One day Akbar and Birbal were taking a stroll in the royal gardens when Akbar happened to see a group of crows on the tree.

Wonder how many crows are there in the kingdom, Birbal?”

“There are ninety-five thousand, four hundred and sixty-three crows in our kingdom, sir.”

Akbar looks at Birbal with amazement. “How do you know that?”

“I am pretty sure your majesty. You can get the crows counted,” says Birbal confidently.

“What if there are fewer crows?” asks Akbar skeptically.

“Jahanpanah, it means that crows have gone to meet their relatives in neighboring kingdoms.”

Hmm… But Birbal what if there are more crows than the number you said?”

“Well, in that case, crows from other kingdoms have come to visit their relatives in our kingdom.”

Birbal’s reply leaves Akbar smiling.

A scholar from faraway lands once visits Akbar’s court. He declared that he is a smart one and no one can answer his questions. The scholar challenges Birbal to answer his question and prove that he is the smartest.

Would you prefer to answer a hundred easy questions or just a single difficult one?” said the scholar in a pompous tone.

Akbar could sense that the scholar wanted to belittle Birbal.

But Birbal replies with confidence, “Ask me just one difficult question.”

“Alright. Tell me what came first, the chicken or the egg?”, asks the scholar with a thunderous voice.

“The chicken,” Birbal replies.

“How do you know?” the scholar asks mockingly.

“We agreed that you will ask only one question, which you have already done,” says Birbal in response.

“I fancy a painting Birbal. Please make one and give it to me in one week.”

Akbar’s order leaves Birbal perplexed.

“I am a minister, my lord. How am I going to make a painting?”

“Are you dismissing my order?” asks an angry Akbar. “You have one week to make an imaginative painting otherwise you will be hanged,” he commands.

Birbal gets an idea. One week later, he comes to the court with a painting wrapped in cloth. He uncovers the painting, and to the surprise of Akbar, there is nothing but a painting of ground and sky on the canvas.

“What is this, Birbal?” the emperor asks.

“Your majesty, it is the painting that I did with imagination. As you can see, it is a painting of a cow eating grass.”

“But where are the cow and the grass?” asks the annoyed Akbar.

“The grass was eaten away by the cow.”

“So where is the cow?”

“Jahanpanah, now that the cow has eaten away all the grass, what would she do on a piece of barren land? So she left to her shed.”