The King saw Rajeshwar accompanied by Birbal who greeted the King, “Hail, Your Majesty! Long live the King.” King Roopsen asked Rajeshwar, “Who is this man?” Rajeshwar told the King everything about Birbal. He then recommended that Birbal should be engaged without delay. The King, being a man of few words and many ideas, after hearing his chief, asked, “Birbal, what shall I give you for your daily expenditure?” Birbal replied, “I charge one hundred gold coins per day.” The King was shocked. He said, “It is too much. I cannot pay this much. Have you a big army with you for which you need so much? Go elsewhere for employment.” The courtiers were also surprised to hear of such an irrational demand. Birbal replied, “I have no big army. I have a small family consisting of me, my wife, a son and a daughter. I have no fifth relative.”
Birbal’s Exorbitant Demand
