57. Four Fingers

One day Akbar asked his courtiers if they could tell the difference between the truth and the false in scope of just three words.

It was an uneasy question and all courtiers began to think about it. After enough time passed by in thinking and Akbar asked Birbal, 'Do you have any answer for this puzzling question, Birbal?'

Birbal replied, 'Four fingers. My answer is four fingers'.

Akbar was unable to understand and relate Birbal's answer to his question. He asked Birbal to explain how four finger gave the difference between the truth and the false.

Birbal explained, 'What eyes see is truth. What ears hear may be false at times. The four fingers lie between eyes and ears. Thus they give the difference between truth and false'.

The entire court and Akbar himself was astonished to hear Birbal's unexpected reply.