Some courtiers, who were jealous of Birbal, decided to get rid of him with the royal barber’s help. They promised the barber a lot of money. The wicked barber agreed. He told Akbar, “Your Majesty, a magician is in town. He can perform a ritual to help you know about the well-being of your ancestors.” Akbar asked, “How?” The barber said, “Set up a funeral pyre and gift an intelligent person to the gods.” Akbar asked Birbal to do the job. Birbal said, “Please give me a few days off. I want to make arrangements for my family before I leave.” During this time, Birbal dug a tunnel from the place of the funeral pyre to his home. On the day of the ritual, Birbal escaped through the tunnel and went home. Months later, he visited Akbar and said, “Your ancestors are fine, but they need a barber.” The barber realised his mistake and asked for Birbal’s forgiveness.
The Tunnel to Heaven
