found a way out. He dug a pit near his house and created an underground tunnel that led into his home. After this, he returned to court. 

"Your Majesty! Now I am ready, but I have two conditions," Birbal told Akbar. 

Akbar was so overjoyed that he said he was prepared to accept any of Birbal's conditions. 

"Tell me your conditions," he said. "I will try to fulfill them so you may go to Heaven and quickly start living with my father." 

"I wish to be buried near my house," said Birbal. "I also wish to be buried alive, so I reach Heaven alive." 

Akbar accepted the conditions. Birbal was buried alive near his house. He immediately went inside his home through the underground tunnel and hid there for six months. Six months later, he came out with long hair and a bushy beard and went to the royal court. 

"Birbal, how are you now?" greeted the Emperor.

"Your Majesty, I was in Heaven with your father," replied Birbal. "My days were spent well with him. He was so pleased with my service that he gave me special permission to return to Earth."

"Has he sent any message for me?" Akbar was eager to know. 

"Yes, Your Majesty!" said Birbal. "Few barbers reach Heaven, as you can guess by my hair and beard. So he has asked you to send your barber to Heaven immediately." 

Akbar understood everything. He rewarded Birbal and sentenced the barber to death.