NANI KI KAHANI 247

The wisdom of Birbal was unparalleled during the reign of Emperor Akbar.  But Akbar’s brother in law was extremely jealous of him.  He asked the Emperor to dispense with Birbal’s services and appoint him in his place.  He gave ample assurance that he would prove to be more efficient and capable than Birbal.  Before Akbar could take a decision on this matter,  this news reached Birbal. Birbal resigned and left.  Akbar’s brother in law was made the minister in place of Birbal.  Akbar decided to test the new minister. He gave three hundred gold coins to him and said,  “Spend these gold coins such that,  I get a hundred gold coins here in this life;  a hundred gold coins in the other world and another hundred gold coins neither here nor there.” The minister found the entire situation to be a maze of confusion and hopelessness.  He spent sleepless nights worrying how he would get himself out of this mess. Thinking in circles was making...

King Akbar was very fond of Birbal.  This made a certain courtier very jealous. Now this courtier always wanted to be chief minister,  but this was not possible as Birbal filled that position.   One day Akbar praised Birbal in front of the courtier.  This made the courtier very angry and he said that the king praised Birbal unjustly and if Birbal could answer three of his questions,  he would accept the fact that Birbal was intelligent.  Akbar always wanting to test Birbals wit readily agreed. The three questions were 1. How many stars are there in the sky 2. Where is the centre of the Earth and 3. How many men and how many women are there in the world. Immediately Akbar asked Birbal the three questions and informed him that if he could not answer them,  he would have to resign as chief minister. To answer the first question,  Birbal brought a hairy sheep and said, “There are as many stars in the sky as there is hair on the sheep’s body...

One day a shepherd discovered a fat Pig in the meadow where his Sheep were pastured.  He very quickly captured the porker, which squealed at the top of its voice the moment the Shepherd laid his hands on it.  You would have thought, to hear the loud squealing, that the Pig was being cruelly hurt.  But in spite of its squeals and struggles to escape,  the Shepherd tucked his prize under his arm and started off to the butcher’s in the marketplace. The Sheep in the pasture were much astonished and amused at the Pig’s behavior and followed the Shepherd and his charge to the pasture gate. “What makes you squeal like that?” asked one of the Sheep.  “The Shepherd often catches and carries off one of us.  But we should feel very much ashamed to make such a terrible fuss about it like you do.” “That is all very well,”  replied the Pig,  with a squeal and a frantic kick.  “When he catches you he is only after your wool.  But he wants my bacon! ...

Recently Steve had a car accident.  So he put his car in the garage to carry out the repair work.  Since he had to go to the job daily,  he decided that until the car is ready, he will travel by the metro train.  One day, he noticed a homeless guy at the train station at night.  He felt pity for him,  so he gave him some change from his pocket. The homeless guy thanked him for it. Next day again,  he noticed the homeless guy at the same place.  This time Steve though to get him something to eat,  so he went outside the station and brought him a meal.  The homeless guy thanked him for his kindness.  But Steve got curious and asked him, “How did you get to this point?” The homeless guy looked up at him and with a smile,  he said,  “By Showing Love.”  Steve didn’t understand it,  so he asked him,  “What do you mean by that?” The homeless guy replied that “Throughout my whole life,  I made sure that every...

Once upon a time,  there was a Kingdom.  The king there only had one leg and one eye,  but he was very intelligent and kind. Everyone in his kingdom lived a happy and a healthy life because of their king. One day the king was walking through the palace hallway and saw the portraits of his ancestors.  He thought that one day his children will walk in the same hallway and remember all the ancestors through these portraits. But, the king did not have his portrait painted.  Due to his physical disabilities,  he wasn’t sure how his painting would turn out.  So he invited many famous painters from his and other kingdoms to the court.  The king then announced that he wants a beautiful portrait made of himself to be placed in the palace.  Any painter who can carry out this should come forward.  He will be rewarded based on how the painting turns up. All of the painters began to think that the king only has one leg and one eye.  How can hi...

किसी तालाब के किनारे के कछुवा रहता था और उसी तालाब में दो हंस भी रहते थे जिसके कारण हंस और कछुवा में दोस्ती हो गयी थी हंस दूर दूर तक उडकर जाते और लोगो की बाते सुनकर कछुवा को बता...

किसी घने जंगल में एक विशाल पेड़ था जिसकी ऊची टहनियों पर एक चिड़िया का परिवार घोसला बनाकर रहता था उस चिड़िया का परिवार मजे से जीवन आनन्द गुजार रहे थे, फिर कुछ दिनों के बाद वर्षा ऋ...