Akbar Birbal Stories::One up
Very often courtiers tried to run down Birbal but their attempts were always unsuccessful. Once Do-Piaza asked Birbal the court, “Birbal, you manage to hold your wife’s hand, at least once in a day. Can you tell us how many bangles are there in her hand?” Birbal felt very uneasy on hearing the question. He had seen his wife’s hand many times but was unaware of the number of bangles in her hand. He was still pondering over the question when he saw Do-Piaza patting his beard. Some thought struck Birbal and he said to Emperor Akbar, Majesty must tell the number of hair in his beard. He pats his beard many times in a day.” Do-Piaza felt very embarrassed by the repartee. He was not expecting one up performance by Birbal.