English Rhymes, Songs & Stories

One day, the Emperor Akbar called Birbal to his palace.

"O Birbal, I want you to bring me a vessel of Ox's milk", he requested.

Birbal was startled by his unusual request, but he did not express it out.

"I shall get it for you, O Badshah! But I want a week's time", Birbal replied.

"All right", Akbar agreed and allowed Birbal to leave.

When it was evening, Birbal went home.

"The Emperor has asked for a vessel of Ox's milk and has given me a week's time. But it is an impossible task. What shall I do?" Birbal thought with dismay.

Birbal's wife noted her husband's worried look and asked him what was wrong.

"The Emperor has asked me to get him in a week a vessel of Ox's milk. I don't know what to do", Birbal told her.

To his great surprise, his wife began laughing loudly.

"What an easy task! I'll tell you what to do later. But first promise me not to leave the house for six days", she said.

"I promise!" Birbal agreed at once. He knew that his clever wife would help him out of the tricky situation somehow.

Five days passed by. On the sixth night, Birbal's wife left her home with a large bundle of clothes and went to the palace. She opened the bundle near the lake and began washing them one by one.

The Emperor was awakened by the noise.

"Who is washing clothes in the lake?" he wondered and went to the balcony for a look. He sent his sentries to fetch the person.

"Why are you washing clothes so late at night?" he asked Birbal's wife.

"O Badshah! six days ago my husband gave birth to a baby. Our maid-servant did not come for work. So I have to do all the work myself. I just finished the other works before washing the clothes" she replied.

"What are you saying!" Akbar exclaimed. "How can a man give birth to a baby?"

The woman smiled at the Emperor.

"It is not surprising at all! If you can ask for Ox's milk, why can't a man give birth to a baby?" she asked.

Akbar nodded his head as he understood the truth in her statement. A man could not give birth to a baby, just as an Ox could not give milk. He remembered the impossible task he had asked Birbal to perform.

The Emperor rewarded Birbal's wife with gifts and sent her home.


Vocabulary

1) Startled (Adj): Excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement.

Sen: Birbal was startled by his unusual request, but he did not express it out.


2) Dismay (N): The feeling of despair in the face of obstacles.

Sen: Birbal thought with dismay.


3) Sentry (N): A person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event.

Sen: He sent his sentries to fetch the person.

One day, the Emperor Akbar was holding his court. He had a separate hour when he listened to complaints made by the people.

A merchant entered the court one day with a serious complaint.

"O Badshah,I had kept a leather bag of gold mohurs safely locked in my almirah one night. But the next morning, I opened my almirah and found the bag of gold mohurs missing. I have 4 loyal servants. But I suspect that one of them has stolen the gold mohurs. They all say that they are innocent. If I beat even one of them to get the truth, the other 3 servants will leave their jobs. Please tell me how I can catch the thief without beating any of the 4 servants", he said.

"That is certainly a problem. For, the normal penal way is to beat each so that the real thief would confess. But that would mean resorting to physical violence which you do not want", the Emperor said thoughtfully. He looked at Birbal and remarked, "Birbal, I wish you to solve this case. Remember, that the real thief must be found without harming the innocent servants."

"It shall be as you wish, O Badshah! I will solve this case to your satisfaction as quickly as possible", Birbal replied.

Later that day, he summoned the four servants and questioned them. Each claimed to be innocent.

"It would have been better if the real thief had confessed. Now I will have to use my magic sticks to catch the thief", Birbal said with regret.

Birbal took out four sticks and gave one to each of the four servants.

"Don't think that these are ordinary sticks", he warned. "They have magical properties. I want each of you to keep the stick beside you at night. The person whose stick grows by 4 inches is the thief. Come back to me with the sticks tomorrow morning", Birbal said and sent the servants home.

Now, the real thief thought of a way to get the better of Birbal. He decided to cut 4 inches of his stick. So, even if Birbal's magic stick grew by 4 inches, he would not be caught as it would look the same. The man took a sharp knife and cut off 4 inches.

The four servants went to Birbal the next morning with their sticks. Birbal spotted the thief at once when he saw the sticks. He sent the other three servants away.

"I know that you stole the bag of gold mohurs", Birbal said sternly to the remaining servant. "I know this because the sticks I gave are ordinary. There is nothing magical about them. I told so to trap the thief. It was your guilty conscience which made you cut off 4 inches!"

Birbal took the man to the Emperor Akbar and told him everything.

The Emperor was pleased with Birbal's cleverness.

"Tell us where you have hidden the bag of gold mohurs", he said to the thief who confessed at once.

The merchant was happy to get back his money. Everyone showered praises on Birbal.

Vocabulary

1) Gold Mohur:

2) Penal (Adj):Subject to punishment by law.

Ex: A penal office.

Sen: That is certainly a problem. For, the normal penal way is to beat each so that the real thief would confess.


3) Confess (V): Admit (to a wrongdoing)

Sen: That is certainly a problem. For, the normal penal way is to beat each so that the real thief would confess.

Sen: It would have been better if the real thief had confessed.

Sen: "Tell us where you have hidden the bag of gold mohurs", he said to the thief who confessed at once.

Sen: She confessed that she had taken the money.


4) Summon (V): Call in an official matter, such as to attend court.

Sen: Later that day, he summoned the four servants and questioned them.


5) Regret (N): Sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment.

Sen: Now I will have to use my magic sticks to catch the thief", Birbal said with regret.


6) Sternly (Adv): In a severe manner.

Sen: "I know that you stole the bag of gold mohurs", Birbal said sternly to the remaining servant.


7) Guilty conscience (N): Remorse caused by feeling responsible for some offence.

Sen: It was your guilty conscience which made you cut off 4 inches!