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40 THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
( August, 1926 =
Next day, when Akbar and Birbal were conversing, the former asked what was the revenue rate on sugar cane, and when he was told it was only one rupee per acre, he thought what profits the old woman must be making out of her field. So he sent for the Revenue Minister and or lored the rate to be cloubled.
Again Akbar went to the field and asked the old woman for a drink. This time she had to cut half a dozen canes before she could fill a pot with the juice. He asked her the reason, and she said, "This is the result of the evil thoughts of the Emperor, who has doubled our assessment." The Emperor took her words to heart and had the assessment reduced to the former rate. (For another version, see Burton, Arabian Nights, IV, 51-W. CBOOKB.]
75. Birbal and tobacco.
(Told by Bansgopal Lal of Bansi, Basti District.) Akbar and Birbal were once on the roof of the palace, when Akbar saw an ass grazing near & field of tobacco, but not touching the plants. Now Birbal used to chew tobacco. Akbar then remarked, "Even an ass does not touch tobacco." "No, Your Majesty," replied Birbal,"no one who is an ass touches tobacco."
76. Akbar and Birbal's daughter.
(Recorded by Hazári Lal of Agra.) Akbar once told Birbal that he wished to become a Hindu. Birbal remonstrated, and said that the religious duties of a Hindu were very onerous. But Akbar paid no heed and said, "I give you a fortnight to make me a Hindu." Birbal went home very sorrowful and confided in his daughter. Said she, "Do not be anxious. I will give him a fitting answer." So next day she went to Court and came in tears before the Emperor, who enquired the reason of her grief. “Pardon me," she said, "I have committed a gross error. I am Your Majesty's washerwoman, and yesterday when I put the clothes of Your Majesty and the Empress into water, the water caught fire, and the clothes were burned." "Are you mad?” said Akbar, “Who ever heard of water catching fire?" "And who ever heard," she replied, " of a Musalman becoming a Hindu ?" Akbar was pleased and dismissed her with a present.
77. How Birbal sowed Pearls.
(Recorded by Hazari Lal of Agra.) One day the Emperor and Birbal were in Darbar, when the latter spat. The courtiers informed Akbar, who was much offended at this breach of good manners, and had the Vazir turned out of the palace. As he was leaving, Bîrbal said to his enemies : "If I am Birbal, before long I shall see your houses overthrown."
He departed to an outlying village and commenced working in the fields. One day the Emperor met him, and the old affection for Birbal revived. Said he, “What have you learnt, since you took to farming ?” “I have learnt to grow pearls." "Then you must grow them for me," quoth Akbar. "It is only in special places that they can be grown," replied Bîrbal.
So Birbal returned to Court and Akbar gave him seed-pearls from the royal treasury; and Bîrbal selected as the site for his sowing the place where the houses of his rivals stood. The Emperor had them straightway razed to the ground. There Birbal sowed some dûb grass and the Arwi yam. When they had grown, he took Akbar there one morning and showed him the dew-drops on the plants, which looked like pearls in the sunlight. Akbar was delighted and said, "Go and pick some for me." Birbal replied, “None can pick these pearls save him who in all his life has never spat." Akbar understood the moral and restored him to favour.
