AKB-BIR12-ArePeopleHonest

1. Once upon a time in the grand Durbar of Emperor Akbar, the air was filled with the buzzing excitement of officials gathered for a royal announcement. The emperor, with a gleam in his eyes, declared, "It pleases me to say the people are exemplars of honesty. What is your opinion?" The officials, in unison, chorused, "Yes, our emperor! With your golden rule, all observe honesty. It is undeniable." 2. However, amidst the unanimous agreement, Birbal remained quiet, catching the emperor's attention. Akbar, intrigued, approached Birbal and inquired about his opinion on the honesty of the people. Birbal, with a twinkle in his eye, replied, "If you want me to reply, you must do an act. You must hold a dinner for all the people. All the invited guests must bring each, one pot of cow’s milk." Akbar, always up for a challenge, agreed to Birbal's proposal. 3. The royal proclamation echoed through the streets, announcing the dinner invitation and the obligatory donation of a pot of milk. The people, thrilled by the royal summons, were also puzzled by the demand for milk. The womenfolk reassured each other, "It's just a pot of milk, we can easily gather it for the delivery." 4. The day of the grand dinner arrived, and the emperor, along with the VIPs and officials, gathered in the Durbar. At the entrance to the dinner hall, a colossal pot with a hole at the top was installed. The people, in compliance with the royal decree, brought pots of milk and poured them into the giant pot, entering the grounds with their now-empty vessels. 5. Akbar, keenly watching the proceedings, turned to Birbal and said, "The event turned out as you wanted. What do you propose to do with all this milk?" With a mischievous glint in his eye, Birbal instructed the workers to bring the enormous pot closer to the emperor. The pot was moved, and Birbal asked them to open the lid. 6. As the lid was lifted, Akbar leaned forward to inspect the pot, only to find it filled with water. Shocked, he exclaimed, "Birbal, what is this? In the place of milk, there is only water." Birbal, unfazed, calmly replied, "Dear emperor! This is the answer to your question. The people’s attitude was, 'Let other people bring the milk. I will pour a pot of water. Who will notice it?' Everyone had the same idea. That's why the big pot has water and no milk. We should not reach a conclusion, hearing the opinion of other people." 7. Impressed by Birbal's sharp intellect, Akbar couldn't help but embrace him. The grand Durbar echoed with laughter and surprise as the lesson on honesty unfolded with a touch of pizzazz, leaving everyone with a valuable lesson about the true nature of people.