The Eggs-ample

Since Birbal always outwitted him, Akbar thought of a plan to make Birbal look like a fool. He gave an egg to each of his ministers before Birbal reached the Court one morning.

So when Birbal arrived, the Emperor narrated a dream he had had the previous night saying that he would be able to judge the honesty of his ministers if they were able to bring back an egg from the royal garden pond.

So Akbar asked all his courtiers to go to the pond one at a time and return with an egg. One by one, all his ministers went to the pond and returned with an egg, which he had previously given them.

Then it was Birbal’s turn. He jumped into the pond and could find no eggs. He finally realized that the Emperor was trying to play a trick on him. So he entered the Court crowing like a cock.

The Emperor commanded him to stop making the irritating noise and asked him to produce the egg. Birbal smiled and replied that only hens lay eggs and as he was a cock, he could not produce an egg!

Everyone laughed loudly and the Emperor realized that Birbal could never be easily fooled.