Birbal Solves A Puzzle

Birbal was known for his intelligence in the court of the emperor Akbar, the great. And perhaps this was the only reason that some of the courtiers were jealous of him and often tried to put him to tests. Once a learned one visited the court and said that he has a small puzzle and wants to know who can solve it in the court of the emperor. Akbar used to enjoy such competitions much. So he gladly permitted the learned man to put forward his puzzle before all.

The learned man drew a single line on a black board and said that he wants that the line should be shortened without cutting or erasing. Everyone was perplexed. They could not decide as to how the line could be shortened without cutting or erasing. They just looked at each other’s faces blankly.

When nobody came forward with any solution to the puzzle, the emperor looked at Birbal. Birbal said that he will try to solve the puzzle. He came near the black board. Looked at the line and at-once drew a slightly bigger line beside it and said that the line is shorter now without cutting or erasing. Everyone was amazed at the intelligence of Birbal and was cursing himself that why such a simple idea didn’t strike to his mind.

Although such puzzles are nothing but trifles. Yet they have a hidden message for all of us. We all want to rise in life. The method we often adopt is that we try to pull the legs of others to be ahead of them. The attitude is not praise-worthy. The right attitude is that should move ahead of others with our own efforts and not by pulling others legs.