8/8/2019 Nailing Down the Truth

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One day, Emperor Akbar was holding court. A merchant, who owned a major outlet for ghee , entered."Who are you and what bringsyou here the emperor asked." "Shahenshah (emperor), I'm Madhusudan Pande. I sell ghee. A month back, one of my friends, Aslam Khan, who also owns a gheeshop, approached me for a loan. He said he had run short of cash and promised to return the amount in a fortnight. But he has notreturned the money I lent him."What is more, he now claims that he had never taken any loan from me!" said the merchant.

"Did you take a receipt for the amount lent the emperor asked."No, Alampana (emperor) I trusted him," said the merchant."So it isyour word against his. I can only say that if you have spoken the truth, you will get back your money," said the emperor, signaling thatthe merchant should leave.After the merchant left the court, the emperor turned to Birbal and asked him to look into the matter. Following the emperor's orders,

Birbal went to Aslam Khan's house."Aslam Khan, I have received a complaint against you," said Birbal and he narrated the nature of the complaint. Without any hesitation, Aslam Khan declared himself to be innocent.

"Why should I borrow money from Pande? I have enough landed property, a house of my own, and make a good profit from my

business. Why should I borrow money? He is lying," he said.

“Well,†said Birbal in an unconcerned voice, “Let†s forget all this, I have a favour to ask of you†. Aslam Khan smiled  triumphantly and encouraged Birbal to go on. “A month ago, I sent word to a friend in my village to send me a tin of pure ghee. Hehas sent me two. I don†t know what to do with the second tin. Ghee is tasty only when fresh, can you sell it for me and give me the  cash asked Birbal. Aslam Khan agreed at once and Birbal parted with a smile on his face.Next day, Birbal called on Madhusudan Pande and repeated the same request that he had made to Aslam Khan. Like the former, thelatter too agreed to sell the tin of ghee and give Birbal the cash. The tins of ghee were delivered to the two merchants at noon on thatvery day. Birbal was watering the garden, when Madhusudan Pande rushed to his house.

Sir, I found a gold coin in the tin. And here is the money I got by selling the ghee," he said, handing over the money to Birbal. On theother hand, Aslam Khan presented himself before Birbal the next morning.

He handed over some money to Birbal and was about to leave when Birbal stopped him saying, "Oh my god, I forgot. I shall be withyou right away'. Birbal raced down the steps of his house while Aslam Khan waited at the veranda. He saw Birbal talking to a servantbut could not hear what was being said.

"Go to Aslam Khan's house and tell his son that his father wants him to bring the gold coin which he found in the tin,' Birbal told theservant. The servant hurried out. Birbal joined Aslam Khan and passed time by enquiring about business matters till the servant madehis appearance with a little boy of ten. The boy ran to his father, holding a gold coin, saying, "Here it is, father. The gold coin we foundin the tin of ghee.' "That is my gold coin," said Birbal.Aslam Khan silenced the boy with a stern glance and turned to Birbal to offer an explanation, "Ah, I thought the coin had fallen off thefolds of my dress. Perhaps I was mistaken. Here is the coin, sir, take it." Aslam Khan handed the gold coin and got ready to leave. "Well, my friend, what about the hundred gold coins you borrowed from Madhusudan Pande?" asked Birbal, without changing histone. Aslam Khan realised that his game was up. "I'm sorry. I shall return the gold coins I owe Madhusudan Pande at once." He fell atBirbal's feet and begged for pardon.