Birbal's Rice

It was one of the coldest days of winter. One day Emperor Akbar said: "I will give a thousand gold coins to anyone who can stand all night in the icy water of the lake." A poor man decided to try, to help his family. He stood shivering in the water all night long. In the morning he came to the palace to ask for his reward.

Akbar asked: "How did you last the whole night?" The man told him honestly: "Far away, on top of the palace wall, a lamp was burning. I fixed my eyes on it and kept going by thinking about it."

One of the courtiers jumped in at once: "So you were warmed by the heat of the lamp! Then you cheated." Akbar was taken in by these words and refused to give the man his reward. The man left the palace, sad and disappointed.

When Birbal heard about this, he was very upset, but he said nothing. The next day he did not come to the palace. Akbar sent a message: "Why doesn't Birbal come?" Birbal's answer came back: "I'll come when my rice is cooked."

Hours went by, and still Birbal did not come. Akbar grew curious and went to Birbal's house himself. And what did he see? In the garden Birbal had set up a tall pole and hung the cooking pot at the very top of it. Down below, on the ground, a tiny fire was burning.

Akbar laughed: "Birbal, how can that fire reach the pot? This rice will never cook!" Birbal answered seriously: "Your Majesty, if that man could be warmed by a lamp far away, then surely my rice can be cooked by this fire."

Akbar was silent for a moment; then he understood his mistake. At once he sent for the poor man, gave him his thousand gold coins and apologised to him.

This tale tells us: sometimes injustice is noticed with a smile. Being fair means knowing how to admit a mistake and put it right.