The Thief and the Magic Sticks
A rich merchant has been robbed, and every one of his servants swears they are innocent.
Akbar and Birbal stories
Akbar and Birbal stories pair a sharp-witted courtier with an emperor who enjoys testing his cleverness. These playful tales turn riddles and everyday troubles into amusing little contests; you can read favorites such as “Birbal Counts the Crows” and “Birbal’s Khichdi” for free, or listen to any story read aloud in a natural voice.
The Line That Got Shorter
Akbar draws a line on the floor and challenges his courtiers to make it shorter without touching it.
The Best Weapon
Birbal tells the Emperor that the best weapon in the world is whatever happens to be at hand.
Birbal Counts the Crows
Emperor Akbar asks Birbal a question that no one could possibly answer: exactly how many crows live in the city of Agra?
Birbal’s Journey to Heaven
The royal barber, who hates Birbal, persuades the Emperor to send him on a journey to heaven to visit Akbar’s ancestors, by way of a funeral fire.
Birbal’s Khichdi
A poor man stands all night in a freezing lake to win the Emperor’s prize, but Akbar refuses to pay him.
How Birbal Came to Court
A clever young man named Mahesh Das is promised a reward by the Emperor himself, but a greedy guard at the palace gate wants half of it.
How Many Stars in the Sky?
Akbar asks Birbal to count the stars in the sky. Birbal comes back with a sheep and a very confident answer.
More Blind Than Seeing
Akbar believes most of his subjects can see perfectly well. Birbal sits in the market weaving a bed and proves that most people are blind to what is in front of them.
Neither in Sun Nor in Shade
After a quarrel, Birbal leaves the court and hides. The Emperor wants him back, so he sets a riddle that only Birbal could ever solve.
One Hard Question
A proud scholar offers Birbal a choice: answer a hundred easy questions, or one hard one.
Sugar and Sand
A courtier mixes a bowl of sugar with sand and challenges Birbal to separate them, without picking out a single grain by hand.
The Emperor’s Dream
Akbar dreams that all his teeth fall out. One fortune-teller makes him furious with his meaning of the dream.
The Load of Two Donkeys
Out walking by the river, the Emperor and his son pile their heavy coats onto Birbal, and Akbar jokes that Birbal is carrying the load of a donkey.
The Most Beautiful Child
Akbar asks for the most beautiful child in the city to be brought to the palace.
The Oil on the Coins
An oil seller and a butcher both swear that a bag of coins is theirs.
The Praise of the Brinjal
The Emperor praises the brinjal, so Birbal praises it too. The next day the Emperor complains about brinjals, and Birbal agrees with that as well.
The Rooster Among the Hens
The courtiers plan to embarrass Birbal by each bringing out an egg from the palace pond.
The Straw in the Thief’s Beard
A purse is stolen in the palace, and nobody will own up. Birbal announces that the thief has a piece of straw stuck in his beard, and watches.
The Well and the Water
A sly man sells a farmer his well, then claims he only sold the well and not the water in it.
Who Pulled the Emperor’s Moustache?
Akbar asks his court how to punish someone who pulled his moustache.
Where can I read Akbar and Birbal stories for free?
You can read them for free on Pagehush, with no ads. You can also read on your phone.
Can I listen to Akbar and Birbal stories?
Yes. Pagehush can read any story aloud in a natural voice.