Akbar-Birbal stories - 11

Protection of the Footmark of an Elephant

Once king Akbar had a great quarrel with Birbal so he left left the place and went some 30-40 miles away in a village. There he started living hiding his identity.Now Birbal's position (Deevaan or Minister) could not be kept empty so the king appointed his brother-in-law (wife' brother) in Birbal's place. Although Akbar didn't like this but he had to do this to please his wife. Very soon the city got undisciplined and complaints started coming to the king.This was the time to test his brother-in-law's intelligence. So he went out to a Peer's Mazaar (the tomb of a saint). While returning from there he saw a footmark of an elephant. He asked his brother-in-law to protect that mark for three days. Baadshaah (king) went to his palace and his brother-in-law starting vigilance around it. The first day passed, the new Deevaan could not get any food; the second day also passed without any food. The third day he got very weak, but somehow survived. The fourth day he went to the kming and told everything to him.Baadshaah thought "I have to call Birbal back, I can't do with this Deevaan." So he found a way to get him back. He announced that there is some quarrel over a government well so all Zameendaar (owner) of nearby villages should come to him with their wells, otherwise they will have to pay fine of 10,000 Rupees (Indian currency).This order was heard in that village also min which Birbal lived. Its Zameendaar abused the king that "That this king has gone mad. Has anybody ever heard moving wells to other places? But if I did not go then I will have to pay 10,000 Rupees fine which is a lot of money."When Birbal heard this, he knew that it was a trick to find Birbal. He thought that now is the time to reveal his identity and keep king's words. So he explained something to the Zameendaar and next day the Zameendaar along with Birbal and some of his servants arrived in Delhi. They did not enter the city, they stayed outside the city and sent a messenger to king - "Huzoor, According to your orders we are here with our wells, now you sent your wells to welcome them."When Akbar heard this, he understood that Birbal was there. He asked the Zameendaar - "Who told this to tell me? Tell me the truth." The Zameendaar said - "Some time ago, a stranger came to stay in our village, he has asked us to tell you this." When asked about his form, it matched Birbal's. Then he sent his people to welcome Birbal and he was brought into the city with a great pomp and show. Birbal was again appointed on his old position.This time the king asked Birbal to protect that footmark of elephant. Birbal said "Done". He fixed an iron bar near the footmark and tied a 50-yard rope to it and told the villagers that whoever's house will fall inside the circumference of that rope his house will be demolished to protect that footmark."People requested him not to do so and gave him Rupees as bribery not to demolish their house. Thus he collected approximately 100,000 (1 Lakh) Ruees. He deposited that money in the royal treasury and told the king that the work is done and 100,000 Rupees have been deposited in his treasury.The king called his brother-in-law and said to him - "You were hungry for three days and gained nothing while protecting the footmark, but see, Birbal has earned 100,00 Rupees in one day only. That is why you can never be my Deevaan." The brother-in-law went away from there hanging his head down.The End

Milk for the Mullaa

One day the Mullaa Nasruddin was going somewhere. He met a man carrying a milk can. The man said to Mullaa, "Mullaa Jee, I have some problem, I want your advice." "Why not, what is that problem?" said the Mullaa eyeing on his milk can.

The man said, "Whenever I get up in the morning, I feel intoxicated. I don't know what to do, and I don't understand what may be the problem." Mullaa asked, "What do you take in the last before you sleep?" The man said, "Normally I drink milk."The Mullaa said, "Now I understood, this is your problem." "What is that?" asked the man perplexedly.

The Mullaa said to him, "Because milk causes the intoxication." "How?" asked the man innocently. Mullaa explained to him, "You drink milk before sleeping. In sleep, you toss around. So milk gets churned. It turns into butter, butter gets churned, it turns into fat. Fat gets churned, it turns into sugar. Then sugar gets churned, and it turns into alcohol. So when you wake up in the morning you wake up with alcohol in your stomach, that is why you feel intoxicated."

"So what do I do?" asked the man in simplicity. Mullaa said, "It is so simple. Don't drink milk. Here, Give it to me." Mullaa virtually snatched the milk can from the man and went on his way. The poor man stood there bewildered. He went to Birbal and got his milk back somehow.The End

Friendship Quote

Friends are God's way of taking care of us

Friendship doubles your joys,

and divides your sorrows.

Friends are like credit cards,

we need them forever...

Many people will walk in and out

of your life, but only true friends will

leave footprints in your heart.

A friend is like a four leaf clover, hard

to find but lucky to have.

Friends are quiet angels who lift us to

our feet when our wings have

trouble remembering how to fly.

A friend is someone who walks in

when the whole world has walked out.

Parents start you off on life

but friends get you through it.

Side by side or miles apart, good friends

are always close to the heart.

Good friends share good times,

but great friends divide pain.