The Choice of Birbal

One day Emperor Akbar asked Birbal what he would choose if he were given a choice between justice and a gold coin.

“The gold coin,” said Birbal. Akbar was taken aback.

“You would prefer a gold coin to justice?” he asked, incredulously.

“Yes Jahaanpanaah,” said Birbal.

The other courtiers were also amazed by Birbal’s display of idiocy. For years they had been trying to discredit Birbal in the emperor’s eyes but without success and now the man had gone and done it himself. They could not believe their good fortune.

“I would have been dismayed if even the lowliest of my servants had said this,” continued the Emperor. “But coming from you? It’s. . . it’s shocking – and sad. I did not know you were so debased!”

“One asks only for what one does not have, Your Majesty,” said Birbal, quietly. “You have seen to it that in our country justice is available to everybody. So as the justice is already available to me also; and as I’m always short of money I said I would choose the gold coin.”

The emperor was so pleased with Birbal’s reply that he gave him not only once but a thousand gold coins.