Akbar often asked uneven questions from his courtiers, especially Birbal who was his favorite.
One day Akbar asked Birbal, 'Do you know the number of blind people in our kingdom? I have been thinking about this for quite sometime. It is an interesting fact to know'.
Birbal smiled and said, 'Indeed, my Majesty; it is an interesting fact to know. I have no clue about it, but I request you to give me a week’s time to find the number'.
Akbar agreed.
Next day, Birbal went to the main marketplace. He sat in the middle of main way and started mending shoes. People who passed by were taken aback to see Birbal, the respected courtier of Emperor engaged in menial work of mending shoes. Many of them stopped by and asked him, 'Birbal! What are you doing?'
Birbal carried a notepad and started writing sometime whenever he was asked the same question. It continued for a week, until the news reached Akbar.
Akbar was stuck when he heard Birbal had been working to mend shoes in main market. He immediately left the court and went to the market.
Akbar saw Birbal seated on the roadside and mending shoes. He hurried and asked him, 'Birbal, what are you doing?'
Birbal wrote something in the notepad and then got up. He greeted Akbar and told him that he would join the royal court from tomorrow.
Next day Birbal went to the court with the notepad. He handed over the notepad to the king. Akbar asked his men to read the list. It was the list of blind people.
When the reader called Akbar's name from the list, he was shocked. He was angry and felt insulted. He asked Birbal, 'Why have you included my name in this list?'
Birbal bowed respectfully before Akbar and said, 'My Majesty! You saw me mending the shoes, like all other people. But still you asked me, what I was doing! Therefore I included your name in this list of blind people'.
Akbar busted into a laughter, and so did the entire court. He appreciated Birbal for his great sense of humor.
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