Fear is the key

One day King Akbar said to Birbal, “Birbal, my people are very obedient to me. They love me very much.” Birbal smiled and replied, “This is true, but they fear you too, Jahaanpanaah.” Akbar could not agree on this, so it was decided that Birbal’s statement should be tested.

The next day, according to Birbal’s instructions, the King announced that he would be going for hunting, and people should pour a pot of milk in a tub kept in the courtyard. The next day when Akbar returned from hunting, he found that there was no milk in the tub, instead, there was only water. Akbar got very disappointed, but couldn’t do anything.

Then Birbal said, “This time you will announce that you will come back and see the tub yourself.” King did as Birbal said. Once again the tub was kept in the courtyard. This time when King returned from the hunting, he found the tub overflowing with milk. Birbal said, “I told you. It is your fear which made people obey you. The first time there was no one to check the tub, so people poured the water, but the second time, they knew that you would check yourself, that is why they brought the milk.”