One day after Akbar returned from a rally around in his capital. He was very happy and looked contended.
Next day Akbar sat with Birbal to discuss something. During their discussion, Akbar told people how respectful, polite and obedient towards him. He sounded contented and said, 'Birbal, my people indeed love me. They make me feel that I am a great ruler. It is indeed such a good thing'.
Birbal smiled and replied, 'My Majesty, certainly you are a great ruler. People love you for justice. But they also fear you'.
Akbar denied. But Birbal reaffirmed hat the masses feared Akbar, as he was the emperor and held highest level of powers. So Akbar decided to test Birbal’s statement. Birbal agreed.
Birbal asked Akbar to instruct his men that tomorrow they would go on a hunting expedition. He asked his men to pour a pot of milk in the tub kept in the courtyard. The staff did as they were asked to do.
Akbar and Birbal saw the milk in the tub before they left for hunting. When they returned the next day, they saw only water in the tub. Seeing this, Akbar got very disappointed.
When Birbal saw this, he said,'My majesty, ask your servants to keep milk in the tub again. Tell them that you shall come to see the tub yourself this time'.
Akbar and Birbal left for hunting and returned next morning. This time to his amazement, the emperor found that the tub was overflowing with milk.
Seeing this Birbal explained, 'My majesty, as I told you- it is your fear that makes people obey you. The first time there was no one to check milk in the tub and people did what they do in routine - fill it with water. But in second instance, they feared that you would check, and hence they obeyed your orders'.
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