Once, two men rushed to Birbal for help. One of them was a poor man. He had a bundle of clothes on his head. He said, “Sir, I was walking in the hot sun with the bundle of clothes. I was tired, so I took the load off my head and rested under a tree.” “And then?” asked Birbal. “I asked this man to help me place the bundle on my head. He asked me what I would pay him. I said ‘nothing’. He helped me, but now he wants the ‘nothing’ that I mentioned.” Birbal told the other man, “I shall pay you on behalf of this poor man. Come with me.” Birbal led him to a room. He said, “See, there is something under the chair.” The man said, “Sir! There is nothing under the chair.” “Take it!” said Birbal. The cunning man realised his mistake.
A Case of Nothing
