One fine morning, in the court the Emperor asked his ministers including Birbal, “What kind of punishment will all of you suggest to a person who pulls my moustache?”
Everyone in the court was puzzled at the kind of the question the Emperor had asked. At first, everyone thought that the Emperor was joking and they had no need to answer the question. But he asked them again. Then, one minister bowed down before Akbar and said, “Your majesty, if someone dares to pull your moustache, that person should be beheaded.”
As the first courtier sat down, others started giving various answers. The next courtier said, “Your majesty, the person should be put in jail.” Another one came forward and said, “The criminal should be hanged to death.” One more courtier stood up and said, “O Lord of the world, such a person who has the boldness to do something like this should be lashed.”
Akbar listened to all of them and felt happy that his ministers were loyal towards him. But then he realized that Birbal, his favourite minister, hadn’t uttered a word. He called out his name and said with disappointment, “Birbal, I am very disappointed with you. You haven’t said a word yet. What is the matter?”
Birbal smiled and said, “Your Majesty, if a person pulls your moustache he should be given sweets.” All ministers as well as Akbar were shocked to hear Birbal’s words. The ministers started giving different reactions at the strange answer of Birbal. Birbal was listening to everyone and then he stood up and walked towards the Emperor and said, “Your Majesty, no one can dare to do such a thing with you. The only person who could pull your moustache will be your grandson. Wouldn’t he deserve sweets?”
After listening to Birbal’s explanation, everyone took a sigh of relief while Akbar laughed.
The same evening, when Birbal was at home, his daughter requested him to show her the Royal Court as she had never seen it before. It was said that she was as witty as her father, so he thought that he would make her meet the Emperor too.
Finally, Birbal took her to the Royal Court. She was very excited. Akbar happily met her. He already knew how intelligent Birbal’s daughter was. So, he thought of testing her intelligence. He asked her, “Dear, I hear that you know many languages. Do you know how to speak Persian?”
She replied, “A little less and a little more.” Akbar couldn’t understand, so he asked Birbal to explain. Birbal said, “Your Majesty, she means that she knows a little less than who is fluent in the language and a little more than who doesn’t know it much.”
