Birbal Finds the Thief

One day, Emperor Akbar’s favorite horse went missing. Suspecting theft within his own court, he turned to Birbal for help, but asked him to solve the matter without directly accusing anyone.

Birbal devised a clever plan. He gathered all the courtiers and handed each one a piece of straw. Then he announced, “By tomorrow morning, the thief’s straw will magically grow longer than the rest.”

The next day, Birbal inspected the straws carefully. To everyone’s surprise, one noble’s straw was shorter than the others. The man, fearful of being exposed, had cut his straw during the night, believing it would otherwise grow and betray him.

Realizing his blunder, the noble confessed to stealing the horse. Akbar was delighted by Birbal’s wisdom and clever way of uncovering the truth without creating open conflict.

Moral: Guilt often reveals itself, and with intelligence and patience, the truth can be discovered without direct confrontation.

Summary: When Akbar’s horse was stolen, Birbal gave each courtier a straw, claiming the thief’s straw would grow. The guilty noble cut his straw, exposing himself. Birbal’s clever plan revealed the thief and impressed Akbar.