Once on a cold winter day, Akbar and Birbal were walking along a small lake. Birbal started telling that there are many people who can do anything for money. While talking Akbar dipped his finger into the lake and immediately removed as it was very cold. Then Akbar challenged Birbal to bring a man who can stay entire night in the water for the sake of money. Birbal accepted the challenge and asked Akbar for some time to search. Akbar gave one month of time and the reward is 1000 gold coins.
At last, Birbal found one poor man who is so desperate for money. So Birbal told the challenge and the poor man readily accepted it. Next day evening the poor man entered the lake and Akbar kept two guards to monitor him. The whole night the poor man was in the lake and next day he went to the King’s court.
Akbar: How you managed to stay in that extreme cold water?
Poor man: King, There was a street lamp near the lake. So I kept my focus and attention only on that. As my attention is on the lamp, the cold water didn’t bother me.
Akbar: Then there won’t be any reward as he might receive warmth by the street light.
As he is a common poor man, he just simply left from the King’s presence and went to Birbal for help.
The next day, Birbal didn’t attend the court. The king sent his messenger to Birbal’s home. The messenger came back and said, “Birbal is cooking rice. After having his breakfast, he will come.” King waited for Birbal up to evening and decided to go to Birbal’s house and see what he was up to.
He found Birbal sitting on the floor. He kept small fire and on the top of the roof Birbal hanged one bowl of rice to boil. The king and his soldiers were started laughing.
Akbar then said to Birbal, “How can the rice be cooked if it is far away from the fire?”
Then Birbal replied, “My King if this doesn’t cook then the poor man also didn’t get any warmth from the small street lamp.”The king understood his mistake and gave the poor man his reward.
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