PANCHTANTRA STORIES

THE COCK & THE HEN

Since Birbal always outwitted Akbar, Akbar thought of a plan to make Birbal look like a fool. He gave one egg to each of his ministers before Birbal reached the court one morning.

So when Birbal arrived, the king narrated a dream he had had the previous night saying that he would be able to judge the honesty of his ministers if they were able to bring back an egg from the royal garden pond.

So, Akbar asked all his courtiers to go to the pond, one at a time and return with an egg. So, one by one, all his ministers went to the pond and returned with the egg which he had previously given them.

Then it was Birbal's turn. He jumped into the pond and could find no eggs. He finally realized that the King was trying to play a trick on him. So he entered the court crowing like a cock.

The Emperor asked him to stop making that irritating noise and then asked him for the egg.

Birbal smiled and replied that only hens lay eggs, and as he was a cock, he could not produce an egg.

Everyone laughed loudly and the King realized that Birbal could never be easily fooled .