One day, Akbar drew a line on the
floor and ordered, “Make this line shorter, but don’t rub out any part of it.”
No one knew what to do. Each minister
looked at the line and was puzzled.
No one could think of any way to
make it longer. No one could think of how it could be made shorter without
erasing it.
Birbal started smiling. When it was
his turn, he went near the line.
Birbal drew a longer line under the
first one. He didn’t touch the first line.
Everyone in the court saw what he
drew and said – “That’s true. The first line is shorter now!”
Akbar appreciated Birbal and said “Birbal
you are really very clever.”