Birbal's Rice Meal

Akbar's city of Fatehpur Sikri used to get frigid during the winter. So, the Emperor issued a challenge: He would give a thousand gold coins to anyone who spent a night in the lake outside the palace.

For a few days, no one took up the challenge. Then, one day, a weak and frail-looking Brahmin came to Akbar's court to take up the challenge. The Emperor was reluctant to allow the Brahmin to participate due to the latter's ill health.

"I am destitute and have a family to feed," maintained the insistent Brahmin.

Akbar finally agreed to let the Brahmin participate. The latter spent a night in the icy-cold lake and made it to the next morning. Akbar was glad to see that the man survived and thus completed the challenge. He quizzed the Brahmin about how the night went.

"I was freezing," said the Brahmin, "but I kept looking at the lamps in the palace's tower. That is how I spent the night."

"Then the light from the lamps kept you warm throughout the night," replied Akbar. "This is cheating, so you will not receive any gold coins."

The poor man dared not argue with the Emperor and went home empty-handed.

When Birbal learned of this incident, he organized a small feast at home. He invited the Emperor and a few other ministers. The guests were kept hungry for a long time. When Akbar inquired about the delay, Birbal took him to where he was cooking the rice meal. The pot was hanging on a high tree branch, and a fire was on the ground! Akbar was flabbergasted.

"Do you seriously expect that rice meal to be cooked in a finite amount of time?" the Emperor asked.

"If a lamp a kilometer away can keep a man warm," asked Birbal, "why can't a fire cook food a few meters away?"

Akbar realized he had been unjust to the Brahmin and gave him the thousand gold coins he rightly earned.