Parroting The Truth

A person was very fond of parrots. He used to train them and sell them to interested people. Once he got a good parrot. He trained the parrot to speck well and presented it to Emperor. Akbar likes the parrot because it repaid clearly to his questions. The king made special arrangements for the parrot‘s safety, security and care.

Akbar: Birbal, this is a lovely parrot. I have never seen one like this. See how its feathers sparkle.
Birbal: Yes your majesty, they shine like gold.
Akbar: How beautifully it speaks.
Birbal: Yes your majesty, its speech is brilliant.
Akbar: Inform everyone. It has to be taken care of well. The best of foods should be given to it. If by chance, something happens to the parrot, the person who informs me about it will be hanged to death first. Understand?
Birbal: We will take care, my lord.

Days Passed. Suddenly, one day the parrot died. The guard came running to Birbal.

Guard: My lord, what shall I do? The parrot has died.
Birbal: shhh. If you tell that, the king will have you put to death.
Guard: Please help me, sir I don’t know what to do I took care of it really well.
Birbal: Ok. Forget it. I will talk to the king.
Birbal went to akbar and pretended as if he was very sad.
Akbar: Birbal, what happened? You look sad?
Birbal: Your Parrot.
Akbar: What about the parrot?

Birbal again stammered.

Birbal: Your parrot, your majesty.
Akbar: Birbal, what happened to my parrot?
Birbal: Your parrot.
Akbar: I am asking you, what happened to my parrot? On the name of allah tell me the truth.
Birbal: Your majesty, your parrot neither eats anything, not drinks water, not speaks, not moves his feathers, not opens his eyes.
Akbar: What? Has the parrot died?
Birbal: Your majesty, I did not say it, you said it.
Akbar: Oh god, my parrot is no more.
Birbal: Its life on earth is over, my lord.
Akbar: Alright, what can we do about it but bear it.

The king remained calm after time he forget about it.
Akbar: I appreciate your intelligence, Birbal.
Birbal: Thank you, my lord.
Akbar appreciated Birbal’s commonsense and uncommon intelligence.