The Best Weapon

One day there was a great argument at court about weapons. The general said the sword was the best weapon in the world. The archer said the bow. A young officer said the new matchlock guns from across the sea were better than either.

“And you, Birbal?” asked the Emperor. “What is the best weapon?”

“The best weapon, Your Majesty,” said Birbal, “is whatever happens to be in your hand when you need it.”

The soldiers laughed at him. “Spoken like a man who has never held a sword,” said the general.

Akbar smiled. “I think you’re wrong, Birbal. But perhaps one day you will prove it to me.”

A few weeks later Birbal was walking through a narrow street in the old city when he heard shouts and screams. People were running past him in every direction. Then, around the corner, came an elephant. It had broken free of its chains, and it was angry and frightened, swinging its trunk and trumpeting, knocking over carts and baskets as it came.

There was nowhere to run. On one side was a high wall, and on the other a shop with its shutters closed. Birbal had no sword, no bow, no gun. He looked around desperately.

At his feet, a scruffy little street dog was barking at the elephant with all its might. Birbal scooped the dog up in both arms and held it high above his head, right in front of the elephant’s face.

The little dog, finding itself suddenly lifted into the air in front of a giant, went wild. It barked and yapped and snarled and wriggled, making the most tremendous noise for something so small.

The elephant stopped. It had never seen anything like this: a furious, noisy, wriggling creature flying at its face. It backed away, turned round, and lumbered off down the street, where its keepers caught it and calmed it down.

Birbal put the little dog gently back on the ground. It wagged its tail, very pleased with itself.

When the Emperor heard the story, he laughed and laughed. “So the best weapon in the world is a street dog!”

“The best weapon in the world was a street dog that day, Your Majesty,” said Birbal. “Tomorrow it may be a broom, or a bucket, or a few quick words. The best weapon is whatever you have, used well.”

From then on, the little dog had its dinner at Birbal’s house every evening.