Lighter Side of Wisdom

Once Akbar said to Birbal, “I have heard that there are many fools in my kingdom, but I haven’t seen any, so today I want you to help me look for at least four fools.” To this Birbal agreed.

They consequently met a man riding his donkey on the road, with a pile of wood on his head. They asked him, “Good man, you are riding a donkey, but still you carry your load over your head?” The man answered, “Well, my donkey is very precious to me and I don’t want to burden him any more.”

Birbal told Akbar, “Your highness, here is your first fool!”

They then met another man who was searching for his ring on the side of the road. They asked him, “Good man, what are you looking for?” He answered, “I have lost my ring inside my house and I am trying to look for it.” They said, “But if you have lost your ring inside the house why are you looking for it outside?” The man answered, “Well, because it is too dark inside, and I can’t see anything!”

Birbal looked at Akbar and said, “Your highness, here is your second fool, and with this our search is over.”

“Over?” exclaimed Akbar, “but what about the other two?”

“They are right here,” said Birbal. “One is you for wasting your precious time looking for fools, and one is me, for accompanying you and wasting mine!”