Birbal in Burma
Birbal in Burma :
After failing once at getting Birbal’s post, Hussain Khan tried to please the courtiers. He thought that they would help him.
One day a courtier said to King Akbar, “Your Majesty, We’ve had a Hindu minister for so long. We must give a Muslim the chance to become a minister. We suggest your brother-in-law Hussain Khan for the post.”
King Akbar who treated all religions equally, grew angry. But he controlled himself.
He said, “Before giving him the post, I want to get him some experience. Hussain Khan will go to Burma with Birbal. He must deliver this sealed letter to the King of Burma as soon as possible.”
Next morning Hussain Khan and Birbal left for Burma. They reached the royal court and Birbal gave the letter to the King. On reading it, the King looked worried. He asked his guards to take both the Indian visitors to the guest palace and keep a watch on them. Birbal and Hussain Khan wondered why so many guards were positioned around the guest palace. The same question bothered a Burmese minister.
He asked the King, “Your Majesty, why are our guests under such close guard?”
To this, the King of Burma said, “The Emperor of India, King Akbar, has written that these two messengers must be hanged on full moon night. I wonder why he couldn’t have them killed in India. May be their important positions would have made the people angry at their execution. What if I kill them and King Akbar’s successor attacks me in anger?”
The Burmese went to Birbal and said, “Your King has ordered both of you to be hanged on moon night.”
Birbal had already felt that something was wrong so he had planned with Hussain Khan on “how to behave. So when the Burmese minister said this, Birbal said, “Please, obey our King’s order as per the letter.”
“Yes, you must hang us according to orders,” Hussain Khan repeated after Birbal.
The minister went and told the King of Burma about Birbal and Hussain Khan’s behaviour. In the guest chamber, Birbal said to Hussain Khan, “If you want us to be saved then do as I say. When they take us for the hanging on the full moon night then insist to be hanged before me. I’ll handle the rest, otherwise we will be killed.”
Three days later Birbal and Hussain Khan were taken for the hanging. The moon was shining full and bright. Birbal said, “Your Majesty, my last wish is that I must be hanged first. As I gave you the letter first, please let me be hanged first.?
At this Hussain Khan insisted, “No, no, Your Majesty, I must be hanged first. As I am the brother-in-law of the Emperor of India.”
At this, the King of Burma asked Birbal, “Why do you want to die first?”
To this Birbal replied, “Your Majesty, tonight whosoever is hanged first, will become the King of Burma in the next birth.”
The King of Burma thought, “I don’t want anyone but my son to become the next King of Burma. I’ll not let these men take away his right to the throne.”
So the King of Burma asked his men to lead Birbal and Hussain Khan to the borders of his country. He gave them a lot of gifts for the Emperor of India. On their return, King Akbar asked Birbal, “How was your trip to Burma, Birbal?”
Birbal told the King all that had happened. King Akbar turned to Hussain Khan and asked him, “So Hussain Khan, can you now take over Birbal’s post?’
“No, Your Majesty,” said Hussain Khan. “I cannot be fit for that post. Only an intelligent man like Birbal can hold this responsible job.”
So Birbal reduced another name from his enemies list.
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