One morning, Emperor Akbar looked out of his palace window and saw many crows flying in the sky. He turned to Birbal and asked, “Birbal, can you tell me how many crows are there in our city?”
The ministers were shocked. How could anyone count all the crows?
But Birbal calmly said, “Jahanpanah, there are exactly 9,999 crows in our city.”
Akbar raised his eyebrows. “How can you be so sure?”
Birbal smiled and replied, “If there are more crows, it means some have come to visit their friends and family. If there are fewer, it means some have gone to visit other cities.”
The court burst into laughter. Even Emperor Akbar laughed loudly.
“You are very clever, Birbal,” said Akbar. “You always have an answer!”
Birbal bowed and said, “Sometimes, Your Majesty, a wise answer is better than a perfect count.”
The ministers learned that quick thinking and a smart mind can solve even the trickiest questions.
And once again, Birbal proved why he was the wisest man in the kingdom.
