One Hard Question

A famous scholar arrived at the court of Emperor Akbar. He had travelled from city to city, defeating every wise man he met in debate, and he was very proud of it.

“I have heard about your Birbal,” he said to the Emperor. “They say he is the cleverest man in your empire. Let me test him.”

Akbar, who was always happy to see Birbal tested, agreed at once.

The scholar turned to Birbal with a superior smile. “I will give you a choice. You may answer a hundred easy questions, or one difficult one. Which do you prefer?”

The court waited. A hundred easy questions sounded safer, surely. But a hundred questions would take all day, and every one would be a chance to make a mistake.

“One difficult question,” said Birbal.

The scholar’s smile grew wider. He had a question ready that had beaten philosophers for centuries. “Very well. Tell me: which came first, the chicken or the egg?”

There was a murmur in the hall. Everyone knew there was no answer to that question. If you said the chicken, then where did the chicken come from? If you said the egg, then who laid it?

“The chicken,” said Birbal immediately.

“Ha!” said the scholar, leaning forward eagerly. “And how do you know that?”

Birbal shook his head politely. “I’m sorry, sir. We agreed that I would answer only one question. That is a second question.”

For a moment the scholar simply stared at him with his mouth open. Then the court burst into laughter, and the Emperor laughed loudest of all.

“He chose one hard question, and he answered it,” said Akbar, wiping his eyes. “Sir, I think you have met your match.”

The scholar was a proud man, but he was not a stupid one. After a moment he began to laugh too, and he bowed to Birbal. “I have debated with a hundred wise men,” he said, “but you are the first to beat me without having to win the argument.”