Maung Tig Thun - Stories from the Past

What a wise man!

          Once upon a time, there was a great king named Akbar in India. His empire was vast and his power was extensive. He was also a man of great wisdom and insight. The king respected scholars. Therefore, he often invited scholars to his palace and honored them. Poets, musicians, and religious scholars from all over the world used to visit Akbar's palace. Among the scholars who came to his palace, Akbar liked nine scholars the most. Of these nine scholars, he liked the scholar named "Babar" the most. This is how Babar arrived at Akbar's palace.

          Before he went to Akbar, Babu lived in a very distant place from the city of Delhi, where the king ruled. Babu wanted to see the king. He wanted to serve the king. He wanted to see the courtiers, the courtiers, the people of the city. Babu traveled for many miles and finally arrived in the city of Delhi, where Akbar ruled. He was tired from his long journey. But he was happy that he had reached the city of the king. Thus Babu arrived at the gates of the city.

          At that moment, the gatekeeper stopped him and asked, “Where are you going?” Babu explained that he had come to see the king. Then the gatekeeper said:

          “How can you get in so easily?” he said. Babu begged to be allowed in, saying that he had come from a long journey and was very tired. But in vain. The gatekeeper was Babu. So the gatekeeper told Babu -

          "I'll let you in. What will you give me?"

          Requested..

          But Babu had no money, no gifts to offer as bribes. But Babu was a very intelligent man, and he immediately told the gatekeeper:

          "I have no money or goods to give you now. But if the king pleases me and grants me any rewards, I promise to share half of the rewards I receive with you. Please let me in."

          He said.

          The gatekeeper, upon hearing Babu's words, agreed with satisfaction and allowed Babu to enter the palace. Thus Babu entered the palace. Knowing Babu's great wisdom and insight, the king liked Babu and loved him very much. Babu often told the king anecdotes and jokes. One day, the king was very fond of Babu and asked him to come to him.

          “Your Majesty, I am very happy today. I have never experienced such happiness before. Tell me what you want as a reward, and I will give it to you.”

          He said.

          Then Babu said to the king, "If you would give me a reward, I would like only one hundred lashes."

          Babu did not ask for any other valuables as a reward, but only for a whipping. When Babu heard this, the king and the people were greatly surprised.

          Akbar tried to persuade Babu not to ask for this kind of reward. He kept asking for some other reward. But he could not. Babu kept asking for a whipping. | Babu said to the king, “Your Majesty, I know that I am the only one who has asked for such a reward. Please give me one hundred lashes as promised.”

          He applied.

          Flogging was only inflicted on the guilty. Therefore, Emperor Akbar did not agree at first.

          A courtier laughed and said, "I wonder if he thinks that flogging will change his mind and make him wiser?"

          He said.

          Then Babu turned to the courtier and said -

          "You're right. Isn't it wise for a teacher to sometimes hit his students? Some people become wise only after being hit. They are wiser in the future."

          He said.

          Finally, Akbar realized that Babu was not going to change his mind and thought that Babu had gone mad. Then, as promised, the king ordered the officers to whip Babu. After Babu had been beaten for fifty lashes, he shouted to the officers, "Ho...ho...stop...stop!"

          Then the king said to the king,

          "You...have changed your mind, haven't you? That's why I told you not to accept this whipping award."

          The king said, smiling.

          What did the king say?

          "Your Majesty, I have a promise to a man. What is it? I promise to give you half of the reward I receive. So please allow me to bring him into this palace. Give the remaining fifty lashes to that friend."

          The king gave permission. Babu went to the city gate and looked for the gatekeeper. He found the gatekeeper ready.

          Thus the gatekeeper came before the king. The king was very surprised to see the gatekeeper. So he asked the gatekeeper what he was doing.

          Then Babu said to the king:

          “Your Majesty, when I arrived at the city gate, I met the gatekeeper first. He would not let me in at first. He would only let me in with money or some kind of bribe. At that time, I had no money or anything to give. So, if I received any gift from the king, I would give it to him. Now, I begged him to let me in.”

          He said.

          The king is a hero.

          "So you have to give something to get in."

          He asked.

          What is it?

          "That's right. If a stranger enters the city, they have to give him money or something. It's the custom, they say."

          He answered.

          The people who arrived at the palace also reported that they had bribed the gatekeeper at the entrance to the city gate.

          When Emperor Akbar heard what everyone was saying, he became very angry. The king sent his officials

          "Now...this account should be awarded half of the prize money it won."

          He said.

          Then the king ordered the officers to beat the gatekeeper with fifty lashes. The gatekeeper cried out in pain. He did not know why he was being beaten. He asked the king what crime he had committed and why he was being punished.

          Then Babu turned to the gatekeeper.

          “Do you remember me? At first, when I was about to enter the gate, you did not let me in. If I received a reward from the king, you would only let me in if I gave you half of it. Now, I have received a hundred lashes from the king as a reward. I have taken half of those one hundred lashes. You have only half to take. You will be beaten with a cane and your foolishness will disappear.”

          Then the king and his courtiers praised Babu's wisdom. The king rewarded Babu with gold, silver, property, jewels, and land, and ordered him to serve in the palace.

[Birbal enters Akbar's court. ]