One evening, Emperor Akbar was taking a stroll in his palace gardens with his favorite minister, Birbal. Looking up at the many crows perched on the trees, Akbar decided to test Birbal's wit. 'Birbal,' he asked, 'how many crows are there in my kingdom?' Without a moment's hesitation, Birbal replied, 'There are ninety-five thousand, four hundred and sixty-three crows, Your Majesty.' Amazed by the quick response, Akbar asked, 'How can you be so sure? What if the count is different?' Birbal smiled and said, 'If there are more, then some crows from neighboring kingdoms must be visiting their relatives here. If there are fewer, then some of our crows must have gone to visit their relatives elsewhere.' Akbar laughed, delighted by Birbal's presence of mind and his ability to provide a logical answer to an impossible question.
Wit and presence of mind can help you find a clever solution to even the most impossible or trickiest of questions.
Questions about this story
What is the moral of Birbal Counts the Crows?
The moral is that wit and presence of mind can help one navigate impossible questions or tricky situations. Birbal demonstrates that logic is often about how you frame your answer.
Why couldn't Akbar verify Birbal's count?
It is impossible to count every crow in a kingdom simultaneously because birds are constantly moving. Birbal knew Akbar had no way to prove him wrong, which is why his witty explanation worked so well.
What specific number did Birbal give the Emperor?
Birbal stated there were exactly ninety-five thousand, four hundred and sixty-three crows. He chose a very specific number to make his answer sound calculated and authoritative.
How did Birbal explain a discrepancy in the numbers?
He cleverly suggested that if there were more crows, they were visiting relatives from elsewhere. If there were fewer, then the local crows had flown away to visit their own kin.
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Good night.
