Top 15 Akbar Birbal Stories in English
Akbar Birbal Stories in English
The best of Akbar Birbal stories collection – stories of Akbar and Birbal have fascinated children from generations. Akbar would challenge his loyal courtier Birbal, and Birbal would not only solve them in a funny and easy manner but would also bring a smile to his face as well as teach the children some valuable life lessons. Lokhindi shares some of the top 15 Akbar Birbal Stories in English for kids.
|Birbal And The Shah
Persia was a country far away from Agra. People who had been to Agra, told the Shah of Persia, many stories about the great Emperor Akbar and his minister, Birbal.
They all praised the witty and clever Birbal and his ever-ready answers.
The Shah of Persia was eager to meet Birbal and test him to see if he was clever.
Birbal And The Shah – Akbar Birbal Story
So the Shah sent a man to invite Birbal to Persia.
As Persia was far from Agra, the messenger took many months to reach Akbar’s court. On reaching, he conveyed the Shah’s invitation to Birbal.
Birbal took permission from Emperor Akbar and set off for Persia along with the messenger.
They reached Persia after a long journey and Birbal was asked to take some rest. The next day he was invited to meet the Shah.
In court, he saw a strange scene.
There were five people dressed in similar clothes, all like kings. They all sat on the same kind of thrones and they all behaved in the same manner.
The man with Birbal said, “Go and meet the Shah of Persia.”
Birbal knew that he had to bow before the Shah and offer his respects but he had never seen the Shah before. How could he recognize the Shah as all the five men were dressed alike?
Birbal looked at the five men sitting on the thrones, from right to left and then left to right, again and again.
Then he went in front of one of them and greeted, “Oh! Great Shah of Persia! Emperor Akbar sends his regards and gifts for you Your Highness. Have I guessed correctly that out of the five, you are the Shah of Persia?” 
“Yes Birbal, you have guessed correctly. I did this to test you. You are clever. I am the real Shah of Persia. Welcome to Persia. But tell me how did you recognize me?”
Birbal smiled and said, “Your Majesty.
It was quite simple. When I was looking at you, all these other four men looked at you to see your reaction as the subjects always look up to their king for everything. They looked at you wondering as to what you were thinking. But you were not looking at them. You were looking straight at me. So I knew that you are the real Shah of Persia.”
“Birbal, you are very clever,” said the Shah of Persia.”I am so glad to meet you. Now I know why everyone always praises you. Well done Birbal.”
The Shah of Persia then honored Birbal with the title,’Ocean of Intelligence’, for being so clever and also presented him many gifts when Birbal returned to Akbar’s court.
*Under Fire*
The clever and kind Birbal was liked a lot by most of the people in Akbar’s court. But he also had some enemies. Two jealous courtiers Went to the royal barber and said, “We have a plan. If you help us, we will give you a lot of money.”
The barber was a greedy man so he agreed to do what the two men wanted.
Under Fire – Akbar Birbal Stories
The next day, the barber went to Emperor Akbar as planned.
He said to Akbar, “Your Majesty, wonder how your ancestors are. Don’t you ever worry about them? They must be angry with you for not thinking about them.
“My ancestors are dead and in heaven and I am alive. How can I find out how they are?” asked Akbar.
The barber said, “Your Majesty, you can send someone from here to find out about their well being.”
“But how can I send anyone to heaven?” asked Akbar.
The barber said, “Your Majesty, get a thousand bundles of hay piled up in an open field. Then a person can stand on the pile of hay and the hay be set on fire. The man will go straight to heaven with the smoke.”
“But whom can I send?” asked Akbar, beginning to sense something fishy.
“Birbal of course, Your Majesty. He is the cleverest of us all and will do the best job,” said the barber.
Akbar knew that Birbal had some enemies but he trusted Birbal to find a solution to this problem too.
So Akbar called Birbal to the court and said, “Birbal, you have to go to heaven to see if my ancestors need anything.”
Birbal said, “This is an excellent idea. You have thought well, Your Majesty.”
“No Birbal, this is the idea of my clever barber,” said Akbar. 
Birbal understood and decided to teach the barber lesson.
Birbal said, “Your Majesty, I will certainly go to heaven. But could I go after some days because I have a few important matters to settle?”
“Sure Birbal. You finish your work and go after a week,” said Akbar.
Akbar ordered for a thousand bundles of hay to be collected on a field, which would be burnt to send Birbal to heaven. Akbar chose a field which was near Birbal’s house.
Birbal asked some trusted men to dig a secret tunnel under the ground from the place where the hay was kept to his house, within seven days.
On the fixed day, people gathered to see Birbal go to heaven.
Birbal went and stood on the pile of hay. As the hay was put on fire, Birbal quickly slipped into the tunnel under the hay and ran home safely.
For six months, he hid in his house and did not meet anyone. He let his hair and beard grow.
His enemies rejoiced for they were happy to get rid of the clever Birbal.
After six months, Birbal left his house and went to the Emperor’s court.
Akbar was very happy to have Birbal back safe and sound.
He welcomed Birbal and said, “How nice that you could go to heaven. Did you meet my ancestors?”
“Yes I did, Your Majesty,” said Birbal.
“Tell me, how are they all? Are they comfortable in heaven?” asked Akbar.
“Yes, Your Majesty. They are really happy there and have no problems, except one,” said Birbal.
“What is that? I will see to it that their problem is solved immediately,” said Akbar.
“My Lord, there is no barber in heaven. All your ancestors want you to do something about it,” said Birbal.
“What do they want?” asked Akbar.
“They want a barber to be sent to cut their hair and give them a shave,” said Birbal.
“But whom can I send?” asked Akbar.
Birbal said, “Your Majesty, your barber would be the best to send.”
Akbar ordered the royal barber to be burnt with hay just as Birbal.
The scared barber fell at Akbar’s feet crying, “Mercy, Your Majesty. Don’t burn me. I will die.”
Birbal said, “No, you won’t die. See I have come back from heaven.”
The barber said, “I don’t know how you came back but I will certainly be burnt to death. My Lord, I was forced to do this by Birbal’s enemies.”
Akbar was very angry and said, “No one can force a person to do anything bad. I think you just did all this for money.”
Akbar then punished the two courtiers and the barber. The whole court applauded Birbal for his clever thinking.
*A Search For Birbal*
One day, Emperor Akbar got angry with Birbal over something and told him to leave his court and never come back.
Birbal went home thinking, “The Emperor is angry with me. If I stay here or in my country house, he might give me a heavier punishment.”
A Search For Birbal Story
Birbal decided to hide in an unknown place for some time so that the Emperor would start missing him.
Soon after, Akbar began to miss Birbal because, with the clever Birbal around, he could talk about interesting things.
So he ordered that Birbal should be called back to the court. But Birbal was not to be found anywhere.
Akbar became very worried. He also got quite bored and wanted Birbal to come back to make his life more interesting and lively.
Akbar thought, “Where can Birbal go? He must be hiding in some far off village.”
So one day, he thought of a plan to get Birbal back. He called all his messengers and told them to go to all the village chiefs around Agra and tell them to reach Agra within fifteen days.
Akbar said, “But tell all the chiefs that on the way to Agra, they have to walk partly in the sun and partly in the shade.”
The chiefs found the order strange but none could defy the king’s orders.
After a few days, Akbar saw the chiefs walking into the courtyard towards the court. Some of the chiefs had a piece of cloth on their heads. Some were trying to walk half in. The sun and a half in the shade formed by pillars.
But one man was carrying a cot, with his hands holding it over his head. It was a cot woven with jute ropes. 
So wherever there were ropes, there was shade and through the gaps, the sun was shining on the man. It was half shade and half sunny under the cot.
Akbar asked his courtiers to bring that man to him.
Akbar said, “Very good, my man. You win. But tell me, who gave you this idea or you will be punished?”
The man said, “My Lord! The man is a friend’s friend and has recently come to stay with him.”
Akbar knew that Birbal was the only one who could have thought of this.
Akbar said,’Tell that stranger to come and see me at once. By the way, what is the stranger’s name?”
The village chief said, “His name is Birbal but he won’t come. He was saying that you are angry with him.”
“I have pardoned Birbal and I am no longer angry with him. Tell him that he must come back at once to Agra. I am waiting for him to come back to the court as soon as possible,” said Akbar.
When the village chief reached his village, he told Birbal what the Emperor had said. Birbal was happy to know that Akbar was no longer angry with him.
When Birbal came back to Agra, Akbar welcomed Birbal and said, “Birbal, see I have got you out of your hiding. This time was cleverer than you.”
*All For A Parrot*
Ali came running to the house of Birbal. He was a servant who worked for the Emperor and he looked very worried.
He shouted, “Birbal, My Lord, please save me or the Emperor will have me killed. Oh! Please save me, Sir!”
All For A parrot – Akbar Birbal Stories
Birbal said, “Ali, tell me what is the problem and I will try to help you.”
The servant said, “Some time back, a holy man had gifted a parrot to the Emperor. The Emperor entrusted me with looking after the parrot. He had warned that anyone who informed him about the parrot’s death would be sentenced to death. Alas! the parrot is dead.”
“How did it die?” asked Birbal.
Ali said, ” I don’t know, Sir. I looked after it very well but when I got up in the morning, it was already dead.”
Birbal promised, “Ali, I will see to it that you are not hanged for this.”
Birbal went to Akbar and said, “Your Majesty, do you remember the parrot a holy man had given you?”
Akbar said, “Of course, Birbal. I do remember. I told my trusted servant, Ali to look after the parrot. But why are you asking me about the parrot?”
Birbal said, “Oh! Your Majesty. That parrot is great. It is holy too.”
Surprised, Akbar asked, “Birbal, how can a parrot be holy and great?”
Birbal said, “Yes, My Lord, The parrot is lying in a state of meditation. It is thinking and not doing anything else.”
Akbar said, “I want to see that parrot at once.”They all walked to Ali’s house where the parrot was lying motionless.
Akbar looked at it and said, “What foolishness is this Birbal? The parrot is not thinking. It is dead, isn’t it?” 
Birbal bowed, “Please forgive me for this, My Lord. I had seen that the parrot was dead but I was afraid.”
Akbar said, “Birbal! Afraid! Why?”
Birbal said, “My Lord. You had said that the person who gave the news of the parrot’s death would be sentenced to death. I did this just to save my life. Ali was also very frightened.”
Akbar said, “Now I remember what I had said. Don’t worry. Nobody will be sentenced to death for this. Call Ali.”
Ali came and bowed in front of Akbar saying, “My Lord. I looked after the parrot well. I don’t know how it died. I am very sorry but please trust me.”
Akbar forgave him saying, “Ali, it does not matter. The parrot must have died a natural death. I know that I can trust you.”
When Ali found Birbal alone, Ali said, “Oh, My Lord! Thank you so much. You have saved my life. Only you could have saved me. You are so clever and intelligent. God bless you, Sir.”
*A Mother’s Beautiful Child*
Akbar once said to his courtiers, “I think that my grandson, Khurram is a beautiful child. What do you all think?”
The courtiers wanted to please Akbar, so they all said, “Your Highness, Prince Khurram is the most beautiful child.”
Birbal kept sitting quietly.
Akbar asked him, “What is the matter Birbal? You don’t seem to agree with me and the others in the court. Don’t you find my Khurram to be the most beautiful child?”
Birbal stood up and bowed before Akbar and said, “I think it is very difficult to test what is beautiful and what is not. There is no real test for beauty.”
Akbar felt bad and said, “No Birbal, do not agree with you. A rose is beautiful and a crow ugly to all.”
Wanting to prove Birbal wrong, Akbar then said to all the courtiers, “I order each of you to bring a child each to find the most beautiful child of all.”
A Mother’s Beautiful Child – Akbar Birbal Stories
The next day, all the courtiers, except Birbal, brought a child each.
After looking at all the children, Akbar said, “I still think that my grandson, Khurram is the best looking.”
Akbar asked Birbal, “Why have you not brought a child, Birbal?”
“I could not find any child who was perfect,” said Birbal.
Akbar asked, “Birbal, you still don’t agree that my Khurram is the most handsome out of all the children?”
“Please give me some time. I will have to search for one,” said Birbal.
“As you wish, Birbal,” Akbar replied.
The next day, Birbal said, “Your Majesty, I have at last found the most beautiful child in Agra, but the mother will not let the child come here because she loves the child a lot.”
Akbar said, “We will go to her house and see the child there.”
Akbar ordered the courtiers to accompany him to see the child. Everyone quickly got ready to leave, for they all were eager to see the most beautiful child, as Birbal had claimed. Then they started walking, with Birbal leading the way.
They soon reached the slums where the poor people lived.
Then Birbal stopped and said, “This is where the child lives. We will wait here for some time.”
In a short while, a child crawled out from a hut. The courtiers looked at Birbal with surprise because the child was not beautiful at all. Rather the child was the ugliest of all the children the courtiers had brought, and this made Akbar angry.
Akbar shouted, “Birbal! What kind of a joke is this? The child is ugly.”
Birbal replied patiently, “Just wait a While, Please.”
They kept standing for some time watching the child playing. Suddenly, the child fell and started crying.
A woman came running out of the hut and said, “Oh my dear child, my poor darling, are you hurt?”
The child continued crying and the woman spoke to the child, “Hush, my beautiful Child. Don’t cry. You are the apple of my eye. No one is as lovely as you are. I love you more than anything else.”
A courtier exclaimed, “Oh Lord! How can she call this ugly child beautiful?”
The mother of the child heard this and she shouted, “Are you speaking about my child?”
The courtier replied “We are speaking the truth. Your child is ugly.”
The mother screamed, “How dare you talk about my child like this?”
“Go and search for the whole world and you will not find a child more beautiful than mine. Go away from here and dare not speak like that about my child.”
Akbar indicated his courtiers to leave, He turned to Birbal and said, “You have proved your point, Birbal. You have proved that everyone thinks that their child is the most beautiful.”
Birbal smiled and said, “Not only child, Your Majesty, even grandchild!”
Akbar started laughing and said, “Birbal you are right. I find Khurram to be the most beautiful for he is my own. Every parent finds his child to be the most beautiful.”
*The Root Of The Problem*
People trusted Birbal so they often came to him with their problems. One day, a man came running up to Birbal and fell at his feet saying, “Sir, someone has stolen all my money.”
Birbal saw how upset the poor man was but he asked, “You are wearing dirty clothes. You look poor, then how can you have money?”
The man said, “Sir, I work very hard in the gardens of the Emperor so that I can save money for my old age, as I have no one to look after me. I had saved a thousand gold coins but someone has stolen them. I am ruined.”
“First. Tell me where the money was kept, “asked Birbal.
The Root of the Problem – Akbar Birbal Stories
“As I work in the gardens of the king, I dug a hole under a pear tree and kept all my money there. But all of it is gone,” said the gardener, and started crying.
“Crying will not help you. Stop crying and let me think, “said Birbal.
Birbal thought, “The money was in the hole under a pear tree. Who would dig up over there?”
Suddenly, things were clear in Birbal’s mind and he said to the gardener, “Go home. I will soon get your money back. But be careful next time and don’t keep the money in such an unsafe place. I won’t help you if you act so carelessly again.”
Birbal summoned all the doctors of the city and asked them about the benefits of the pear tree. He finally asked them, “Does the pear tree help in making any medicines?”
They said, “No. ”
But one doctor replied, “The fruits and leaves do not help us but the roots have medicinal value.”
Birbal asked, “Have you used the roots of the pear tree for any medicine?”
The doctor replied, “Yes, My. Lord. Just a few days back, I made a medicine from the roots of the pear tree. It cured a patient of mine who was very ill.”
“Who was that man whom you cured? Go and fetch him,” ordered Birbal.
The man came and Birbal asked, “Has this doctor been treating you?”
“Yes Sir, and I am well because of the wonderful medicine he made from the roots of the pear tree, “said the man.
“From where did you get the roots for the medicine?” asked Birbal.
“I sent my servant to get it, Sir, “said the man. So Birbal ordered him to get the servant. The man left at once and came back with the servant.
Birbal asked, “So you helped to cure your master?”
“Yes, Sir. l brought the roots of the pear tree for the medicine, “said the servant.
“Where was the tree?” asked Birbal.
“In the king’s garden,” said the man.
“Give me a thousand coins at once that you found while digging for the roots under the pear tree,” said Birbal.
The scared servant said, “Yes, Sir. I will give it back. I have stolen the bag of gold coins and that was a wrong thing to do. Please pardon me.”
“Go get the money, then you will not be punished. You had stolen the money and that was wrong. Since you have confessed, I forgive you.”
The servant ran to get the money and soon gave the bag of thousand gold coins to Birbal.
Then Birbal gave five gold coins to the servant and said, “You can keep these coins for speaking the truth.”
The servant fell at Birbal’s feet and said, “Thank you so much, My Lord. I promise never to steal again.”
Birbal then said to the gardener, “Take your money. I have taken out five gold coins because you were stupid enough to keep your money in an unsafe place. Be careful in the future.”
*Akbar And His Empress*
One day Akbar got angry with his Empress and ordered her to leave his palace immediately.
Akbar and his Empress – Akbar Birbal Stories
The Empress tried to speak, but Akbar would not listen. “Go away. You may, however, take with you, whatever is dear to you but leave my palace now.”
The Empress was very upset and did not know what to do. Then she thought of Birbal and had him called. When Birbal came, she told him all that had happened.
Birbal said, “The Emperor said that you could take what was dear to you. Is that right, Your Highness?”
“Yes,” said the Empress.
Birbal told his plan to the Empress and went away. The Empress told her maids to pack her clothes.
When the packing was done, she asked her maid to tell Akbar to come and meet her as she was going. Akbar came and stood silently. He was still angry and would not speak with her.
The Empress said, “Don’t talk if you don’t want to, but have this juice.”
Birbal had asked the Empress to put a sleeping pill in the juice. Akbar felt drowsy after drinking it and fell asleep.
Birbal had planned everything already. The sleeping Emperor was carefully carried to a palanquin.
With the sleeping Emperor in the palanquin, the Empress left with her bodyguards for her father’s house.
When they reached her father’s house, He was very surprised but glad to have them come to stay with him, Akbar was carried to a room and laid on a bed.
Her father was worried to see the sleeping Akbar being carried to bed, but the Empress said, “Don’t worry, Father. He will wake up in an hour. ”
When Akbar woke up, he was shocked to see where he was. Angrily, he shouted at his wife, who was standing nearby, “How did I come here?”
The Empress said, “Don’t be angry, Your Majesty, but I was just obeying your orders.”
Akbar said, “What do you mean?”
His wife said, “When you asked me to leave the palace, you had said that I could take with me whatever was dear to me. Well, you are the dearest of all to me, so I brought you with me.”
Forgetting his anger, Akbar burst out laughing.
He said, “You are very clever, my dear wife.”
“No. This was Birbal’s clever thinking,” confessed the Empress.
Akbar said, “Birbal! I Should have known. We are so lucky to have him. His clever thinking got us together. God bless him.
Akbar Birbal Stories For Kids in English
*The Obedient Husbands*
One day Akbar and Birbal were roaming the streets of Agra, dressed like common men. Akbar would often roam the streets in a disguise to see if the people in his kingdom were happy or not and if they had any problems.
The Obedient Husbands – Akbar Birbal Stories
As they were walking along, they heard a woman shouting at her husband, “You are good for nothing. Go away and come back only when you have proved your worth.”
Akbar and Birbal saw that the wife was short and thin but the husband was tall and strong. Yet the husband was quietly listening to his wife’s scolding.
Akbar asked, “Why doesn’t the husband shout back at his wife?”
Birbal said, “The husband has to listen without shouting back. This is nothing new, My Lord. Please believe me. Every husband listens to his wife. This is the real truth of marriage.”
The next day when the courtiers came into the court, Akbar told them, “All the married men come in front and all those, who are not married, stay behind.”
All the married men stepped forward.
Akbar then said, “All right. Now all the husbands who listen to their wives should step to my right. Those who don’t obey their wives should step to my left.”
Akbar was shocked when all, but one man moved towards their right. It meant that Birbal was right.
Akbar said, “Birbal, you were wrong.”
Birbal replied, “Your Majesty, let me first ask this man a question. Why did you not join the others?”
“Sir, I was about to go with the others and then I remembered that my wife had told me not to go with the crowd. So stay away from the crowd.”
Everyone burst out laughing and Akbar said, “So you listen to your wife too. All right, I believe you, Birbal. You have again proved that you are right. All husbands do listen to their wives.”
*Blind Eyes*
The Empress came to her husband, Emperor Akbar and said, “My Lord, I want to donate charity to every blind person in the city.”
Akbar ordered for a list of all the blind men in the city to be made. The list was prepared within a day and given to Akbar,
Akbar said, “I think the courtiers could prepare the list so soon because there are very few blind people in our city.”
Birbal said, “But, Your Majesty, I have to say one thing. More than the blind people, many people have eyesight, yet cannot see.”
Akbar did not believe him, so Birbal said, “I will prove myself right in a few days.”
After some days, Birbal sat on the roadside stringing jute ropes on a cot.
Two men, passing by, asked him, “What are you doing, Birbal?”
Blind Eyes – Akbar Birbal Stories
Birbal had a clerk standing next to him, He said, “Start writing one, two.”
The clerk wrote as asked. As Birbal continued stringing the cot, more people asked, “What are you doing?” and Birbal continued his counting, “Eighty-one, eighty-two, eighty-three.”
Soon this news reached the palace and Akbar too came to see for himself, what Birbal was up to.
Akbar saw Birbal stringing the cot.
He could not understand why Birbal was doing this, so he also asked, “Birbal, what are you doing?”
Birbal did not look at Akbar. He went on stringing the cot and spoke out, “Two hundred and fifty.”
Birbal stopped stringing the cot and took the paper with the numbers from the clerk and gave it to Akbar saying, “Your Highness, I had promised that I will give you the list of people who had eyes but could not see. Here are two hundred and fifty names of such people. Please see it. Each of these people could see me stringing the jute in broad daylight, yet asked me what I was doing.”
Akbar said “That is good. I am convinced now. Let me see the list.”
Akbar went through the list as everyone stood silently. Then Akbar suddenly shouted, “Birbal, why have you written my name here?”
Birbal smiled and said, “Your Majesty. You were the last one to come and ask me what I was doing.”
Akbar laughed saying, “Very true, Birbal. I did ask you that question.”
*Gifts Of God*
One day when Birbal came late to the court, everyone turned towards him and started laughing. He could make out that they had been making fun of him.
Gifts of God – Akbar Birbal Stories
Akbar said, “Birbal, we were discussing that all of us are fair, then why is it that you have darker skin?”
Birbal replied, “That’s true, My Lord. There is a secret behind this which no one knows.”
Then Akbar said angrily, “Birbal, have you kept a secret from me, even you, Emperor? I order you to tell it to me.”
Birbal replied politely, “I will do as you say, Your Majesty. I will have to tell you about something from the past.”
Akbar said, “Tell us. We want to know.” All the courtiers agreed.
Then Birbal explained, “God created the world. God felt something was amiss, so he made plants, birds, and animals.”
Akbar said, “That is no secret.”
Birbal said, “But still God was not happy, so God made the man. Then He felt happy and thought of bestowing gifts upon all of us.”
Akbar asked, “What gins, Birbal?”
Birbal replied, “God threw money, looks, and brains down on the earth. He gave five minutes to all to pick up as many gifts as they could.”
Then Akbar asked “So? What happened then?”
“My secret is that I spent all the five minutes in gathering wit and cleverness, and did not have time for the other two. But all of you were busy picking up looks and money. This is my secret.”
Many courtiers felt bad because they knew that Birbal had in a way said that they were not clever. But Akbar laughed loudly, appreciating Birbal’s clever reply.
*A-List OF Fools*
Birbal was once ordered by Akbar to prepare a list of fools in the city of Agra.
Birbal went around the city looking for people and adding their names to his list of fools, wherever and whenever he saw them doing something foolish.
Meanwhile, a man came to the court to sell a horse to Akbar. Akbar was highly impressed with the fine horse.
The man said, “My Lord, I have a hundred such horses to sell. If you want to buy them, then I will get them for you.”
Akbar said, “Yes, I want to buy the horses. Why did you not bring all of them with you?”
A-List of Fools – Akbar Birbal Stories
The horse dealer replied, “It would have cost me a lot of money to bring them with me. But if you give me a lakh gold coin, then I can bring all of them in fifteen days.”
The horse dealer was given the lakh gold coins from the royal treasury and he left promising to come back soon.
After a few days, Birbal returned from his search for fools. Akbar was so happy with the horse he had bought, that he took Birbal with him to the horse.
Akbar showed the horse and asked, “isn’t this horse wonderful?”
Birbal agreed that it was a fine horse.
Akbar said proudly, “I will be getting a hundred such horses in fifteen days.”
Birbal asked, “But from where will you get such hundred horses?”
Akbar said, “The horse dealer who gave me this horse will bring a hundred more such horses for me. I have given him a lakh of gold coins for the horses.”
Birbal asked surprisingly, “You have already given that money? Your Majesty, do you know who he is? Do you know where he lives? Does anybody know him?”
“No.,” said Akbar.
Birbal said, “Then how can you be sure, Your Majesty, that the man is honest and will bring those horses?”
Akbar said, “Well, he looked honest and I am sure he will come back.”
Birbal asked, “But if he doesn’t?”
Akbar said, “Oh, stop it! He will bring the horses. Now forget all this. Tell me, have you made the list of fools?”
Birbal said, “It is almost ready.”
Birbal wrote something on the list. Then he gave it to Akbar and stood quietly,
Akbar started reading and then shouted, “Birbal, why is my name on the very top of the list of fools?” 
Birbal said, “Your Majesty, just think over it. A stranger comes and brings a horse, and you give him a lakh of gold coins. Isn’t that foolishness?”
Akbar said, “But how can you say just now that I am a fool? That man may come back with the horses.”
Birbal said, “But we don’t know, My Lord. What if he doesn’t come back?”
Akbar said, “But Birbal, what if the man does come back in fifteen days with all the hundred horses?”
Birbal said, “He won’t, My Lord.”
Akbar said, “But what if he does? Then you will be proved wrong, Birbal?”
Birbal said, “Then I will cut your name from the top of the list of fools.”
Akbar said, “Oh, that is good”
Birbal said, “But I will write the name of the horse dealer in that place.”
Akbar said, “You mean that if the horse dealer comes to give me a hundred horses, then he will be a bigger fool than everyone whose names are written here.”
Birbal said, “Quite right, Your Majesty.’
Akbar could not help laughing at Birbal’s ever-ready wit.
*The Daughter Of Birbal*
One day, Birbal’s daughter asked her father to take her to the court of Akbar. She was very young and wanted to see the palace of Akbar.
Birbal took her to the palace and then she went around all the gardens and saw all the rooms of the palace.
She lived in a big house herself because her father, Birbal was a minister in Akbar’s court, but she found that everything was more grand and beautiful ln Akbar’s huge palace.
When she had seen everything, she was taken to the court of Akbar.
Birbal introduced her to Akbar. On Akbar’s orders, she was given wonderful things to eat and drink.
The daughter of Birbal – Akbar Birbal stories
Then Akbar started talking to her. He asked, “Did you like my palace?”
She just nodded her head.
Akbar picked her up and made her sit on his lap. Then he asked, “Do you know how to talk?”
She nodded and said, “Yes, Your Majesty. Neither less nor more.”
Akbar asked, “What do you mean?”
She replied, “I talk less with elders and more with my friends.”
Akbar. Laughed and said, “Birbal, your daughter has given such a quick reply.
She is just like you, clever and witty.”
*A Hair Of His Moustache*
Akbar was getting ready for the court. As he was being dressed, his grandson came running to him.
A hair of his mustache – Akbar Birbal stories
Akbar’s grandson sat on his lap and said, “There is something on your mustache. Bend down, Grandpa and will remove it.”Akbar bent down and Khurram pulled one hair from his white mustache.
Akbar shouted, “0oooh! You naughty boy! What have you done?”
Khurram ran away shouting, “See Grandpa, I have fooled you.”
Akbar walked to his court and thought, “I must put this question to my courtiers and see what they answer. Oh, I will enjoy myself! This time even Birbal will not be able to answer.”
Akbar then questioned his courtiers, “Someone pulled out one. Hair from my mustache. I want you all to guess his name and tell me what kind of punishment should be given to that person.”
The courtiers were unable to guess the person’s name. They wondered as to who could have dared to pull a hair from their Emperor’s mustache?
One courtier shouted, “Whosoever it may be, that person should be jailed.”
Another courtier said, “Put him under an elephant’s legs.”
Others shouted, “Hang him, My Lord.”
Akbar was very happy that no one had been able to guess the culprit’s name.
Akbar saw that Birbal was very quiet. Akbar thought, “Well, this time even Birbal does not know the answer, that is why he is not answering.”
Akbar said, “Birbal, why have you not yet suggested any punishment?”
“I think, Your Majesty, you should give that person a kiss,” Birbal said confidently.
Akbar thought, “This answer shows that Birbal has understood who pulled my mustache hair. He is very clever. I can never defeat him.” But the other courtiers were shocked.
“What are you saying?” asked one.
“Are you out of your mind?” said another.
Akbar asked, “A kiss is given as a reward, not as a punishment, Birbal. Why do you want me to reward and not punish the culprit?”
Birbal said, “Your Highness, you don’t need to give any punishment. No one can dare to pull out the hair of your mustache because you are the King.”
“But I am telling the truth, someone has done that, “Akbar insisted.
Birbal said, “Yes, I know that, Your Majesty. But I think that only a child could have had done it. And that also your grandson whom you love so much. So you should kiss him.”
Akbar said, “You are right again, Birbal. It was Khurram who playfully pulled the hair from my mustache.
*A Chariot For Birbal*
Akbar was very busy in the court when a messenger came and said, “My Lord, the Queen wants you to meet her now.”
Akbar said, “Tell her that I am busy.”
After some time, the messenger came again and said, “Your Highness, the Queen wants you to meet her at once.”
Akbar got off the throne to go to his wife. As he was going, he saw Birbal smile, which annoyed him.
A Chariot for Birbal – Akbar Birbal Stories
Akbar shouted at Birbal, “This smile is an insult to me. How dare you make fun of me, Birbal! You must be punished for this.”
Birbal stood up as Akbar ordered, “Go away from here at once, and never put your foot on this ground.”
Birbal walked out and went home. For many days, no one saw Birbal in the court. They didn’t see him anywhere. Even Akbar began missing Birbal, for he always made him laugh.
One day, Akbar was standing by the window when he saw Birbal on a chariot. He shouted to a servant, “Go and call Birbal at once.”
The servant ran outside. Birbal did not come inside but brought his chariot near the window where Akbar was standing.
Akbar pretended to be angry and said, “Birbal, why are you here? I told you not to put your foot here again.”
Birbal said, “I am following your orders, Your Majesty.”
“I told you to go but you have come back. You did not obey me,” said Akbar.
Birbal said, “My Lord, you had said that I should not put my foot on your ground ever again. I am obeying you.”
“But you are in the city,” said Akbar. 
“I am on a chariot, Your Majesty and not on the ground,” said Birbal.
“So what?” asked Akbar.
Birbal said, “Your Majesty,’ ground’ also means soil. So I went to the next kingdom and got soil from there.”
“Why?” asked Akbar.
Birbal said, “I spread the soil of the other kingdom on the floor of the chariot. Now my feet rest on, the soil of another kingdom and not your empire.”
Akbar asked, “And when you get off?”
Birbal said, “I don’t get off this chariot at all. I live on this chariot. Because I don’t want to leave your kingdom and go anywhere. On the chariot, I will be in your kingdom but not on your ground.”
Akbar said, “Your answer has touched me, Birbal. I take back my words. I forgive you. Now you need not stay on a chariot. Come down.”
So with the clever-witted Birbal back, the court was full of life again.
*The Mother Tongue*
A stranger was brought to the court. he bowed in front of Akbar and very politely said, “My respects to you.”
Akbar asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”
The Mother Tongue – Akbar Birbal Stories
The stranger replied, “My Lord, I am a master of many languages like Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit.”
He continued, “I have heard that in your court, there are many clever and learned people. I would want them to tell you where I am from.”
Akbar said, “But how will they know where you are from?”
The man said “From the way a person speaks, others can make out the place one belongs to. Can anyone here guess the place I belong to?”
Akbar said, “Yes, of course. Many people in my kingdom are wise and will be able to find out. Meanwhile, be my guest and stay in the palace.”
Akbar ordered the learned people of his kingdom to find out where the man was from. These people talked for a long time with the stranger.
Then one of them said to Akbar, “Your Majesty, he speaks many languages so fluently that we cannot make out the place he belongs to.”
Akbar then turned to Birbal and said, “Do you have anything to say, Birbal.”
Akbar continued, “Can’t you find out, Birbal?”
Birbal replied confidently, “I will tell you tomorrow morning, Your Majesty.”
As planned, at night, Birbal’s loyal servant quietly entered the room’ where the stranger was sleeping. He splashed some water on the sleeping man’s face.
The man got up with a start, speaking loudly. 
Birbal, who had been hiding in the room all this while, heard the stranger speak and quietly left the room.
Next day in the court, Akbar looked at Birbal hopefully.
Akbar asked, “Birbal, could you find out where this man comes from?”
Birbal said, “Yes, My Lord, I am sure that he is from Gujarat.”
The surprised stranger said, “That is true but how did you find out?”
Birbal smiled and said “When a person is angry, in pain or surprise, he will always talk in his mother tongue. Last night, while you were sleeping, my servant sprinkled some water on you and you got up suddenly, shouting in Gujarati.”
The stranger turned to Birbal and said, “That was very clever. You are truly wise and intelligent, Birbal.”
Everyone nodded with a smile, agreeing with the stranger.
Akbar said, “Birbal, I am happy that you have kept the honor of our kingdom.”
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